UCP-Universal Collective Prayer: The Great Night of Shiv (Maha Shivratri) 2013!

It's been >5 years since the owner of the Meady's Musings production house started to idolize this picture of a murti of Shiv in Rishikesh taken by Jarmo Tuisk.


Since then the owner of the production house has been on a journey and today on the great night of Shiv 2013 the guys at the UCP desk who you would have thought had thrown away their laptops, tablets and electronic devices for lack of blogposts decided to come out of hibernation and share her journey with you!

In August 2008 the owner of the production house decided to take part in an event called candle4tibet. Participation in the event inspired the owner of the production house to open this here blog-UCP and hire the guys at the UCP desk!:) The first ever blogpost can be found here

During the period 2007 to 2009 the owner of the production house continually meditates on the form in the picture above and on the great night of Shiv 2009 she shared her experiences and interactions with the image in this blog. It is important to note then she was on the path of appreciating just how much in the art of dance, yoga and meditation that you needed no other guru than the form of Shiv. She had become so into his form that one night in dream she had the experience of a waterfall on her head...it was vivid in sight, sound and feel and what stood out for her was the coiling and the shape and form...she recalled it intensely when being aroused at 3:33AM!

The image still remains a great inspiration to her but she has since gone on to believe that really Shiv is formless...he is in the wind, the sun, the mountains...he is...he is not...he is all and he is nothing!

As a result Shiv is experienced by all who want to see him..everywhere! And so often the owner of the production house almost sees him meditating here, there and everywhere! However her favorite place to visualize his form is along the banks of the Mosquito creek in Trinidad...one of her favorite Shiv places as described in this blogpost. However the owner was enthused to go to the historical/traditionally fixed abode of Shiv according to stories in 2012 where she spent the great night in 2012. Below is a picture of her in the daylight period on that day in Nainital up in the Himalayas:


So it brings us to the great night of Shiv 2013 and the owner of the production house's perspective today in 2013:

"I think it is that the stories, songs, pilgrimages, murtis, TV shows, movies, Youtube mixes, blogs, pictures you name it...continue to enrich the experience of Shiv. Even if so much of it might be repeating the same message over and over but it is like how subtle 3D adds to the richness of a movie experience...it adds a very subtle layer each time...and yes Shiv must be also just formless...nameless...nothingness yet everythingness all in one...really never attainable by the human mind but everyday is an experience in Shiv and so in pursuit of him...the unattainable...you keep looking and in the process you get to learn just a little bit more about yourself daily...and you can do a big celebration and reflection on your yearly learnings on the great night of Shiv each year!"

So from the owner of the production house and all the guys from the UCP desk, the little mouse and Purple Elephant we wish you all a great night of reflection, meditation, blessings and prayer and good luck on your year ahead of becoming more Shiv like! Shivoham! Shivoham!

The Festival of Shiv 2011: Shiv as the Supreme Meditator

Image taken from Wikipedia Commons

While the owner of the Meady's Musings Production House was out on her day job she met someone who saw the image of Baba Shiv in meditation pose in Rishkesh as above on her desktop. She had been given it by one of the guys from here at our UCP desk!:) And the person asked who Baba Shiv was and if she the owner of the Production House meditated. She explained that while she may not always meditate in the exact position like Baba Shiv did in the image that yes she liked to meditate in her own way often! :)

And over the last week the Production House as much as they don't like the re-tweet couldn't help but to re-tweet this on their twitter account:

"Meditation is a constant, direct relationship with the sum of ourselves in the moment."

It was re-tweeted from Guy Finley.

So we felt it was about time on the Festival of Shiv 2011 to talk yet again about Baba Shiv and his role as the supreme meditator. We don't think anyone can beat him at meditation. It is why he is called yogeshwara...Lord of Yoga. He is the supreme meditator. And whilst we find people are often put off by the number of snakes wrapped around Baba Shiv and he is often associated with them. We don't think it's anything what they think!:) In that well Baba Shiv is such a supreme yogi or meditator that whilst he is engrossed in his meditation anything can come and sit on him...and he is also fearless...so very poisionous snakes even come and wrap themselves around him but he Baba Shiv is not moved by this! He is the supreme one...engaged in the highest and the best form of meditation...unstoppable Shiv...no one can awaken him...except those with divine powers themselves or those who surrender themselves onto the divine such that they themselves become divine and one with Baba Shiv then he awakes to shower his blessings onto them....to show love and compassion for his devotees...who by then are Shiv-like themselves!:)

It is what Parvati was doing when she got him to awaken and marry her...she was finding her own Shiv within....so after many years of penance, prayer and meditation...she was able to go within...fight all her demons until she aroused the Shiv within! :)



Om Namah Shivay! :)