DEVOTION is Shakti dancing for Shiva; Shakti creating the Universe out of love for Shiva; Shakti waking him from his eternal meditative trance to joyously dance alongside her knowing that all of creation is just a dance and play of the mind, a holographic projection of consciousness. Shakti is also responsible for waking up our divinity, resting coiled in the root chakra as Kundalini Shakti and undulating upward to stir us into action and awakening when merged with Shiva at our crown. This Divine duo are part of the pantheon of Hindu gods and goddesses that create the dramas of our soul’s experience on this plane we call reality.
For exercise, I offer a fun creation story, The Eternal Story of Shiva and Shakti, to tell to children and one they like to hear again and again. I have adapted my version from the incomparable Anodea Judith and her wonderful version for adults, Shiva and Shakti, a Tantric Wedding. Please make the story your own to re-tell orally after reading (see Why Storytelling with Children). After the story play the game of Shiva and Shakti.
The Eternal Story of Shiva and Shakti
by Karen
In the time before time, when there was only darkness and there was nothing to separate the cosmos and no light to mark the passage of time, Shiva sat in stillness. His eyes closed, he neither ate nor drank, but sat in deep meditation, undisturbed. He sat in stillness and awareness. He was alone and he was everything. He is still here sitting NOW, watching. His eyes look through our eyes NOW. Would you like to meet him? Let’s find him. To find him, you must be like him. You must sit very still, close your eyes and look inside. Be aware of your breath, your body, the area outside of your body. NOW push that area out wider, feel yourself being aware of this whole building and everyone in it. NOW expand outside of the building to the town, the sky, the planet and the whole Universe. You see, there is Shiva. He is everything and has awareness of everything.
So Shiva sat. For a long, long time he sat. We do not know how long, because this was in the time before time. Then there was a moment, a moment before time still, but a moment. We can still hear the vibrations of this moment in our Universe NOW. Would you like to hear it?
AAAAAA UUUUUUU MMMMMM
Yes, we know that sound. Self-born in that moment was Shakti. Shakti blossomed and expanded throughout the darkness and in that one moment, with a mighty push, she created the whole Universe, the stars and heavens, light and dark, up and down, here and there, left and right, good and bad. Oh how beautiful she is. She is the mother of all creation and her body is everything. She is this Earth, the animals and even all the people. She especially loves being the people as they make such a fun drama on the Earth with their adventures and battles. She is having such a fun time that she never stops creating. She is doing it right NOW. Do you want to meet her?
There she is in your mind, thinking about what you will do after this and chatting endlessly. There she is in your feelings, your sadness, happiness, your fear, your courage. There she is in your form, yes, she is your body too. She is everything you see too. Isn’t she glorious? Doesn’t she make you happy? Yes, she is the smile on your lips right NOW.
Shakti was born for love. She created all of this in love, for she loves us unconditionally- all of her creations- because we are her too. For us, she can and will do anything. We just have to ask. And she created this Universe for love, for her great love and devotion to Shiva. Just as we too are devoted to Shiva. For it is Shiva who always guides us. He is the one who is looking through us. Remember feeling him? Shakti calls to Shiva with all of her beauty and abundance, to awaken him from his trance. She wants him to play with her too. She says, “See Shiva, all this, I made for you, it is but a dream.” We are also Shakti. Let’s call Shiva together NOW:
(together) Row, row, row your boat gently down the stream, merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but a dream.
“Shiva, you may awaken and play in the dream with me and never lose yourself to the world. For this world is for you but it is not you. You are always eternal and timeless, pure Consciousness. You will forever destroy the illusions of this world. Right NOW, we are all here to play, and dance and be happy. Come and play at living and dying and living again.“
And so it happens, Shiva opens his eyes. Shiva smiles at Shakti. Shiva and Shakti are joined forever.
Shiva and Shakti, the game
Choose one child to be Shiva. This child sits on the floor or ground in cross-legged position. Around the Shiva child make a circle of protection that cannot be crossed. All the other children are Shakti. For the game, the children who are Shakti must awaken Shiva from meditation through their actions. They cannot touch Shiva. The game is over when Shiva responds, moves or reacts. Then another child can be Shiva. It is best if Shiva has eyes opens; otherwise the game gets very loud.
It is always a wonderful idea to integrate a story with play or yoga. This writes the story into the whole memory body in the same way that a life experience would.
Image credits
Shiva on Earth- Chaos-Man
Shiva in darkness – InspiredImages
Shakti self born – Gerd Altmann
Dancer silouette – Alemko Coksa
Forest – Free-Photos
Swans – JulieMimages
Sri Yantra – Clker-Free-Vector-Images
