Winter-Spring 2019

Theme: MOUNTAIN

The sacred mountain symbolizes the grandeur of spiritual fulfillment, a place of great strength, uniqueness, and culmination. Mountains require struggle, effort and courage on our part, as does our own unique spiritual path. Lord Shiva is identified with Mount Kailash (as pictured at left, in Tibet, with a worshipper in the foreground), and with the purity and serenity of its snowy peak, where earth meets heaven.

Snow, mountain, and Shiva together represent the purity that is achieved through the purifying process of the spiritual path, an arduous, ascetic path of subtle refinement expressed by the archetype of Lord Shiva. Yet, paradoxically, Shiva is often portrayed with his consort in an endless sexual congress whose flowing fluids supply the world with its rivers, lakes and oceans. Interpretation: purification, self-control and tapas yield energies very fertile, nourishing and generative. As we celebrate Shivaratri on March 4, let's contemplate the deeper significance of his iconography (See 'Light on Life,' for more.)

The mountain has the reputation of being 'immoveable' - hence the amazement we feel when we read that Jesus promises that we can move mountains, with faith. (Check out 'Magdalene's Healing Chrism' for more on Jesus and Mountains) Hazrat Inayat Khan suggests that the mineral nature in human beings is something crystalline, pure, and uniquely itself, the Divinity within, our strength, our Rock, and our Axis Mundi.

We'll read about 'Mountains' in many forms in this issue of Wings Surround the World. Over this Winter and Spring, let's contemplate the many mountains that confront us, and that also offer us respite and protection. Our own inner work is the Jewel of the Himalayas for each one of us. Let us link hands and move forward.

Wishing you Blessings! Namaste!