Maha Shivaratri 2025

SAVE THE DATE – MORE INFORMATION COMING SOON

Shivaratri is the fourteenth day of the lunar fortnight, when the moon is waning; this is the night of Auspicious Darkness or night of Shiva. Shiva’s name means “the Auspicious One.”

The Night of Shiva goes through the evening until the new moon the next morning. It is considered the night of Consecration, of Dedication and of Illumination.

Through fasting, chanting ritual and prayer throughout the night, we purify the mind and offer our ignorance of our mistaken identity and our created world to that aspect of “God who takes away,” as the Remover or Destroyer. Shiva is the remover of Ignorance. Removing our separateness from the Divine, so we can identify with our true Self—as we offer to the Auspicious energy within on Shiva’s night.

Also, since Shiva watches over us and is ever working for our realization night and day, in deep gratitude, on this dark night of the new moon, we ask Shiva to please take his rest.

We vow that we will not forget our aim and that by absorbing the mind through the rituals with prayers, chanting, practices, and ceremony we will be engaged in sadhana (spiritual practice) and constant remembrance of him and the Truth he represents.

It is an auspicious time to deepen or to start our spiritual practice, affirming discipline and devotion.

Our celebration begins with the making of 1008 Shiva Lingams, morning of the 8th.

The Shiva Lingam (“mark or sign”) represents the formless aspect of Shiva, unmanifest nature, as well as procreative power. Made and placed as a circular mandala while repeating mantras. The mandala represents the integration of masculine (Lingam)and feminine (Yoni, representing manifest nature). This is symbolic of the entire creation and a form of the universe itself.

Other names of Shiva are:

Shankara, giver of peace.
Shambho, granter of welfare and joy.
Hara, remover of pain and ignorance.
Mahadeva, the great god.

Hara Hara Mahadev!! Jai Babaji!! Jai Satsang!!