| February 2004 Wednesday 18th Maha Shivaratri (all-night Puja) - from 6pm to 12am - this will be in a private home - please contact Bina on 020-8859-1164 for details. Seats are limited, so please confirm attendance ASAP. Saturday 21st Darshan (Open Meeting) at Glastonbury Town Hall, Magdalene Street, Glastonbury. 7.30 -10pm - doors open 7pm Sunday 22nd Spiritual Meeting: 6pm-8pm: includes question and answer session with Swami: Quaker Meeting House, Bush Road, London E11 - Leytonstone Tube (Central Line) Tue 24th Wed 25th Thu 26th individual one to one (by donation) with Swami at the Hale Clinic, 7 Park Crescent, London W1. Please ring for appointments from 12th January: 0870-167-6667. Sunday 29th: Darshan (Open Meeting) Singing and chanting, blessings by Swami from 7pm to 10.30pm (doors open 6.30pm) in the Kennedy Hall, at Cecil Sharp House, 2 Regent’s Park Road, London NW1 - Camden tube, Buses C2 and 274. |
In Indian traditions, Mashik Shivaratri occurs every month. The name
Shivaratri means “the night of Shiva”. Mahashivaratri is the
main one of them and is observed on the 14th day of the dark fortnight
of the Phalgun month in the Hindu calendar (February–March) It
is said that on that day, humans can achieve a higher state of
communion with God if they stay awake the whole night and chant the
Lord’s name or concentrate on the Lord in any form. The ceremonies
take place chiefly at night. A fast is observed for the whole day, Lord
Shiva’s prayers are chanted and a vigil is kept throughout the
night. A holy bath is offered to Lord Shiva by way of washing a Shiva-Linga
or a Shaligrama which are the symbols of God with the waters of sacred
rivers like the Ganges. This ritual is known as "Rudrabhisheka".
A Shaligrama constitutes a sacred pebble that often conceals ammonite
fossils within. Normally we use a Shiva Lingam, which symbolises the
formless God - God without beginning or end. It also helps to balance
the male and the female energy which is present within us. Washing
the Shaligrama as a part of Shiva-puja symbolises the removal of impurities
from our mind. It also means washing off false ego and to surrender
our five senses to the Lord’s feet. Entrance free! - Donations welcomed! |