Sadhguru: In a year there are twelve to thirteen Shivaratris.
The darkest night in the lunar cycle is called Shivaratri. This one, which happens in month of magha
is considered Mahashivaratri, because on this day, there is a natural upsurge in the human system.
Anyone - knowledgeable or ignorant, a saint or a sinner, a seer or a rogue - if he manages to sit erect,
keeping spine erect, awake and alert on this day, he can take the steps towards his fulfillment,
because the planet is in a certain alignment. This is an opportunity.
It is my wish and my blessing that you must know this today.
This night should not become just a night of wakefulness, but a night of true awakening.
The Mahashivaratri sadhana is a preparation for Mahashivaratri - a night of tremendous possibilities.
Anyone over the age of eight can participate in the sadhana, which is for the duration of either forty,
twenty-one, fourteen, seven or three consecutive days, leading up to Mahashivaratri.
There are few guidelines to follow during the sadhana period.
Soak eight to ten peppercorns together with two to three vilva or neem leaves in honey
and handful of groundnuts in water overnight.
This should be eaten in the morning, after the sadhana.
If neem and vilva leaves are not available, please take neem powder balls,
neem powder is available at Ishashoppe.com.
Have only two meals a day, the first meal should be after twelve noon.
If you feel hungry, you can drink peppercorn, honey, lemon juice and water mixture again.
Avoid smoking, consuming alcohol and eating non-vegetarian food.
A black cloth should be worn, tied on the upper right arm for men and the upper left arm for women.
Any black cloth can be used, but the black cloth should be twelve inches in length and one inch wide.
Those participating in the sadhana can procure the black cloth by themselves.
Wear only whites or light color clothing.
Please have a bath or a shower twice a day using herbal bathing powder.
Apply vibhuti on the following points; agna - between the eyebrows, vishuddhi - pit of the throat,
anahata - just beneath where the rib-cage meets and manipuraka - just below the naval.
The daily process for the sadhana is as follows - do twelve cycles of Shiva Namaskar on empty stomach.
You can learn Shiva Namaskar online. Shiva Namaskar, this is a series of seven postures.
He will demonstrate three cycles, please observe.
(Three cycles of Shiva Namaskar demonstration).
Now, we will look at the seven steps one by one with instructions. Stand with your feet about
shoulder width distance apart and parallel to each other. Bring your hands together into namaskar.
The knuckles of the thumbs are bend and pressing into anahata, feel the soft spot approximately
half-an-inch below, where the ribcage meets. Eyes closed. This is the starting position.
One - maintaining the namaskar posture, stretch your hands out at a forty-five-degree angle to the ground
and raise them up. Stretch your body backwards like a bow, fully stretched out.
Two - bend forward in the namaskar posture and touch the floor with the arms fully stretched,
keep your knees as straight as possible. Three - squat down and pull the namaskar to your chest.
Four - with teeth clenched, say Shiva and simultaneously push the hands straight out
with as much tension as you can like you are pushing a mountain (Demonstration).
Five - with teeth clinched suck the air back and simultaneously move the hands back
to the chest like you are pulling the mountain (Demonstration).
Six - as you stand up, simultaneously stretch the arms out and raise them up.
Once again stretch your body backwards like a bow, fully stretched out maintaining the namaskar posture.
Seven - bring the arms down, come back to the starting position and chant Aum Namah Shivaya
(Demonstration). We will look at the Shiva namaskaram once again along with the instructions, please observe.
Stand with your feet about shoulder width distance apart.
Bring your hands together into namaskar, knuckles pressing into the anahata, eyes closed.
One - maintaining the namaskar posture, stretch your hands out. Raise them up.
Stretch your body backwards like a bow, fully stretched out.
Two - bend forward in the namaskar posture, and touch the floor with the arms fully stretched.
Three - squat down and pull the namaskar to your chest.
Four - with teeth clenched, say Shiva and simultaneously push the hands with as much tension as you can
like you are pushing a mountain (Demonstration).
Five - with teeth clenched, suck the air back and simultaneously move the hands back to the chest
like you are pulling a mountain (Demonstration).
