“Shiva” the priest explained “ is also of course the Lord of the Dance. He does the violent, aggressive, warlike Tandava to destroy in order in order to release and transform the old into the new. He also does the more gentle, beautiful, loving dance called Lasya. When he dances with Parvati they dance to express their love and that is Lasya. Shiva is also described as the teacher of dance, of music, of meditation, and introspection. He is, as I said, the god of dynamic energy.”
“What about the Third Eye. I heard it described as Second Sight. Clairvoyance.”
“Yes. Absolutely. He is the teacher of those so gifted. Are you so gifted?”
“It runs in my family. You could say it is our caste we are born into. Our job. Mother was terrified of it. So she was terrified of me. My sister is scared of it too.”
“Does it scare you?”
“Not really. It always seemed real to me. How could I be scared of reality? It was like a door into another room. I just open the door and walk through. It is all just as real. But for my sister it was …is… me willfully opening a door to real scary things she does not want to see. As far as she is concerned why not just keep the door closed? Grandmother Hogg has tried to train me. It is better to be trained you see. To train your mind to open the door calmly and walk through and know how to handle what you find in the other room.”
“It is like meditation then. Training your mind. Concentrating. Focusing.”
“Channeling Grandmother Hogg calls it. Uncle Hogg says it is like being able to make contact with the Higher Presence and making it manifested for everyone to see. He said he touched Shiva once. He said it was the single most wonderful moment of his life. He said one day Shiva will touch me too.”
“How do you feel about that?”
“Oddly …..eager….. actually. I feel I relate to Shiva. I hope Shiva understands me and will show me how to understand myself —- and not hate myself.”
“Did your Mother make you hate yourself …because of what you are?”
“Yes.”
“Shiva loves the outcasts. The wild ones. The tempestuous ones. The contrary and defiant. The people who are different.”
“He can teach me to shed of my old muck and soar up like a phoenix from my own bier and shine in the sky?”
“Yes. Shiva will teach you know to soar up like a phoenix from the ashes of your own bier and fly in the sky. Metaphorically.”
“Metaphorically.”
“Constructive Destruction?”
“Constructive Destruction!”
“Oh by the gods!”I exclaimed. “What is that dreadful music?”
“Your friends at their Spot! Come!” The priest and I marched toward the cat wailing howl.
“Bagpipes!” I exclaimed. “How dreadful! Jock! I will clobber him! He is ruining your temple complex!”
“Not at all!” the priest laughed. “And it is not Jock!”
We came up to see a crowd of people around the fiendish bagpiper who to my utter horror and shock proved to be Syn! The small Gurkha was expertly, if I dare use the word, expertly playing away on the Scottish pipes as Jock danced away, doing the most dreadful Scottish jigs. The crowd of Shiva devotees applauded as the priest and I came up. “Bravo” the priest said clapping. ‘Shiva loves music!”
“And only Shiva would love the bagpipes!” I added. Syn and Jock grinned.
“We come whenever we can to serenade Shiva!”
“Why offend the fellow?”
“Shiva is a Scot!” Jock exclaimed quite seriously. “A Highlander Scot! Wild and defiant and wailing in the wild glens and the desolate mountains of the Highlands!”
“Quite right!” the priest laughed. The Highlands are as fitting as the Himalayas! But Jock! Can John here dance?” The jovial crowd turned to me and I howled.
“Oh no! My mother thought dancing was sinful! Actually she thought everything was sinful! But especially dancing!”
“But John! This is Shiva’s temple. You must dance!”……
The Victorian Blogs of John Nicholson 