The path of destruction and pain

[shivatar]

Not much love for Shiva these days.

Guess that goes without saying though. What living being doesn't resist it's own destruction? hahahah. the ones that don't are not here anymore.

Everyone else is one foot in the grave. Halfway there, halfway not.

[ajay00]

Shiva stands for renewal through destruction of past samkaras or unconscious tendencies by meditation, and contemplating the nature of death.

By contemplation of the nature of death and the dead body, one expands one's state of consciousness easily. This is why most Shiva worshippers put ash on their forehead, to remind themselves of the inevitability of death.

Here is an article and saying by Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev on the nature of death....

Being aware of your mortal nature is extremely important. If you remind yourself every day, twice a day, that you will die, then you will naturally move toward knowing higher dimensions of perception.

An another insightful article by Jaggi Vasudev on the same subject of death...

[shivatar]

Originally Posted by ajay00

Shiva stands for renewal through destruction of past samkaras or unconscious tendencies by meditation, and contemplating the nature of death.

By contemplation of the nature of death and the dead body, one expands one's state of consciousness easily. This is why most Shiva worshippers put ash on their forehead, to remind themselves of the inevitability of death.

Here is an article and saying by Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev on the nature of death....






An another insightful article by Jaggi Vasudev on the same subject of death...

thanks for the article links. guess most people can't see past the word death, its just too scary for them, even if no death comes to them just a transformation of consciousness.

[Shivani Devi]

Originally Posted by shivatar

Not much love for Shiva these days.

Guess that goes without saying though. What living being doesn't resist it's own destruction? hahahah. the ones that don't are not here anymore.

Everyone else is one foot in the grave. Halfway there, halfway not.

Namaste, Shivatar.

I'm sorry I only visit SF for an hour every week now, but it seems I have run out of things to talk about - exhausted myself within my own knowledge and experience - I am seeking to love and worship Lord Shiva more offline...keep the whole thing hidden...keeping it all 'to myself' because nobody else seems interested or even wants to know about it - so much for me being a 'teacher' eh?

Yes, there's not much love for Lord Shiva these days...but there never has been, really. Lord Shiva is always seen as being totally aloof, always in meditation, unapproachable...surrounded by his 'army' of demonic ganas...surrounded by snakes and other evil/vile creatures...easy to please, but also very quick to anger...and so, human interest has always turned to Lord Krishna (Lord Vishnu) or to a form of the Goddess (Devi) or to the sons of Shiva - Ganesha and/or Kartikeyyan.

The actual personae of 'Shiva' has lost all relevance and has become no more than an impersonal form of 'energy' or 'consciousness' or a formless representation of the human soul/atman as Brahman - a void of nothing wherein nothing dwells or exists and this realisation very closely approximates the death experience (or near-death experience) and in regards, Shiva is identified as being Mahakaal and/or Bhairava - the Lord and Master of time, eventuality and the dark force or 'dark matter' into which everything dissolves at the end of the pralaya (great cycle of existence).

Shiva not only represents death and destruction on the physical level, as in the case of the physical 'death experience' but also, as that which destroys 'ego' or 'ignorance' or all other aspects of our conditioned selves, so that only pure consciousness/awareness remains - only the bond with Shiva remains above all else, as we count every atom and molecule of 'star stuff' we're all made from, whilst observing all the galaxies and nebulae in the night sky as mere ornaments within His matted locks made from strings of unifying quantum particles.

To me (and to hardly anybody else), Shiva is a being in Saguna representation - and often a frightening and terrible being at that, but when I get over my total fear of Maharudra, of Mahakaal himself, the love and devotion I feel is totally incredible and all pain fades into a bliss of divine euphoria (but it's difficult to remain in that state for long). I'm taking time offline to meditate, align myself with Shiva more and rest within the core of my being a lot more than I do, so that Shiva's love for me can shine through more than it does as well.

