On this very auspicious day, Maha Shivrati (Great Night of Shiva), the celestial bodies are in perfect alignment for meditating on Shiva and his energy. This is the night that Shiva does his
Tandava dance, killing the poisonous snake Kaliya and destroying darkness and ignorance in the process. This dark night of the year is when we can most overcome our own darkness (the Moon/Mind) to receive Shiva's grace.
In Vedic astrology, the Moon's daily cycles of getting bigger and getting smaller are called thitis. Each day, the Moon gets smaller and less bright, until the night of the New Moon, when it is completely dark. Then the process goes backwards and the Moon waxes, getting bigger and brighter, until the whole thing is done and the Moon is full. Our minds are impacted by the Moon's fluctuations, and each month, our moods change based on where the Moon is in relation to the stars and planets. Every month, the mind can grow and get stronger, but it can also be limited and get weaker. Spiritual practices and devotion are meant to destroy the "mind" so that maya (the veil of illusion) can be lifted and we can see the Truth.
On Maha Shivratri the waning Moon is at Chaturdasi thiti (the 14th day of the waning Moon) and almost at annihilation. This Chaturdasi thiti is under the control of Shiva, so it is called Maha Shivratri. This year, Mahashivratri falls during the Moon's passage from the nakshatra of Shravana to that of Dhanishta, a time when it is especially important to tune in to the natural rhythms of life and learn to work with them to your advantage. When a spiritual seeker can put in just a little bit more effort with sadhana to control his mind, grace can flow freely. Tonight, chanting, dancing, and other forms of spiritual devotion are recommended.
The position of your mind and the Moon is unique to you and your chart. If you want to know how to deal with these changes the best way, you can book a reading with me at www.soulsankalpa.com/book-online.