Divine Grace (2006) meditations - CasTaN

1,2,3: Aspirația spirituală

4,5,6,7,8: Doamne Facă-se Voia Ta

9,10,11: Grația Divină

Divine grace is a theological term present in many religions. It has been defined as the
divine influence which operates in humans to regenerate and sanctify, to inspire virtuous
impulses, and to impart strength to endure trial and resist temptation; and as an
individual virtue or excellence of divine origin.

Shiva (Śiva; /ˈʃɪvə/ "The Auspicious One"), also known as Mahadeva ("Great God"),
is a popular Hindu deity. Shiva is regarded as one of the primary forms of God.
He is the Supreme God within Shaivism, one of the three most influential denominations
in contemporary Hinduism. He is one of the five primary forms of God in the Smarta
tradition, and "the Destroyer" or "the Transformer" among the Trimurti, the Hindu Trinity
of the primary aspects of the divine.

Shiva has many benevolent and fearsome forms. At the highest level Shiva is limitless,
transcendent, unchanging and formless. In benevolent aspects, he is depicted as an omniscient
Yogi who lives an ascetic life on Mount Kailash, as well as a householder with wife Parvati and
his two children, Ganesha and Kartikeya and in fierce aspects, he is often depicted slaying
demons. Shiva is also regarded as the patron god of yoga and arts.

The main iconographical attributes of Shiva are the third eye on his forehead, the snake Vasuki
around his neck, the crescent moon adorning, the holy river Ganga flowing from his matted hair,
the trishula as his weapon and the damaru as his instrument.

Shiva is usually worshiped in the aniconic form of Lingam. Temples to Lord Shiva are called
shivalayam.


Shakti (Sanskrit pronunciation: [ˈʃʌktɪ]) (Devanagari: शक्ति; from Sanskrit shak, "to be able"),
meaning "Power" or "empowerment," is the primordial cosmic energy and represents the dynamic
forces that are thought to move through the entire universe in Hinduism. Shakti is the concept,
or personification, of divine feminine creative power, sometimes referred to as 'The Great Divine
Mother' in Hinduism. On the earthly plane, shakti most actively manifests through female embodiment
and creativity/fertility, though it is also present in males in its potential, unmanifest form.

Not only is Shakti responsible for creation, it is also the agent of all change. Shakti is cosmic
existence as well as liberation, its most significant form being the Kundalini Shakti, a mysterious
psychospiritual force. Shakti exists in a state of svātantrya, dependence on no one, being
interdependent with the entire universe.

In Shaktism and Shaivism, Shakti is worshipped as the Supreme Being. Shakti embodies the active
feminine energy of Shiva and is identified as Mahadevi or Parvati.