I remember the time Shiva first came to me.....appeared before me and I was terrified of Vasuki around His neck...petrified of snakes I was! I wanted to reach out and touch Lord Shiva's 'skin' which was a strange hue of bluish, greyish, white...and rippling like the event horizon of a supermassive black-hole...not solid, but strangely dense beyond all density...I wanted to feel it, but Vasuki was hissing at me...unfolding his hood at me...I was all of 5 or 6 years old at the time...

Then Lord Shiva said to me 'if you don't show your fear, he will not bite you...he is only reacting to your fear...he senses it...so don't be afraid and you can touch me...he'll let you"...now that was a big ask of a young girl with a morbid fear of snakes...it took quite a few years before I got over my fear of Vasuki enough to reach out and touch Lord Shiva...

Then a few days ago, I was also lamenting there doesn't seem to be enough 'love for Lord Shiva' anywhere...Shiva not only represents death, but also life, in all its full glory...but it seems that Lord Shiva is the cosmic reminder of a soul's eventuality in the universal order of things and I also came to understand that we do not 'choose' to love and worship Lord Shiva...it is He who chooses us to do that and Lord Shiva is getting very picky and choosy lately.

Most on Earth do not even know of Lord Shiva...they seem to know about Jesus and Krishna and Jehovah and Buddha and all that, but as soon as I mention that I worship Lord Shiva, they are like; "who is that?" and the closest I can explain it in any way they would possibly understand it is comparing Him to Satan or Lucifer or even Hermes Trismegistus or Thoth from the Egyptian Hierarchy...and then all of the "OMG!" and "I shall pray for your poor, tormented soul" starts....little do they know or understand, my friend....little do they know or understand.

If I don't reply to this soon, it means I am doing practical things to forge the bond I already have with Shiva like titanium...like liquid diamonds...because I know that I am His! beyond and despite anything else, I belong to Lord Shiva and I don't fear death as long as He is there!!

Aum Namah Shivaya

[ajay00]

Originally Posted by Shivani Devi

Namaste, Shivatar.

I'm sorry I only visit SF for an hour every week now, but it seems I have run out of things to talk about - exhausted myself within my own knowledge and experience - I am seeking to love and worship Lord Shiva more offline...keep the whole thing hidden...keeping it all 'to myself' because nobody else seems interested or even wants to know about it - so much for me being a 'teacher' eh?

I enjoy reading your posts and find you supersweet.

The forum would be soulless without your posts.

Originally Posted by Shivani Devi

Namaste, Shivatar.

I'm sorry I only visit SF for an hour every week now, but it seems I have run out of things to talk about - exhausted myself within my own knowledge and experience

Not sure. But perhaps your writings here might be the outcome of an inner desire for service to existence or divine , and may have served as a cathartic release for you. All that rajas of service is now becoming sattvic which is a good sign of spiritual progress.

[shivatar]

what practical things are you doing to strengthen your bond with lord Shiva?

[Shivani Devi]

Originally Posted by shivatar

what practical things are you doing to strengthen your bond with lord Shiva?

Namaste, Shivatar.

1. I am going on Google Images, looking at beautiful pictures and artists impressions of Lord Shiva, Maha Rudra, Rishabh Dev, Kala Bhairava and Veerbhadra Avatars, as well as panoramas of Mount Kailash, Narmada River, Prambanan and Tanah Lot temples, beautiful Nepalese landscapes and everything that arouses deep love and beautiful emotions within my heart...then I go to the library, blow them all up to A4 size on photo quality paper, have them all laminated and stick them all over the walls of my bedroom and living areas....like everywhere!

2. I have been listening (almost non-stop) to the Shiva Chalisa, the Dakshinamurthy Stotram, the Sri Rudram and Purusha Shuktam and I'm chanting the Shiva Panchakshara Stotram all the time. The last shlok of that Stotram has become my latest mantra:

Yaksha swaroopaya jatadharaya,
Pinaka hasthaaya sanathanaya,
Divyaya devaaya digambaraya,
Tasmai yakaraya namashivaya.

My salutations to the letter “Ya” , which is Shiva,
Who takes the form of Yaksha,
Who has a tufted hair,
Who is armed with spear,
Who is forever filled with peace,
Who is godly,
Who is the greatest God,
And who wears the directions themselves as dress.

