Isha Mahashivratri is one of the most watched events on the planet. Last year, it had 140 million live views from across the globe on the Mahashivratri night itself. A staggering number, however, the question arises for us as pilgrims about how to ensure a powerful experience at this event. Is there something we can do to experience this event in a deeper and more meaningful way?

Pssst: I am currently offering consultation services to help you experience more meaningful pilgrimages. Know more here.

5 Ways to a Powerful Isha Mahashivratri Experience

Volunteering at the Event or Local Center:

This is one of the most powerful ways to experience this event. And if you know anything about Isha Mahashivratri, then you should know that the lion’s share of work in these events, is managed by volunteers.

So, at least once in your life, I would suggest experiencing this event as a volunteer. However, the registrations dates for general event volunteering at Coimbatore will now be over. So, unless you have some contacts within the organization, you won’t be able to go in as a volunteer now. You can, however, volunteer at Sadhguru Sannidhi Bangalore or any of the local Isha screenings that take place in your city. In fact, you can even host an Isha Mahashivratri screening at your place!

This brings us to the next activity,

Fund-raising for Mahashivratri Annadanam:

I am seeing messages on my whatsapp about “Mahashivratri Bhiksha”. A lot of Isha meditators, are taking their Mahashivratri involvement to the next level by fund-raising for the annadanam that happens at this event. Lakhs of the visitors are offered free food on the Mahashivratri night. And, this is sattvic food prepared in Isha ashram kitchens, and the kitchen team tries to serve people within the next 1 and 1.5 hours – to ensure not just hot food but also freshly prepared food for the lakhs of devotees at the event.

Annadanam activity is considered a sacred donation (daan) in Indic culture and being a small part of it for the lakhs of Mahashivratri night devotees is surely a special activity. You can raise funds for it here: https://isha.sadhguru.org/en/mahashivratri-contribution

Padyatra, Undertake a Walking Pilgrimage to Coimbatore or Nearby Shiva Temple:

While the Isha Mahashivratri is so well-known and highly watched across the globe, not much is known about the terrific padyatras taking place across South India where devotees walk all the way to Coimbatore for the Mahashivratri. From cities like Chennai, Bangalore, Mysore, Hyderabad, Tirupur and many more, devotees start walking many days earlier. They pull chariots of Adiyogi or bring idols of Saivite yogis along with them on their padyatra (Walking pilgrimage). It is a truly powerful pilgrimage, you have to experience it to understand it. More about these groups here: https://maproute.in/walking-to-isha-mahashivratri-sadhguru-shiva-yatra-how-you-can-join-other-details/

If you can’t join one of these groups, you can consider doing a padyatra to even a nearby Shiva temple in your locality… as a preparatory for the Mahashivratri night. You can choose to walk 5kms , 10kms or any distance that seems right for you. But take it up with the devotional intentions. You can do on the day of Mahashivratri or before that on the preceding Sunday, or whichever day suitable for you. This will surely build up a devotion and pitch for the Mahashivratri night.

Attend Isha Mahashivratri Special Programs Online & Offline:

Pancha Bhoota Kriya Online: On Mahashivratri morning there is a Pancha Bhoota Kriya program. It requires a few days earlier registration: https://isha.sadhguru.org/in/en/pancha-bhuta-kriya-online-with-sadhguru-mahashivratri

Grace of Yoga Offline: A few days before leading up to the Mahashivratri, the Grace of Yoga program happens with exclusive Sadhguru sathsangs. This program still has availability, in the lower categories. You can be part of these programs to make your Mahashivratri experience more deeper. Earlier, this program had an online component also, but I think that is not available this year.

Mahamantra Chanting, Om Namah Shivaya:

For many years, Sadhguru had instructed that the mahamantra chanting should be done only in specific settings. But this year, he opened it up for everyone. He has put out a video with all the instructions to do the Om Namah Shivaya chanting properly. Pls watch here: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DEcXWNPz3VG/?igsh=M2Q2enlnYXpheTcy

The video is as a preparatory sadhana for those going for Maha Kumbh Mela, however, I did check with the ashram. They said, it can be done after Maha Kumbh also.

So, these are a few ways that you can ensure a more powerful Mahashivratri Experience.

I would say that there are innumerably many ways to enhance our spiritual experience of these powerful events – the limit is only our creativity. So, Saraswati Namo Namah, may she bless us with seeing the most suitable ways of enhancing our sadhana!

Here are some of my other posts on Isha Mahashivratri,

A complete guide to the Isha Mahashivratri celebrations, read here https://maproute.in/mahashivratri-celebration-isha-yoga-center-india/

Isha Mahashivratri accommodation: https://maproute.in/isha-mahashivratri-accommodations-can-i-stay-in-the-ashram/