www.yaksha.ino www.ishaoundation.org Oall the human pursuits, strivingto transorm oneselinto a higherpossibility is considered the mostsacred. It is this pursuit that ulflls the purpose othe human orm and it is this pursuit that brings wellbeing to all lie. Te basic purpose oIsha Foundation is to inspire, stoke, andto nurture this innate search in every being, helping them realize the ultimate potential within. YAKSHA 24th February to 2nd March 2011 Mahashivarathri3rd March 2011 Print Sponsor: Media Partner:
Transcript
8/7/2019 Isha Yaksha and Mahashivarathri Invitation 2011
I n the yogic tradition, Shiva is held as the rst Guru, or Adi Guru, the onewho started the yogic process. On the path o yoga, we do not consider
Shiva as a god, but as a Guru. So Mahashivarathri is a estival o great sig-nicance to us.
For people who live in amily situations, Mahashivarathri is worshiped asShiva’s wedding anniversary. Te ambitious in the world see that day as theday Shiva conquered all the adverse orces in the world. For ascetics, Ma-hashivarathri is the day when Shiva became one with Kailash. Aer thou-sands o years o meditation, one day all movement in him stopped and hebecame utterly still. So ascetics see Mahashivarathri as the day o stillness.For a spiritual seeker, this is a day when there is a huge assistance rom na-ture itsel, when nature is pushing you towards your spiritual height.
o make use o this possibility, in this tradition, a unique all-night estival has been established. One o the undamentals o this estival is to stay awakeand remain with your spine erect in order to allow this natural upsurge o energies. Even i there is no sadhana in a person’s lie, just by staying awakeand by keeping one’s spine in a vertical posture throughout the night, thereare many benets one can get.
It is in this context that Isha Yoga Center celebrates Mahashivarathri and
Yaksha – a prelude to it. Te idea o being together on a night like this is tobe in the right kind o atmosphere, with the right kind o attitude and theright kind o energy situation, both outside and within ourselves, so that wecan make use o this possibility.
So on this day we create a situation where i not anything else, you will bedenitely kept awake. Some o the top musicians in the world perorm here,and the Sounds o Isha will also be there… they will all make sure that youdo not all asleep. It is all about staying aware and ocused throughout thenight.
Tis is also the day we wish to specially acknowledge the love and support o all the people who have in one way or the other, been a part o the extraordi-nary commitment, dedication and the divine madness that is Isha. I hope all o you will be with us on this night, either by being at the oothills o Vellian-
giri Mountains or through the live telecasts or the webcasts...
May this Mahashivarathri night be not just a night o wakeulness, but let this also become a night o intense aliveness and awareness or you. It is mywish and blessing that you make use o this wonderul gi that nature ofersus on this day.
I hope you will ride this upsurge and know the beauty and ecstasy that isShiva.
Mahashivarathri
8/7/2019 Isha Yaksha and Mahashivarathri Invitation 2011
estival preceding theMahashivarathri. akingplace at the oothills o the pristine VelliangiriMountains, it eaturessome o the most exu-berant and renownedtalent o music anddance. It is also an en-deavor to preserve andpromote India’s perorm-
ing arts.In their subtlety and vibrancy, these artisticpresentations evoke arealm o transcendentalbeauty which enthrallthe audiences each even-ing, in the sacred spaceo the Dhyanalinga andin the presence o a Liv-ing Master.
Come, experience thenest expressions o India’s unparalleled cul-
tural identity.
YAKSHAMahashivarathri
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to be a time when there were 365estivals in a year. In other words,people just needed an excuse tocelebrate every day o the year.
Tese estivals were ascribed todierent reasons or purposes inlie. Some were to celebrate his-torical events, victories over oesand so on, while others were o lie-relevance where certain eventsin the community’s lie, like sow-ing, planting, and harvesting werecelebrated. However, estivals likeMahashivarathri are o a completely
dierent signicance.
Mahashivarathri is a major estivalo the year that happens during theUttarayana, when the sun’s run inrelation to planet Earth has shifedrom the southern side to thenorthern side. During the southernrun o the sun, or Dakshinayana, what is below the Anahata Chakracan be puried very easily. Duringthe northern run, what is above theAnahata can be worked upon muchmore easily.