I have a picture of Lord Shiva on my bedside table. He is the last thing I see before I close my eyes to sleep and the first thing I see when I wake up in the morning.

3. Before I eat or drink, I thank Lord Shiva for providing the means and I'm getting into much more ritual lately...dancing, yoga, worship and meditation either guided or not and I dedicate it all to my Lord. I'm reading a few books right now; "The Spontaneous Healing of Belief: Shattering the Paradigm of False Limits" by Gregg Braden, "Shakta and Shakti" by Arthur Avalon and the "Magician Of The Gods" by Graham Hancock as well as studying the Emerald Tablets of Thoth and the complete history of Sanat Kumara and the Annunaki.

4. I also go on to Google Images and get Lord Shiva colouring pages (black and white) and I get out my colour pencils and gel pens and colour them all in...I have a folder full of Hindu/Shiva colouring pages which I have completed over the years and I also do 'Likita Japa', which is filling exercise books with writing "Om Namah Shivaya" in Sanskrit/Devanagari over and over.

5. I often close my eyes and picture Lord Shiva in my third-eye area, like watching Him dancing the Thandav in a movie and I pray that he comes to me...that He will show me how much He loves me...and two nights ago, I was watching a DVD called "The Secrets of Love" with Catherine Oxenberg and Casper Van Dien...and as soon as Marianne Williamson came on it and explained what Agape (God Love) felt like, I just totally lost it and collapsed in a pool of tears...because I can fully relate because I know what that feels like and all I've been walking around in Shiva-bliss ever since then, because I let go and surrendered...I let Him in/let myself feel it...whatever the case is there.

So, this is what I have been doing and continue to do since giving myself a break from the internet and deciding to focus more on Lord Shiva and what I feel for Him...expressing it in all the ways and through all my senses, so I can transcend them all again into Savikalpa Samadhi. This is what I have been doing off the internet, but I'm just visiting here while I photocopy Shiva pictures to hang on my walls (I bought another statue of Nataraja yesterday...that makes three!). lol

I also have to thank Ajay:

The forum would be soulless without your posts.

That has really touched me and I thank you for making me see this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5iTugfFvP4

Aum Namah Shivaya

[ajay00]

Originally Posted by Shivani Devi

I also have to thank Ajay:

That has really touched me and I thank you for making me see this.

Aum Namah Shivaya

You are our forum sister. What will we do without you !

I am glad that you are progressing and becoming more sattvic and equanimous.

Originally Posted by Shivani Devi

Namaste, Shivatar.

1. I am going on Google Images, looking at beautiful pictures and artists impressions of Lord Shiva, Maha Rudra, Rishabh Dev, Kala Bhairava and Veerbhadra Avatars, as well as panoramas of Mount Kailash, Narmada River, Prambanan and Tanah Lot temples, beautiful Nepalese landscapes and everything that arouses deep love and beautiful emotions within my heart...then I go to the library, blow them all up to A4 size on photo quality paper, have them all laminated and stick them all over the walls of my bedroom and living areas....like everywhere!

2. I have been listening (almost non-stop) to the Shiva Chalisa, the Dakshinamurthy Stotram, the Sri Rudram and Purusha Shuktam and I'm chanting the Shiva Panchakshara Stotram all the time. The last shlok of that Stotram has become my latest mantra:

Yaksha swaroopaya jatadharaya,
Pinaka hasthaaya sanathanaya,
Divyaya devaaya digambaraya,
Tasmai yakaraya namashivaya.

My salutations to the letter “Ya” , which is Shiva,
Who takes the form of Yaksha,
Who has a tufted hair,
Who is armed with spear,
Who is forever filled with peace,
Who is godly,
Who is the greatest God,
And who wears the directions themselves as dress.

I have a picture of Lord Shiva on my bedside table. He is the last thing I see before I close my eyes to sleep and the first thing I see when I wake up in the morning.

