Kali Ma (the black one) is the Hindu mother goddess of dissolution and destruction. She maintains the world order by destroying ignorance and blessing those who strive for the knowledge of God. Kali Ma is revered by milllions. 

Kali is a ferocious form of the Divine Mother, who sent her Shakti, the Mother Gauri, to free the gods from the dominion of the demonic forces Shumbh and Nishumbh, who had conquered the 3 worlds of earth, the astral plane and the celestial plane. She is the goddess of time and of the transformation that is death (Kala). Lord Shiva and Mother Gauri in their destructive form are known as Mahakala and Mahakali or Kali.

Kali burns and destroys all limitations, preconceived ideas, erroneous conceptions, and illusions regarding our individual existence. Her specific action is necessary for protecting us from harmful influences and for guiding us in spiritual growth. A mother defending her children, the Great Cosmic Power Tripura Bhairavi, is destroyer of the obstacles and hardships on the spiritual path. Bhairavi means "terrible." The Tantras says of Bhairavi, " Softly smiling, you shine with a crimson glow that may be compared to a thousand newly risen suns. You wear a silken veil and a garland of skulls. Blood smears your breast. Three voluptuous eyes adorn your lotus face; the moon is your diadem. Your lotus hands show the gestures of victory of wisdom, the granting of boons, and the allaying of fear."

Kali is the Kundalini energy that paralyses the attachments produced by the solar and lunar currents (both demons mentioned above). This attachment causes fear of death. In the ignorant ones she creates fear, while for others Kali removes the avidya (ignorance) that makes us fear death, the basic insecurity of the First Chakra , a fear rooted in the brain stem or primitive brain.

She is one of the ten Objects of Transcendent Knowledge (maha-vidya). It is through the destruction of all that appears to us desirable and by facing what appears to us most fearful, that we can become free from bondage and attain the aim of our existence, the limitless supreme bliss of nonexistence. [India, 1500C.E.] - the others are Tara, Shodashi, Bhuvaneshwari, Bhairavi, Chinnamasta and Dhumavati, Matangi, Kamala and Bagla Mukhi. Therefore Kali is also known as Adya, the firstborn.