Sometimes, people get confused when great saints and masters, talk about God in plural, ‘gods’ or God in female and male terms. Or when they speak of them as if they have human personalities and forms, like ours, except with divine powers. Yet, if there is a divine source to all of this, isn’t everything, including all of us, just an infinite array of natural manifestations of the Divine? All of which implies the Divine has an infinite capacity, doesn’t it? So, why should it be such a stretch to think the Divine might also have the capacity and the intention to manifest the divine power and creative intelligence that is Shiva, or Mother Divine, directly into the world, in human form — or in any other form it chooses? In the Indian spiritual tradition, we speak of ‘darshan’. Darshan is a supernatural mechanism whereby a form of the Divine manifests in a physical (often, human) form so that you see Him/Her with your two eyes, not just as a vision in your mind. Why ‘human’ form? Being human, it’s easier for us to connect with them that way.

Our master goes on to say about Shiva, “Shiva is Bhola Shankara (the most generous gift-giver): even if a crazy person meditates and does a perfect process, Shiva comes and gives the boon. Shiva never thinks what type of nature are you. Shiva never cares what you are (your culture, religion, social status, your mistakes/flaws etc). Just, whatever you ask, ok take it, and he gives the energy…He’s the #1 easiest guy to reach, that way, the person blessing incredibly whatever you want. First, he wants to play a lot of illusions, then once you get him (hook his soul with your discipline and open heart), he’s the person giving the incredible blessing.”

What is Maha Shivaratri

Once a year, on Shivaratri, Shiva wakes up from his meditation and blesses his devotees with their heart’s wishes. All across India and around the world, wherever the Hindu faith is practiced, people flock to Shiva temples and chant his name. Still, does it mean you have to be Hindu and go to a Shiva temple to directly connect with Shiva? What significance does Shivaratri have to us?

If Shiva lies within us all, it means, we are intrinsically made of his divine power, we are the structure and he is the space in between our every breath, our every heartbeat, our every cell. During that high energy time of Shivaratri, his energy is activating in us. By consciously connecting with Shiva through intense prayer and active practice of love, the vibration produced through Shiva mantra meditation and devotional, heart-opening songs, we can have his darshan and realize our own divine status.

As spiritual students, as souls seeking to go beyond the surface experience while we live in the material world, aligning with Shiva’s vibration, allows to transform and elevate our consciousness and have our souls, not just our mind and emotions, guide the path of our lives. This is why one should endeavor to merge with his energy.

And, Shivaratri is a super auspicious time to start.