Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Devi!!

Wrote this long before, sharing now!
Linga Bhairavi consecration is a rare happening in my life that left me in awe, wonder and utter devotion lingering on for more than a week after the program got over.

Ever since Sadhguru spoke about Linga bhairavi in the teacher's meeting, I was looking forward for her birth at Isha. Sadhguru had mentioned that she is a fierce feminine form who responds to devotion and passion more than anything else. He also mentioned, her energy will be in such a state that if we enter the shrine, she will slap us right on our face :) This made my feelings(Not sure how to describe these "feelings")for her grow stronger.

After the consecration dates were announced, I learned that all the teachers and residents of the ashram will be volunteering for the consecration. That ruled out the opportunity of me participating in the program, but somehow I was not disappointed, rather I was quite happy and was looking forward for the event to happen.

I was in the "Seating team" for the "Vilva" category of participants. Though I was excited about the event, I had no expectations of how it was going to be. Sadhguru had mentioned in several occasions not to think and analyse the events in the consecration, but to rather soak them in. This instruction had helped, for if not, I would have been questioning and arriving at my own stupid answers for every thing that I witnessed there. The curiosity to analyse and know the reason for everything could be put aside by reminding myself of what Sadhguru said.

Being a volunteer, I could not participate in the process, but just being in the space and looking at others' involvement in the process and what the process did to them did something unexplainable to me. I was slowly getting transported to a different world.

During the process, a few participants threw up and we were running with buckets and water bottles to help them. I handled about 3 to 4 people that night and it felt very happy to have an oppurtunity to play a small role, in other people participating in the process. When I first saw the volunteers in BSP doing this without the slightest hesitation, I have wanted to be on their side and return the same gesture to others. This was the first time that I got an opportunity. It is hard to explain the kind of satisfaction such an action brings.

Day 2 was much more intense. Several occasions, it was hard for me to keep the eyes open, they naturally went to a half closed state. As volunteers, we had to be watchful and alert, so I had to put quite some effort to keep them open :)
The moment of the birth of the Devi is a sight that I cannot forget until the end of my life. It was so overwhelming and humbling to see the birth of a feminine form whose intensity and power is way beyond our imagination.
I could see that, in some way, she is changing my life forever. It feels like I cannot conceive my life without her.
The last day of the event ended with joyful singing and dancing by the participants and of course by our Dear Sadhguru. Later that evening, there was a procession for the "urchava moorthi" of the Devi around Dhyanalinga. In Sadhguru's words, she "wooed" Dhyanalinga with her gracious movements. What I witnessed during the procession and Aarathi thereafter was something spectacular. Tears started flowing when I watched her move so graciously with the magical sounds from the drums and trumpet matching her movement. To see the volunteers perform the ceremony with great devotion and grace was such a humbling experience. What I witnessed during Aarathi made me feel spellbound, literally. My mind stopped for I dont know how long as a magical magnificence unfolded in front of me. The sounds of Isha and a group of other volunteers were singing as another group of Swami's were "wooing" Dhyanalinga with their ferocious Dances on behalf of the Bhairavi.
I would consider the next few days following the consecration as one of the most fortunate days of my life as I could continue to witness the procession and the Aarathi performed with utmost surrender that could evoke devotion even in a stone heart. For several days to follow, I felt very light and humble. The taste of feeling humble and devotional throughout the day left me longing to stay so forever.

1 comment:

ME said...

Shambho! What a privilege.