By Gurudevi Nirmalananda

I stayed up all night to go to the Rose Parade — more than once.  

I partied until midnight with friends, then hopped in a car and drove 100 miles to Pasadena. We slept on the sidewalk and awoke to the bands marching by and the flower covered floats.  Additionally, I confess that I have stayed up all night many other times to do stupid stuff.

Now you can stay up all night for a better reason – to get enlightened.  On the dark of the moon near the end of February is MahaShivaratri, the Night of Shiva. Simply stay up all night for extended meditation practices and don’t fall asleep! This holy night every year is an open doorway, an invitation to step into the inner infinity of your own Beingness.

If you plan to stay up until sunrise, plan for your all-night practices, including recesses during the night with healthy treats. Chant, meditate, read the ancient teaching stories about Shiva. Do poses, both to keep awake as well as to make your sitting for meditation better. Then meditate again. Repeat until sunup — or until as long as you have planned. Decide in advance and apply yourself.

Even if you are practicing solo, you will be in good company. In India and around the world, Ashrams and Temples will be open all night. In life, we are challenged in so many ways. This is a chance to challenge yourself on purpose. This spiritual challenge is for the ultimate purpose of human life: to know your own Self.