Spiritual Traditions

In India, Mahashivaratri, the spiritual night of&nbsp; Shiva, is traditionally consecrated to Paramashiva (the Supreme Shiva). Shiva's devotees unanimously consider it as being the most sacred night of the year.<br />
The night of Mahashivaratri is the night before the day of the New Moon in February - March (according to the Indian astrological system &ndash; the lunar month, PHALGUNA). The yogis welcome this grandiose celebration as an exceptional spiritual opportunity. For this reason, they fast during the entire day and they stay awake for the entire night, meditating intensely using the MANTRAS of SHIVA (LAYA YOGA). The non initiates meditate simply by repeating Shiva's name continuously, with transfiguration, or by piously chanting songs of adoration to Shiva, or by adoring the famous symbol, the Shiva Lingam, aspiring with all their hearts towards PARAMASHIVA, THE HOLY FATHER.

The essence of the relationship between the Spiritual Guide and the aspirant can never be known only from the outside, because in fact it can never be an object of knowledge for those who are not ready to identify with that ineffable, mysterious state experienced by an aspirant on the spiritual path. It is also necessary to realize that this relationship is not a concept that we can understand only with our mind. Even if we can speak about this relationship between the Spiritual Guide and the aspirant, defining it in different ways (some of them very subtle), all these are only &ldquo;marks&rdquo; on the path each of us has to walk in this direction. Basically, all these are just impulses from the mind that appear within the spiritual practice (Sadhana).