n.
or sakti
In Hinduism , the "creative energy" inherent in and proceeding from God.
It is exemplified by the female principle, the female reproductive organs, or the goddess Shakti, wife of Shiva . As energy, shakti is viewed as the merging of powers emanating from male gods, and it is possessed by each person. In Tantric Hinduism, the goddess Shakti is associated with the lowest of the chakra s, lying dormant within the body as a coiled serpent ( Kundalini ) that must be aroused to reach spiritual liberation by uniting with Shiva at the top of the head. See also Shaktism .