Shivarathri is a very auspicious day for all. It is the fourteenth day of the lunar fortnight when the moon is waning and the sun is in the sign of Aquarius. The festival is, however, related to the moon rather than the sun. That is the reason why it is called Shivarathri, the night of Shiva. Unlike other nights, this particular night is the night of consecration, of dedication, of illumination.

Immerse your mind in good thoughts and the world will be good; soak it in bad thoughts and the world will be bad for you. So, recollect only good; do, think, and plan only good; speak and act only good. Then, as a result, you will approximate God, the source of all good. This is the message of Shivarathri.

And who better to model your own self after than the Great Creator?

Enlightenment is about the quality of life in this world, not the next.

Is there one ultimate truth for everything? Einstein thought it’s possible and spent his post-relativity years trying to develop a formula that explained it all. When quantum mechanics entered the world of theoretical physics, the prize was up for grabs to find the holy grail that would explain the supreme mystery of the universe, or universes. Although I won’t get into String Theory here, in reality every thing exists only in contrast.

Meanwhile, truths build upon truths as the mortar of one’s character and quality of life. It is smart to discover probable universal truths and then put them to the test in your life. Firsthand knowledge is power. In this fashion, you will know what is so instead of having to believe. Each true artist confronts tests that challenge the truth of his art every day. 

Although the dharma path is the mythical odyssey our soul needs to complete its mission on earth, this adventure goes unsupported in Western society where fabricating human cogs takes precedence over individual necessity.

This is why so many who attain their goals and even their wildest aspirations, sadly discover emptiness instead of fulfillment. 

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Remember, don’t accept anything on rote. Reading scriptures, while a good direction, is still dogma and will not suffice. You, like the Zen master, must know a thing from self-discipline and the intuitive illumination that can only be known from firsthand experience.

Thank the Creator for all that you do have, and all that you may achieve through your will to prevail. What a blessing.

You respect others in equal measure—busboy or museum director or patron. In turn, you earn and expect the same.

You treat all with identical consideration despite their station in society or whether they can do something for you, or not. As a true artist, you are a common man, and while that is no easy task, this knowledge liberates you from the false masks of personality. You have one authentic face that reveals your true self.

Bravo!