"Right from a young age as I remember, I was interested in spirituality. I was drawn to a statue of ‘Dancing Siva’ which is in an outer corridor of this huge Temple. The Rameshwaram Temple is one of the biggest temples in India. And it was in the outermost corridor of the Temple, even when I was 6 or 7 years old, I used to go and sit there without knowing why I was going there. I used to go and sit before the statue of Nataraj, the ‘Dancing Siva.’” ~ Dr. Pillai
This Interactive Fire Lab will be performed to honor Shiva in his form as Nataraj, the dancing Shiva. Shiva’s great cosmic dance incorporates five divine acts (Pancha Krityas) of Creation, Protection, Dissolution, Embodiment and Bestowment of Grace. His great flowing dance sets in motion a continuous cycle of creation and destruction. His cosmic dance takes place in every particle of the cosmos and is the source of all energy. In the Tamil almanac, the festival of Arudra Darshan is celebrated in appreciation of the great ecstatic dance of Shiva, archetype of Infinite Intelligence and Infinite Compassion. Honoring Nataraj on this day and surrendering to the feet of Shiva’s divine dance can wash away sins. The fire prayer will be done while the Moon is in the star of Ardra, a star symbolized as a tear of compassion. This is a day to receive Shiva’s compassionate blessings for the suffering of humanity and to be lifted through into union with his divine bliss.
Join us for this Interactive fire lab via LIVE Webcast on December 23rd at 4:30 AM PST / 12:30 PM UTC / 6:00 PM IST