Close your eyes. You will open yourself to a vast limitless expanse—the chittakash. Here yogis and sadhaks manifest the unmanifested in deep states of dhyan. How does one experience a limitless expanse between a closed eyelid and the eyeball? It is the first experience of Shiva, which was everything and yet nothing. He is the sum total of opposites—creation being bipolar. Add up the opposites, and the result is zero. Shiva is both purna and shunya.
In the higher reaches of Himalayas sit sadhus in silence, wearing nothing. Yet people from afar undertake arduous journeys to seek fulfilment of their desires. How can one, who seemingly has nothing, grant something to those who seemingly have everything, and are unable to acquire? The answer lies in consciousness and the experience of Shiva tatva; of infinity. The higher the level of consciousness rises, the closer he/she is to accessing the infinite, and the greater his/her ability to manifest the physical. At Dhyan Ashram, many sadhaks have witnessed their thoughts manifesting with the basic practices of Sanatan Kriya. One can only imagine the power of yogis who do rigourous tap in the wilderness. The power of Shiva is the ultimate consciousness from which emerges all and to which everything returns.
Each one of us is a part of Shiva the infinite, and hence are infinite. What limits us is our consciousness, clouded by our desires. Even if you bathe and shampoo a pig at home, the moment the door opens, it will run to the garbage. It is unable to think beyond, because its consciousness is limited by its desire. Humans are no different. As a yog guru, I have interacted with many, who despite having been given ethereal experiences and subtler dimensions through yog shakti wish to return to the rut of basic physical life. It is like creating a beautiful garden full of flowers and fragrances but you settle for straw. Why? Because the straw is your inherent desire. You are enamoured by the garden, but upon reaching it, the fear of losing the straw develops and you flee.
Little does one realise that the garden’s experience holds within it the experience of millions of straws. The higher you go, everything below is at your beck and call. Shiva is the epitome of detachment. It is he who takes in vish, even when amrit is at his disposal. Everything in the physical is temporary; when you get something is when the time of its return is also decided. Every pleasure will leave you. Pain will not last for long. It is foolish to chase pleasures and seek upayas for pain when the magic wand to create both, as well as experiences beyond is within reach—‘na paapam na punyam na sukham na dukham sat chitt anand rupam shivohum shivohum.’ In the merger with Shiva, one experiences eternal bliss, where there is no pleasure or pain. Now one can manifest anything out of nothing with just a thought. It is how creation began, with just a thought.
The night of Shivratri is the night of merger with Shiva, a powerful night to realise the infinite within and manifesting thought through specific mantras and kriyas as prescribed by the guru. It helps a practitioner to elevate consciousness and access Shiva’s force. On Shivratri, there will be a havan at Dhyan Foundation to help sadhaks.
Yogi Ashwini is the spiritual head of Dhyan Ashram. dhyan@dhyanfoundation.com