Shaktism rests on the vision that the Divine Mother, Shakti or Devi, is the supreme reality and the source from which all existence arises and into which it returns. She is understood as both transcendent and immanent: beyond all attributes, yet fully present in the world as its living energy. In this view, Shakti is the dynamic principle of creation, preservation, and destruction, while deities such as Shiva represent static consciousness that becomes effective only through her power. The universe itself is seen as the play or expression of this Divine Feminine, so that what is often called “nature” or Prakriti is honored as a direct manifestation of the Goddess.

This one Divine Mother appears in many forms—Durga, Kali, Parvati, Lakshmi, Saraswati, and others—each embodying particular qualities such as protection, ferocity, nurturing care, wisdom, or prosperity, yet all recognized as expressions of a single reality. Shaktism teaches that the feminine principle is fully and equally divine, and that every being and every aspect of the cosmos is pervaded by her energy. The material world and the human body are therefore not rejected as impure, but can be approached as sacred when related to with awareness and devotion to the Goddess. Even illusion or maya is reinterpreted as part of the Divine Mother’s creative power rather than as something wholly negative.

Spiritual practice in Shaktism centers on loving, reverent worship of the Goddess through ritual (puja), mantra recitation, hymns, and meditation, often guided by scriptural traditions that honor her as supreme. Many Shakta lineages are tantric in orientation, employing mantras, yantras, mudras, and carefully transmitted rituals to awaken the inner Shakti, frequently described as kundalini, and to recognize the divine feminine energy within the practitioner. A qualified teacher is regarded as important in navigating these subtle disciplines. Devotion (bhakti) is joined with insight (jnana), so that both heart and understanding are gradually transformed in the light of the Divine Mother.

The ultimate aim is liberation, understood as freedom from the cycle of rebirth through realization of one’s deepest identity with the Goddess, or with the non-dual reality of Shakti and Shiva together. This liberation is sought through disciplined practice, ethical refinement, and above all the grace of the Divine Mother, who is regarded as both the path and the goal. In honoring her, Shaktism also affirms the sacredness of feminine energy in all its forms, extending reverence for the Goddess into a broader recognition of the dignity and value of the feminine in human life and society.