International Women’s Day: Monday March 8th

IWD 2021 campaign theme: #ChooseToChallenge
A challenged world is an alert world. Individually, we’re all responsible for our own thoughts and actions – all day, every day.

We can all choose to seek out and celebrate women’s achievements. Collectively, we can all help create an inclusive world.

From challenge comes change, so let’s all choose to challenge.

Source:https://www.internationalwomensday.com/About

Shivaratri

Maha Shivaratri: Thursday March 11

• Maha Shivaratri is an annual festival dedicated to the Hindu god Shiva, and is particularly important in the Shaivism tradition of Hinduism.
• Shiva is known to destroy that which needs to be removed in order to make room for new creation, thus known also as the God of Transformation.
• Shivaratri means the “great night of Shiva” and is the night when Shiva is said to have performed the dance of primordial creation, preservation and destruction. (Tandava Nritya)
• He is sometimes seen in the form of Nataraja, performing the cosmic dance.
• He is also known as the first teacher of Yoga.
• It is a night vigil of
  • introspection
  • self study
  • purification
• It is about overcoming darkness and ignorance in one’s life
• Fasting and purification of the body and mind are common practices on this day.
• You may wish to meditate on:
  • The challenges you have overcome and celebrate them.
  • What you have learned, and on the work you still have to do and the direction you are going.
• This is a time to reflect on our infinite possibilities in recognition and honour of the day that Shiva, after many millennia in meditation achieved absolute stillness, becoming one with Mount Kailash.
  • Shiva¹s power of destruction is a means of spiritual transformation, a force meant for regeneration.
• Identify your biggest spiritual obstacle. You can chant:
• Chant: Om Namah Shivaya –
  • I honour the divinity within me/ I salute Shiva/I honour that which I’m capable of becoming!
  • Find the words or meaning that you are comfortable with and repeat the chant/mantra as many times as you feel you’d like to.