Six - as you stand up, simultaneously stretch the arms out and raise them up.
Once again stretch your body backwards like a bow, fully stretched out.
Seven - bring the arms down, come back to the starting position and chant Aum Namah Shivaya once
(Demonstration). After the practice please sit cross-legged, eyes closed, until the breath settles.
Now we will do it together slowly with the instructions. Please stand up.
Stand with your feet about shoulder width distance apart and parallel to each other.
Bring your hands together into namaskar. The knuckles of the thumbs are bent and pressing into anahata,
feel the soft spot approximately half-an-inch below where the ribcage meets. Eyes closed.
This is the starting position.
One - maintaining the namaskar posture, stretch your hands out at a forty-five-degree angle
to the ground and raise them up. Stretch your body backwards like a bow, fully stretched out.
Two - bend forward in the namaskar posture and touch the floor with the arms fully stretched.
Keep your knees as straight as possible.
Three - squat down and pull the namaskar to your chest.
Four - with teeth clenched, say Shiva and simultaneously push the hands straight out
with as much tension as you can like you are pushing a mountain (Demonstration).
Five - with teeth clenched, suck the air back and simultaneously move the hands back to the ches
like you are pulling a mountain (Demonstration).
Six - as you stand up, simultaneously stretch the arms out and raise them up.
Once again stretch your body backwards like a bow fully stretched out, maintaining the namaskar posture.
Seven - bring the arms down, come back to the starting position and chant Aum Namah Shivaya
(Demonstration). Please sit cross-legged, eyes closed, until the breath settles. Please open your eyes.
For those finding it difficult to do the practice, we will look at some of the modifications.
If you are unable to squat down and stand up easily, you can try to keep your feet a little further apart,
but ensure they are parallel to each other.
If this is still difficult, and you are unable to do the Shivanamaskaram with feet slightly apart,
you can put a piece of wood or cushion of about one inch thickness underneath the heels to raise them up.
Once in the squatting posture, if you are unable to stand up easily, maintain the namaskar
and use your hands as support by pressing down on the floor to assist you to stand up.
If this is still not enough, you can hold a post or column as support to sit down and stand up.
Because of injury or age, if you are still unable to do the practice even with support,
you can sit in a chair and do the practice.
The daily process for sadhana is as follows.
Do twelve cycles of Shiva Namaskar on empty stomach, then chant the Sarvebhyo chant three times.
Sadhguru chants Aum Sarvebhyo Devebhyo…
This should be done once a day, before sunrise or after sunset.
After Shiva Namaskar and chanting, chew the leaves, consume the peppercorns after mixing
them with the lemon juice and eat the groundnuts as well.
Please be sure to finish your regular sadhana, such as shambhavi mahamudra before consuming these.
A few points to mention about the practice - pregnant ladies are advised not to do Shiva Namaskar.
Ladies can do Shiva Namaskar during their cycles.
People with hernia are advised to do the variation of Shiva Namaskar by using a cushion or a chair.
Light an oil lamp once in the morning and once in the evening.
If a lamp is not available, you can use a candle.
Chant the Yoga Yoga Yogeshwaraya chant twelve times in the morning and twelve times in the
evening after lighting the lamp.
Sadhguru chants Yoga Yoga Yogeshwaraya…
It is best to do this sadhana during the forty-minute sandhya kalas.
Sandhya kalas begin twenty minutes before and end twenty minutes after sunrise and sunset.
The sadhana will culminate on Mahashivaratri.
The culmination process can be done at the Isha Yoga Center or at a nearby Isha center
or at your home before a photo of Dhyanalinga.
The process is as follows.
It is essential to remain in jagarana, which means to stay awake the whole night.
Chant the Yoga Yoga Yogeshwaraya chant one-hundred-and-twelve times.
Offer something to three people in need of food or money.
Offer a vilva leaf or neem leaf, leaf with three or five petals to Dhyanalinga.
Untie the black cloth from your arm and tie it near Nandi in front of the Dhyanalinga.
For those doing the process in the local centers or homes - burn the black cloth and smear
the ashes on your forearms and legs after the culmination process.