Experience Transformation During An All Night Spiritual Celebration

by Arvana Robinson⁽⁵⁾
ZOXON International Spiritual Federation, Inc.

Maha Shivaratri is the "Night of Shiva". It is the time to celebrate Lord Shiva, The Dark Lord, God of Destruction, The Original Yogi! I like to think of this as a time to let go of all our past transgressions and negative actions and a time of new beginnings. It is a puja or ritual celebrated by Shiva devotees at the time of the new moon in February usually. It marks the celebration of Shiva's Great dance, the Tandava, and his marriage to Parvati.

I live in Santa Fe, New Mexico and am blessed to be within driving distance of the Hanuman Temple, a Neem Karoli Baba Ashram located in Taos. The celebration is coming up soon and as I write this, I gaze upon a picture that I took at last year's Maha Shivaratri. The picture is of the the altar devoted to Shiva. There is a very large Hanuman statue, the monkey god, who represents the ultimate devotee, in the Taos ashram. He is a reminder to me to live my life with more dedication, devotion and love. As I prepare myself for the coming event, I reflect on the last year of my life. Have I lived with integrity and discrimination? What is it that I would like to shed a snake's skin?

The celebration begins at sunset and ends as the sun rises. Many people will fast beforehand in order to receive a boon or blessing from Shiva. The fast is broken after the first round of the ceremony. There are five rounds throughout the night, with prasad, a fruit or sweet, given at the end of each round. Within it is contained the blessings from the ritual and is eaten by each participant.

The whole ceremony is an active spiritual meditation. During each round there are offerings made to Shiva and poured over the Shiva lingam, an egg-shaped stone that represents creative manifestation, the male aspect of being. Pictures of Neem Karoli Baba and other Hindu deities look on and seem to come alive with the participation of all involved. Their presence is felt deeply. I see a twinkle in Maharaji's eye as if he approves of my prayers! Each round and offering has its own significance. Shiva mantras are repeated and sung which puts the mind in a deep state of meditation.

There is delicious chai offered throughout the night, I think to keep everyone awake and alert. I am grateful for this and drink it in to stimulate, warm and comfort me! The small adobe ashram is full to the brim with people from the surrounding area. Each person comes for their own reasons, some offering flowers and gifts to the altar. I come to simply offer myself. At some point during the celebration there is a break in which a whole meal is offered to the devotees. Even with this break there is a strong feeling of silence, prayer and devotion.

Soon the next round begins as we chant into the early hours of the morning. The hours of 2-5am are sacred as the veil between the worlds is said to thin. It is at this time that I really drop in to the meditation. Different people lead us all in the mantras and there is a feeling of complete surrender and utter devotion. Some people feel waves of ecstasy and dance joyously with newly found energy. I remain seated as the mantras consume me.

As the sun begins to rise and the ceremony comes to a close, I sense a presence within me. I feel Shiva with joy in my heart. I feel renewed and awake, as though I have been burned through the sacred fires, metaphorically speaking. Even though the chanting ends it continues to echo in my mind as I leave the temple with to the sound of ringing bells. The drive home seems surreal as I feel the warmth of the day enter my being and watch the landscape change from the high desert of Taos through the Rio Grande river valley into the city of Santa Fe. The 90 minutes go by in a flash and I enter back in to my ordinary, everyday life with the vibration of the prayers resounding within me and a feeling a freshness and new beginnings upon me.

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Article submitted Sunday, February 12, 2012 & read 15 times.

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