SHIVA, SELF-LOVE AND LIBERATION AT HALLOWEEN

It’s not every day we have the opportunity to celebrate the dark ugly awkward ghoulish places within us. That may seem like a strange thing to get excited about, but there is actually an invitation on this candy-eating, costume-wearing halloween holiday to celebrate that which we normally shun and in so doing step into deeper self love, acceptance and true ‘whole-ness’ or ‘holy-ness’.

I recently received a beautiful teaching from Sri Sri Svami Purna that speaks of this through the story of Shiva, the absolute, the destroyer and Lord of the Underworld and his relationship with the ghoulish demons and dark forces that are rejected by most. 

Being the absolute, Shiva excludes no-one and nothing. One day it came to his awareness that all the gods and goddesses had days of celebration in their honor. But the demons and dark energies were given little opportunity to party!

So he took it upon himself to invite them to his party, his wedding to Parvati, so that they too could live it up and let loose. 

The wisdom in this is beautifully illustrated in the Gospel of St. Thomas where it says

“If you bring forth what is within you, what you bring forth will save you. If you do not bring forth what is within you, what you do not bring forth will destroy you.”

Shiva is often depicted with snakes around him worn like jewelry. These snakes represent the darker forces within the psyche; jealousy, lust and greed, to name a few. His is not a peace attained through the shunning and repressing of these inner demons, but rather through finding a relationship with them where they can exist but he is the master of them, wearing them like jewelry.

So what is lurking within you that is wanting to dance this Halloween? Can you find a way to meet it and allow that energy to move without letting it overwhelm you? Perhaps through movement or silent witnessing, journalling or drawing. 

And while it may be dark and shadowy, it is just as often part of your brilliance that is hidden in those deeper unseen places. As Marianne Williamson says

“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.”

So as you reach for the 4th piece of halloween candy (or whatever your favourite way of keeping yourself from feeling those darker aspects may be), you may just ask what is it that I’m wanting to bury. And invite it to dance by choosing to feel it instead, even if just for a moment. And then eat the candy! 

Wishing you much grace and liberation as you meet yourself in all that you are this halloween.

Om Namah Sivayah!