30th November 2011
Mrugashirsha-Shukla-Shasthi

Blessed Ones,

This message is an inspiration to invoke spiritual practices and meditation on the upcoming lunar eclipse of 10 December 2011, visible in USA, Europe and India. This eclipse is total in Australia and in parts of USA, such as in Alaska.

Eclipses such as this are rare opportunities for seekers and devotees to immensely embellish the depth and momentum of their personal meditation practices. This eclipse will take place in the solar constellation of Taurus (Vrushabha) on the lunar asterism or naxatra of Rohini.

If the eclipse is not visible in your area then the intensification of meditation benefits do not apply. Kindly use the link below to gauge the applicable time span of eclipse in your own time zone. If you have difficulty in using this weblink, look up the NASA website details on upcoming lunar eclipses.

http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/OH/OHfigures/OH2011-Fig06.pdf

With reference to diagram in the above link, UT is the universal time. For example East coast in USA is currently five hours behind the UT, whereas Denmark is one hour ahead. India is currently five and a half hours ahead of the UT. 

Please use the span of penumbral period for your silence and meditation or any intense spiritual practices. Meditation during the umbral period (see diagram in the weblink) is most important. Therefore, if penumbral period is too long to plan for, the umbral period can be used for the contemplation and spiritual practices.

It is traditional to take a bath (shower) right at the onset of the penumbral entry and then take another bath at the end of the penumbral period. The two baths are associated with two changes of fresh clothes. Fasting, if implemented, can begin anytime from nine hours before the penumbral entry point until after the second bath or shower. Those who cannot fast ahead of time can fast during the penumbral period. Tradition also calls for avoiding food and drinks during the entire penumbral eclipse period. One can drink just enough water ahead of time so that the practices during the eclipse are not interrupted by the need to evacuate.

Pertinent Sanskrit literature describes that an uninterrupted session of meditation during an eclipse of this kind manifests results manifold and brings about an extraordinary momentum and depth in meditation. I have written in my earlier messages about the benefits of spiritual practices during an eclipse. There is absolutely no need to view the eclipse when one obtains the full merit by the way of silent contemplation indoors. I pray that you are able to avail this opportunity to intensify your personal spiritual practice.

With divine inspiration and blessings,

Swami Vidyadhishananda
(writing on the banks of Ganga in Haridwar, India)