Maha Shivaratri

triyoga-maha-shivaratri

Happy Maha Shivarati from everyone at triyoga. To mark the festival this year, triyoga’s founder and managing director Jonathan Sattin shares his reflection on its meaning.

In the mid-80s when I started practising yoga, I’d come across statues of Hindu deities. As a nice Jewish boy the thought of bowing to a Hindu God or Goddess seemed potentially a mortal sin. One yoga centre I went to in New York had a wall of different deities, so however mesmerising these images were, possibly I was in big trouble.

And then I found out that the core message of all the different images, were in fact representations or embodiments of different aspects of one divine essence. At that point I realised that bowing or whatever ritual I did before one of these beautiful and amazing and sometimes incredibly colourful statues and pictures was a practice to the one, or One that all religions honour. And for me each one reminds me of particular aspects to which I can aspire.

Which brings me to the point. This Friday in India and around the world the festival of Maha Shivaratri is celebrated in honour of the Hindu god Shiva who is known as the auspicious one and one of the three principal deities of Hinduism alongside Brahma and Vishnu.

Actually Shivaratri is celebrated every month (I just learnt this) and Maha (which translates as ‘great’) is celebrated once a year – and this Friday is it.

There are many stories about Maha Shivaratri, which all have lovely underlying teachings that we can apply to our lives. One is that it is the date celebrating when Shiva saved the world through drinking a pot of poison that had emerged from the ocean.

The day is dedicated to Shiva, and that aspect of the divine that embodies virtues such as honesty, self-restraint and transformation. This festival is about overcoming darkness and ignorance in life and is normally celebrated at night. People mark it by fasting (this is more restraint in food rather than an absolute fast), meditation, prayers and chanting.

This is an appropriate time to focus on restraint, forgiveness, repentance, honesty and kindness.

I read this the other day; Shiva is not only outside of us but within us. To unite ourselves with the One Self is to recognise the Shiva in all of us.

Are monthly symptoms wearing you down, such as PMS or painful periods, you are worried about the dreaded perimenopause chaos, feeling run down or bloated? With
Are you feeling generally sluggish or your skin is feeling puffy after a season of over indulgence?
Discover the transformative art of Qigong and its profound benefits for physical health, mental clarity, and spiritual growth. Learn about the ancient Chinese practice that
Unlock the potential of your body with Functional Range Conditioning (FRC). Discover how FRC improves mobility, joint health, body control, and benefits yoga practitioners by
Located in our triyoga centres in Camden and Ealing, our infrared saunas are ideal for easing tired and tense muscles, while providing a calming space
Explore yoga asanas for pranayama and unlock the power of your breath. Lengthen inhalations, open the chest, and deepen self-awareness through these poses. Let pranayama

exclusive
Easter membership

You’ll get unlimited classes, at all of our locations, plus loads of member perks.

And the best part, get 15% off every month. At the end of the 3 months, feel free to break it off. Get your hands on our new Unlimited Membership (3-month term) now.

Available for a limited time only.

You are buying…

Monthly Unlimited Studio Pass​

£250 per month

Studio Passes can be used at any triyoga, Barrecore, KOBOX, or Boom Cycle location in London.

By purchasing this item you agree with the terms above.

wait...
join our newsletter

sign up here to receive our special offers, latest news, event invitations and more…