Om Namah Shivaya

Every morning I meditate to and chant "Om Namah Shivaya" 540 times using rudra beads. Up until yesterday I really dont know why I was doing this. It was just this strong emotion inside of me that is driving me to do this. But there is something very interesting that has been happening with me the last few months. You see I always have considered myself a religious guy but not someone who was a fanatic. God has had a very important place in my life, I almost see God as a friend. I argue with him, and at the same time I thank him for giving me the opportunity to wake up every morning and experience life in all of its greatness.

I have spent the last few months bitter because of various reasons and times have been absolutely lost. But the weird thing that has been happening to me is, it seems like God has been trying to find me( I know I should have been the one trying to find God). See the good and bad thing about religion is interpretation. I know there is probably a more profound and richer history/meaning of Om Namah Shivaya. But to me through all of what has happened to me it seems like that all of those moments were leading me to the road that I am on today. Like I said I didn't know why I was focusing so much on Om Namah Shivaya until literally yesterday. See the more I read about Lord Shiva and Parvati Ma, I'm starting to learn that they are the embodiment of everything that surrounds us. I read somewhere last night that Om Namah Shivaya is "I bow to Shiva" and Shiva is our inner self. Shiva is our Conscience and Parvati is our experience in this world. Everything that I am starting to learn about us and the world that surrounds us is that it is driven by us and our thoughts.

Shiva is supposed to be the destroyer of this universe, and I guess in my younger days I didn't know what that meant. But you can only destroy that which you control. Vishnu might be the preserver or life but most enlightened will tell you that you are an essence of Shiva and it is that Conscience that all of us has that keeps this world going. Om Namah Shivaya, to me, is not the prayer offered to Lord Shiva only but also to our inner selves. No wonder every time I get done with my chanting I feel this sense of extraordinary peace and strength. I feel that I am the master of my domain and Shiva is with me, in every step, in every moment guiding me. Parvati Ma is there to make sure my experiences are strong and fulfilling - whether I consider them good or bad but that usually changes with time. In the end, I will never tell you should DO something, other than doing good. When the time is right, like it happened with me, he will come looking for you and will find you. Just live with love and peace you in your heart.

Love all and let the light within shine bright.