Śivarātri is the 14th day of the waning moon fortnight (kṛṣṇa pakṣa), dedicated to prayer and austerities. The planetary positions on this day are considered to create an astrologically beneficial condition for spiritual pursuits. Our mantra practice hold immense potential on this day.

When our practices are aligned with a lineage, we receive clear instructions, allowing a distraction free sādhana to guide our lives. In the Veda, we know of many Ṛṣikā-s (women seers) as well as Brahmavādini-s (women teachers). Women practitioners are sometimes faced with these questions:

Are women allowed to chant Veda?
Women are not allowed to chant the Gāyatrī mantra, what is your advice on this?
What are the instructions for practice during menstruation?...

Liṅgāṣṭakam is an octet (8 verses) offering salutations to Śiva in the form of Liṅga, the source of all creation. We praise Śiva the divine, as creator and creation, manifest and unmanifest, in the Liṅga.

This well known hymn composed by Śaṅkarācārya honours our source of food, our lifeline, our most basic requirement to live this embodied life.

Narasiṃha is the fourth incarnation of Lord Viṣṇu in the Daśāvatāra (10 incarnations), the unmistakable and fierce (ugra) manifestation as part lion & part man. The story of Prahlāda, the slaying of Hiraṇyakaśipu and restoration of dharma is the context behind this powerful "kavacam" - a genre of prayer that effectuates an armour to shield the devotee from harm and negative forces.

This morning prayer of only three verses, directs our mind, speech and body to the Absolute. Chanted in the morning, dawn becomes the outer symbol of our inner awakening and sets the tone for how the rest of the day could potentially unfold for us.