Tat is why in terms o spiritualsadhana, Dakshinayana is orpurication and Uttarayana is orenlightenment.
In the lunar calendar, the day
beore the Amavasya or thenew moon o each month isreerred to as Shivarathri. O
the twelve Shivarathris thatoccur in a calendar year, theone that occurs in February-
March, or in the lunar montho Magha, is celebrated as
Mahashivarathri, because itis the most powerul o the
twelve Shivarathris.
On this day the planetary positions and the energy,
especially in the northern
hemisphere o the planet, aresuch that it is very easy or aperson to raise his energiesupward. Because there is anatural upward movement
in the human system, many in the history o the spir-
itual culture o this land havemade use o this upsurge and
attained to their ultimate.
8/7/2019 Isha Yaksha and Mahashivarathri Invitation 2011
he role o ne and perorming arts in creating a conduciveambience or the spiritual pursuit has always been central
in this culture. So it is not accidental that the most powerully consecrated temples were also vibrant centers o dance and mu-sic. Te exquisite garbha griha or the sanctum sanctorum o thetemple was ofen complimented by exuberant ranga mandirs orperormance spaces within the temple complexes.
It is in this tradition that YAKSHA, a seven-day music and danceestival is celebrated at Isha Yoga Center in in the week imme-
diately preceding Mahashivarathri. Each evening at dusk, thesprawling premises o the Dhyanalinga and Linga Bhairavi em-ples play host to some o the topmost perorming talents in thecountry.
Tese open-air perormances set in the oothills o the pristineVelliangiri Mountains, the spiritual ambience o the intensely consecrated space, and the presence o a Living Master, elicit anexperience that not only keeps the audience spell bound, but o-ten overwhelms the artists themselves…
YAKSHA Gallery 2010
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mystic o our times, is a visionary humanitarian and aprominent spiritual leader. Acontemporary Guru, rootedas strongly in mundane andpragmatic matters as he is ininner experience and wisdom,Sadhguru works tirelessly towardsthe physical, mental, and spiritualwellbeing o all. His mastery o themechanisms o lie, an outcome
o his proound experience o
the Sel, guides in exploring thesubtler dimensions o lie. Hisscientic and logical methods havetouched millions rom all walks o lie, inspiring innumerable peopleto seek this opportunity withinthemselves.
Over three decades ago, Sadhguru
established the Isha Foundation,a non-prot, non-religiousorganization dedicated tocultivating human potential.
ISHA YOGA CENTER
Isha Yoga Center, ounded by Sadhguru, is located on 150 acres o lush land at the oothills o the Velliangiri Mountains, amidst a orest
reserve with abundant wildlie. Pristine hills, sparkling rivulets andgushing wateralls make or a stunning backdrop or the Yoga Center.
Created as a powerul sthana (a center or inner growth), this popu-lar destination attracts people rom all parts o the world. Unique in
its oering o all the our major paths o yoga– gnana (knowledge),karma (action), kriya (energy) and bhakti (devotion), it revives the
Guru-shishya paramparya (the traditional method o knowledgetranser rom Master to disciple).
Te center oers various residential acilities as well as program andconerence acilities such as the 64,000 sq. f. Spanda Hall and theNalanda Conerence Center. Also located on the premises are the
Dhyanalinga Yogic emple, Linga Bhairavi emple, Teerthakund,Isha Rejuvenation Center and Isha Home School.
Isha Yoga Center provides a supportive environment or people toshif to healthier liestyles, seek a higher level o sel-ulllment and
realize their ull potential.
HOW TO GET THERE
Located in the northwestern amil Nadu, Coimbatore is at an eleva-tion o 409 meters above sea level. It experiences pleasing weather
conditions where winters are mild and the summers are moderate.Te maximum summer temperature sometimes touches 35°C, while
the minimum winter temperature sometimes drops to around 9°C.Te months July–November tend to be wet and Mahashivarathri
night tends to be chilly.
Isha Yoga Center is situated 33 km west o Coimbatore, which is wellconnected by air, rail and road. Regular bus and taxi services are
available rom Coimbatore to Isha Yoga Center. Limited guest accom-modation is available at the Yoga Center upon prior reservations.
CONTACT:
Isha Yoga Center, Velliangiri Foothills Semmedu (P.O.)Coimbatore – 641 114 India. el: +91-422-2515345