3. Before I eat or drink, I thank Lord Shiva for providing the means and I'm getting into much more ritual lately...dancing, yoga, worship and meditation either guided or not and I dedicate it all to my Lord. I'm reading a few books right now; "The Spontaneous Healing of Belief: Shattering the Paradigm of False Limits" by Gregg Braden, "Shakta and Shakti" by Arthur Avalon and the "Magician Of The Gods" by Graham Hancock as well as studying the Emerald Tablets of Thoth and the complete history of Sanat Kumara and the Annunaki.

4. I also go on to Google Images and get Lord Shiva colouring pages (black and white) and I get out my colour pencils and gel pens and colour them all in...I have a folder full of Hindu/Shiva colouring pages which I have completed over the years and I also do 'Likita Japa', which is filling exercise books with writing "Om Namah Shivaya" in Sanskrit/Devanagari over and over.

5. I often close my eyes and picture Lord Shiva in my third-eye area, like watching Him dancing the Thandav in a movie and I pray that he comes to me...that He will show me how much He loves me...and two nights ago, I was watching a DVD called "The Secrets of Love" with Catherine Oxenberg and Casper Van Dien...and as soon as Marianne Williamson came on it and explained what Agape (God Love) felt like, I just totally lost it and collapsed in a pool of tears...because I can fully relate because I know what that feels like and all I've been walking around in Shiva-bliss ever since then, because I let go and surrendered...I let Him in/let myself feel it...whatever the case is there.

So, this is what I have been doing and continue to do since giving myself a break from the internet and deciding to focus more on Lord Shiva and what I feel for Him...expressing it in all the ways and through all my senses, so I can transcend them all again into Savikalpa Samadhi. This is what I have been doing off the internet, but I'm just visiting here while I photocopy Shiva pictures to hang on my walls (I bought another statue of Nataraja yesterday...that makes three!). lol

Talking about pictures, here is a picture of Shivaling as taught by the female teacher led Prajapita Brahmakumaris.

They consider Shiva to be a point of bright light and incorporeal, and the same as Jehovah or Allah or Ahura Mazda.

I think it is similar to the bright light over your head taken in a superb photograph which you mentioned earlier. Could there be a link !

[shivatar]

Originally Posted by Shivani Devi

Namaste, Shivatar.

1. I am going on Google Images, looking at beautiful pictures and artists impressions of Lord Shiva, Maha Rudra, Rishabh Dev, Kala Bhairava and Veerbhadra Avatars, as well as panoramas of Mount Kailash, Narmada River, Prambanan and Tanah Lot temples, beautiful Nepalese landscapes and everything that arouses deep love and beautiful emotions within my heart...then I go to the library, blow them all up to A4 size on photo quality paper, have them all laminated and stick them all over the walls of my bedroom and living areas....like everywhere!

2. I have been listening (almost non-stop) to the Shiva Chalisa, the Dakshinamurthy Stotram, the Sri Rudram and Purusha Shuktam and I'm chanting the Shiva Panchakshara Stotram all the time. The last shlok of that Stotram has become my latest mantra:

Yaksha swaroopaya jatadharaya,
Pinaka hasthaaya sanathanaya,
Divyaya devaaya digambaraya,
Tasmai yakaraya namashivaya.

My salutations to the letter “Ya” , which is Shiva,
Who takes the form of Yaksha,
Who has a tufted hair,
Who is armed with spear,
Who is forever filled with peace,
Who is godly,
Who is the greatest God,
And who wears the directions themselves as dress.

I have a picture of Lord Shiva on my bedside table. He is the last thing I see before I close my eyes to sleep and the first thing I see when I wake up in the morning.

3. Before I eat or drink, I thank Lord Shiva for providing the means and I'm getting into much more ritual lately...dancing, yoga, worship and meditation either guided or not and I dedicate it all to my Lord. I'm reading a few books right now; "The Spontaneous Healing of Belief: Shattering the Paradigm of False Limits" by Gregg Braden, "Shakta and Shakti" by Arthur Avalon and the "Magician Of The Gods" by Graham Hancock as well as studying the Emerald Tablets of Thoth and the complete history of Sanat Kumara and the Annunaki.

