Spirituality

Maha Shivratri – Spiritual Significance, Do’s and Don’ts

Maha Shivratri or the wedding anniversary of Shiva and Shakti is celebrated across the world as a night of awakening, merging of the divine consciousness with the divine power and the night when Shiva got completely still like a mountain to symbolize the unwavering nature of consciousness. In this blog, we discuss the importance of Maha Shivratri for spiritual seekers and what one needs to do and avoid on this night. 

Importance 

The reason Maha Shivratri is a festival observed on a dark night is that it is the darkness that encompasses all of us and Shiva represents this all-consuming darkness. But he descends on this night with his consort Shakti to shed the light of knowledge over the darkness of ignorance and destroy it completely. One needs to note here that all darkness isn’t wrong and all light isn’t necessarily right. For instance, a person could be driving in broad daylight and still miss a block on the road and a person standing in a dark room could still manage to find the torch just by using his mind. Maha Shivratri is also called the night of awakening when we wake up from our slumber and move into the light. For Tantra practitioners, Maha Shivratri is the night when their powers get rejuvenated and upgraded. 

Here’s a list of do’s and don’ts on this night – 

DO’S

Do Sadhana 

If your Guruji has given you a Sadhana, you can do that or you can pick up a Sadhana of your choice, research its benefits and set an intention, then do it. Any Sadhana or Mantra chanting done this night is doubly effective. 

Set an Intention 

This is the night when Shiva gets married to Shakti. If there is any night to ask something from the God and the Goddess, it is this night. So set your intention and meditate on it, the stronger your meditation, the quicker the results. 

Fast 

Spiritually – fast with your thoughts and actions. Avoid any negative thoughts or actions for these 24 hours. Physically – avoid any food or liquid that’s poisonous. So refrain from alcohol, smoking, non-vegetarian food (due to food toxins), preservatives. What you can eat is fruits and vegetables and any food that hasn’t been processed. 

Meditate 

If you can’t do a particular Sadhana or Mantra Jaap, just meditate. There are various guided mediations available or you can simply focus on your breath and observe the magic. 

Don’ts –

Do Not Sleep. 

If you have observed a fast, then avoid sleeping so you can observe the shift in your consciousness. 

Do not Indulge

Try avoiding modes of entertainment like games, television, mobile phones, and the internet. This also includes feasting and consuming foods or drinks that aren’t pious. 

Do Not Kill 

Whether it’s a mosquito or a goat, all forms of life are celebrating the night of this holy union, and killing any life on this day would be a big sin. Also, killing is a form of indulgence and a toxic act. 

Don’t Burst Crackers 

Shiva and Shakti also represent consciousness and nature. Bursting crackers is pollution and that wouldn’t be a good idea when nature is merging with consciousness.

We hope this article helped you in understanding Shivratri better. Try the methods stated and share your experience with us. For more info, write into us at info@chamundaswamiji.com