SHIVA TATTVAM ABIDES IN MOUNT TI' SWAQ
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MOUNT RAINIER HONOURED BY AN AGE OLD RITUAL
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For a large number of those adhering to the Principles of Sanatana Dharma,
whose outward extant manifestations are in the practices of Hinduism, Jainism
and Buddhism, the landmass features of the subcontinent of India seem to
hold historic sanctity. Over the span of 40 years of living in this
country, fine-tuning the tenets of this Dharma to the landmass and
people of the US has been the joyous struggle that immigrant Vasanti has
been engaged in. A teacher, counselor, author, artist, and ritualist
Vasanti originally from Kerala, India, has received training in a
variety of disciplines beyond Hinduism and includes Vajrayana Buddhism
and the Kabbalah. Her core bonding with Nature, the deep connection with
Native Americans, her sensitivity to belief systems worldwide and her
ever-increasing love for the sanctity of this land, all found themselves
pouring into Project Tilak- America that she has just launched.
On February 23, 2010, at the foothills of the sacred Mt.Rainier, the first spark
was lit for this venture. The ceremony began with an early morning formal
request to the mountain. Worship was offered in the town of Enumclaw,
followed by stopping and praying at various sites while going up to the
top via the road to Paradise. The evening ceremonies that were conducted
in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest began with a peace ritual
for the Native American ancestors of that area as well as for those
climbers who lost their lives on the mountain. This was followed by
various traditional puja ritual steps which culminated in the individual
worship of the Five faces of Mount Rainier followed by the worship of the
Mother Mountain and the five daughters, namely the five main rivers, the
White, Nisqually, Carbon, Cowlitz, and Puyallup. The icons of Panchamukha
Siva with Parvati and that of Nandi that arrived from India for this
ritual became the official receptors of all votives on behalf of the
mountain. The ceremony was followed by various mantra chants while
keeping vigil. Many of her students and wellwishers in the US, Australia
, and India took part in this distant- mantra chanting. Vasanti refers to
this sacred mountain as Shree Tushaaraadri Mahaadev ( The Snowy Glacier
Mountain- the great Illuminator), a name she coined for ritualistic
purposes.
Encouraged by many students who study from the free online courses, available
via her dharma site www.ambahouse.org, Vasanti intends to conduct such
ceremonies at different sites such as forests, lakes, rivers, and oceans
particularly those revered by Native Americans. She feels that these are
the real churches and temples that are waiting with open arms for worship
by all, regardless of their faith and background. She hopes that others who
feel the same would join her in future events that will be open to
general participation.
Shane Miller
Call Centers 24 x 7
Student of Vasanti
FEBRUARY 2009
Port Angeles, Washington
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NOTE
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A rare and elaborate yantra, the Mahaarudra yantra based on ancient scriptures
was specifically made in panchaloham (5 metalas) in Ottapalam, Kerala
and worshipped for 25 days by a Namputhiri community there. This was
then used by me at the Mt.Rainier observance.
Vasanti Jayaswal
Petaluma 2017
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