wisdom & ignorance

The Buddhist scholar monk Bhikkhu Bodhi explains that ignorance is not just an absence of knowledge - “It is an insidious and volatile mental factor incessantly at work inserting itself into every compartment of our inner life. It distorts cognition, dominates volition, and determines the entire tone of our existence.”

Whereas ignorance obscures the true nature of things, wisdom removes the veils of distortion - enabling us to witness a situation in its essential mode of being - through our direct perception and not clouded over by filters and bias. 

burned out utility pole - photo © Igor Podgorny

Training in wisdom is rooted in the development of insight (vipassana-bhavana) - a deep and comprehensive seeing into the nature of existence which fathoms the truth of our being - from our own experience. 

soulful songs to Shiva

Days like this make me miss my years living at the hermitage as a disciple and devotee. The clean pure joy of total surrender. Aarati. Seva. Japa. Meditation.

Maha Shivaratri is a popular Hindu festival celebrated every year in reverence of the Lord Shiva. The 'Great Night of Shiva' is an auspicious day believed to be the day of convergence of divine powers of Lord Shiva and Goddess Shakti. The night when Shiva performs the heavenly dance of creation, preservation and destruction. 

On this day the planetary positions in the universe align with these spiritual energies. Tapas are performed in exchange for boons. Through the practice of meditation and yoga, we pay our respect and pray to Lord Shiva all day, chanting Om Namah Shiva.