4. I also go on to Google Images and get Lord Shiva colouring pages (black and white) and I get out my colour pencils and gel pens and colour them all in...I have a folder full of Hindu/Shiva colouring pages which I have completed over the years and I also do 'Likita Japa', which is filling exercise books with writing "Om Namah Shivaya" in Sanskrit/Devanagari over and over.

5. I often close my eyes and picture Lord Shiva in my third-eye area, like watching Him dancing the Thandav in a movie and I pray that he comes to me...that He will show me how much He loves me...and two nights ago, I was watching a DVD called "The Secrets of Love" with Catherine Oxenberg and Casper Van Dien...and as soon as Marianne Williamson came on it and explained what Agape (God Love) felt like, I just totally lost it and collapsed in a pool of tears...because I can fully relate because I know what that feels like and all I've been walking around in Shiva-bliss ever since then, because I let go and surrendered...I let Him in/let myself feel it...whatever the case is there.

So, this is what I have been doing and continue to do since giving myself a break from the internet and deciding to focus more on Lord Shiva and what I feel for Him...expressing it in all the ways and through all my senses, so I can transcend them all again into Savikalpa Samadhi. This is what I have been doing off the internet, but I'm just visiting here while I photocopy Shiva pictures to hang on my walls (I bought another statue of Nataraja yesterday...that makes three!). lol

I also have to thank Ajay:


That has really touched me and I thank you for making me see this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G5iTugfFvP4

Aum Namah Shivaya

ohh, building them brownie points with lord shiv ehh? nice. Tell him I said hello when you see him next. Tell him I'm coming for him *mean look* lol

for real tho. if you have a conversation with him ask him about me, I'm curious as to what he'd say.

[Shivani Devi]

Originally Posted by ajay00

You are our forum sister. What will we do without you !

I am glad that you are progressing and becoming more sattvic and equanimous.




Talking about pictures, here is a picture of Shivaling as taught by the female teacher led Prajapita Brahmakumaris.

They consider Shiva to be a point of bright light and incorporeal, and the same as Jehovah or Allah or Ahura Mazda.

I think it is similar to the bright light over your head taken in a superb photograph which you mentioned earlier. Could there be a link !

Namaste.

That's a very nice picture of the Jyotirlingam. <3

It reminds me of the story when Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu were arguing about who was the 'first' to arrive on the cosmic scene, and of course they called in Lord Shiva to arbitrate and settle that argument, as it were.

Lord Shiva assumed His own Cosmic form...an endless pillar of Light and tasked both Lord Brahma and Lord Vishnu to find the 'end' of it and whomever could do so would be seen as 'winning the argument' - way to go, Lord Shiv!

Of course, they could not find the limits of eternity and infinity...Lord Vishnu was honest about not being able to locate the limits of Lord Shiva's omnipresence...Lord Brahma arrogantly lied and in due course lost one of his 5 heads to Kala Bhairava - I mean, there couldn't be two Hindu deities with 5 heads - Sadashiva (for each syllable of the Panchakshara Mantra) and Lord Brahma (for each of the 5 bodily sheaths that mankind has) and of course, Lord Brahma used to boast about being 'equal' to Sadashiva in regards to having 5 heads, so an avatar of Shiva had to put that one right.

The other day, I also thought about the question of Lord Shiva being the 'destroyer' and the 'God of Death' and I recalled the lovely tale of Markandeya and wrote about that and also about Lord Yama's (the true 'God of Death') conversation with Nachiketas from the Katha Upanishad...I wrote a whole page/thesis on Markandeya and Nachiketas...but unfortunately, it's at home on my laptop and I'm at the library (where I don't have to pay to go online).

What I will do, is over the next few days, I'll either write out my thesis on paper, or put it on a USB stick and post it here, in this thread...and of course I'm still working on the quantum sephirothic values of the Sri Chakra/Yantra in the 11th Dimension using Bindu as point of reference...but I'm just doing that for fun. =)

It's about time I got serious regarding what I know and stop mucking around. *watch this space*

Aum Namah Shivaya