Maha Shivaratri: The Huntress & the Boon

If you had 3 wishes what would they be? Tonight, Maha Shivaratri, the greatest holiday of Shiva in the Hindu Tradition, gives practitioners just this opportunity. The opportunity to practice, and the opportunity to wish? The age old story of the genie in the lamp serves to teach us one simple thing— whatever ‘thing’ you wish for will eventually become your greatest obstacle. The Shiva Sutras, and the yogic tradition teach us that our greatest wish is not for a thing, or an experience, but for the tools to grow spiritually. Lineage teacher Swami Rudrananda said that when he went to India, the enlightenment he found was not a heaven realm where everyone sits around drinking tea, but rather his ‘enlightenment’ was the gift of learning how to work, how to practice— The greatest boon we can ask for is a practice, a teacher to guide us in that practice, and a community to practice alongside. These are three greatest wishes, the three jewels in the yogic and buddhist tradition, and here’s the astonishing part: If you are reading this, then you have already received this gift, you’re staring right at it now— Because the sole purpose of the ashram is to teach you how to use the gifts of the yogic tradition to propel your spiritual growth.