Shiva – der wilde, gütige Gott

Shiva, the Benevolent, is not just one of the many gods. He is the God of gods, the primordial source of all existence, the ultimate and singular reality. The world and all its creatures arise from his ecstatic meditation. The infinite, ever-changing diversity of creation is his Shakti, his feminine creative power. Like a child lost in play, Shiva loses himself in his Lila, his dancing Shakti. Thus, many creatures—especially those who live on Earth in human form—forget their true Shiva nature. Their play becomes deadly serious. They are trapped in illusion and delusion (Maya). But then Shiva, their true self, comes and frees them from this delusion, allowing them to once again immerse themselves in universal bliss. We want to tell the story of this Shiva, as seen and revered in the visions of Indian sages and seers. We will also speak of the herb he loves most, of Ganesh, the mighty elephant, and of Nandi, the white bull, of Shiva's feminine form as Parvati, the mother of the universe, of Mount Kailash, of ego-demons that ensnare us in painful delusion, and of many other wondrous beings.