. . . ÇIWARATRI çiwaratri, often referred to as the ‘night of çiwa’, is an auspicious time for introspection and meditation, during which the Balinese pray for forgiveness of their earthly sins and for support and strength from the god Siwa (Shiva) in order to reach their higher selves. part of these rituals involve fasting and staying awake all night, so çiwaratri is also known as the longest night. çiwaratri is celebrated during the new moon of the 7th month of the Balinese calendar and there are a series of ritual observances throughout the day. - the philosophy of çiwaratri can be traced back to a folk story of a lone hunter named Lubdaka. Lubdaka was out hunting and got lost in the wilderness. the sun set and he was in the dark, alone so he climbed a tree to avoid wild animals. he was afraid of falling from the tree if he fell asleep, so he began picking leaves and dropping them into a pond below while chanting prayers to god Shiva. he stayed awake all night and got home safely the next day. - when Lubdaka died, he was greeted by Shiva in the afterlife and his bad deeds were erased because he meditated to Shiva that night. çiwaratri (the night of Shiva) is remembered by meditating, staying awake and fasting. the meaning behind these practices is to remind the Balinese to remain vigilant and always keep the gods in mind when navigating through the symbolic darkness of the night. - Rahajeng Nyanggra Rahina Suci Çiwaratri 01.01.2022 @wa.tu.ra #siwaratri #hariraya #hinduceremony #çiwaratri #elephanTalk #gajahilosophy (at Rumah Bali - Dewa's Sanctuary) https://www.instagram.com/p/CYLPyWuFFam/?utm_medium=tumblr