Dancing with Siva:

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Dancing with Siva:What Is the Nature of the Siva Temple?The Siva temple is the abode of God Siva and Gods and the precinct inwhich the three worlds consciously commune. It is specially sanctified,possessing a ray of spiritual energy connecting it to the celestialworlds. Aum.BhashyaThe three pillars of Saivism are the temples, the scriptures and thesatgurus. These we revere, for they sustain and preserve the ancientwisdom. Siva temples, whether they be small village sanctuaries ortowering citadels, are esteemed as God's home and consecrated abode. Inthe Siva temple we draw close to God Siva and find a refuge from theworld. His grace, permeating everywhere, is most easily known withinthe precincts of the Siva temple. It is in the purified milieu of

thetemple that the three worlds commune most perfectly, that devotees canestablish harmony with inner-plane spiritual beings. When the spiritualenergy, shakti, invoked by the puja permeates the sanctum sanctorum andfloods out to the world, Saivites know they are in a most holy placewhere God and the Gods commune with them. Within most Siva templesare private rooms, sanctums, for Lord Ganesha and Lord Karttikeya, andshrines for the many Gods and saints. The Vedas explain, "Even as theradiance of the sun enlightens all regions, above, below, and slantwise, so that only God, glorious and worthy of worship, rules over all Hiscreation." Aum Namah Sivaya.