A shaivite creed

[Spiritualseeker]

From Dancing with Siva found here http://www.himalayanacademy.com/resources/books/dws/dws_table_of_contents.html

Belief Number One



REGARDING GOD'S UNMANIFEST REALITY


Siva's followers all believe that Lord Siva is God,
whose Absolute Being, Parashiva,
transcends time, form and space.
The yogi silently exclaims,
"It is not this. It is not that."
Yea, such an inscrutable God is God Siva.
Aum.
http://www.knowledgerush.com/wiki_image/3/3d/Siva.jpg

[Spiritualseeker]

Belief Number Two



REGARDING GOD'S MANIFEST NATURE OF ALL-PERVADING LOVE


Siva's followers all believe that Lord Siva is God,
whose immanent nature of love, Parashakti,
is the substratum, primal substance or pure consciousness
flowing through all form as energy, existence, knowledge and bliss.
Aum.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_PRW3FSF2Msw/R9CUeJT0AmI/AAAAAAAAARg/zxaW2uraOuQ/s400/lordsiva.jpg

Belief Number Three



REGARDING GOD AS PERSONAL LORD AND CREATOR OF ALL


Siva's followers all believe that Lord Siva is God,
whose immanent nature is the
Primal Soul, Supreme Mahadeva, Parameshvara,
author of Vedas and Agamas,
the creator, preserver and destroyer of all that exists.
Aum.

http://www.sulekha.com/mstore/innervoice/albums/default/Shivji.jpg

[Spiritualseeker]

Belief Number Four



REGARDING THE ELEPHANT-FACED DEITY


Siva's followers all believe in the Mahadeva Lord Ganesha,
son of Siva-Shakti, to whom they must first supplicate
before beginning any worship or task.
His rule is compassionate.
His law is just. Justice is His mind.
Aum.

http://www.theyogaloft.ca/india2008/images/ganesha_hires.jpg
Belief Number Five



REGARDING THE DEITY KARTTIKEYA


Siva's followers all believe in the Mahadeva Karttikeya,
son of Siva-Shakti, whose vel of grace
dissolves the bondages of ignorance.
The yogi, locked in lotus, venerates Murugan.
Thus restrained, his mind becomes calm.
Aum.
http://www.columbia.edu/itc/mealac/pritchett/00routesdata/0400_0499/pantheon/shivafamily/karttikeya3.jpg

[Spiritualseeker]

Belief Number Six



REGARDING THE SOUL'S CREATION AND ITS IDENTITY WITH GOD


Siva's followers all believe that each soul is created by Lord Siva
and is identical to Him, and that this identity
will be fully realized by all souls
when the bondage of anava, karma and maya
is removed by His grace.
Aum.

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p252/iamri/lr_chakras.gif
Belief Number Seven



REGARDING THE GROSS, SUBTLE AND CAUSAL PLANES OF EXISTENCE


Siva's followers all believe in three worlds:
the gross plane, where souls take on physical bodies;
the subtle plane, where souls take on astral bodies;
and the causal plane, where souls exist in their self-effulgent form.
Aum.
http://www.lucidcrossroads.co.uk/imagesNEW/firstview.jpg

[Spiritualseeker]

Belief Number Eight



REGARDING KARMA, SAMSARA AND LIBERATION FROM REBIRTH


Siva's followers all believe in the law of karma --
that one must reap the effects of all actions he has caused --
and that each soul continues to reincarnate until all karmas are resolved
and moksha, liberation, is attained.
Aum.
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/__TGqxOeRlug/SSqintc3S8I/AAAAAAAAA2Q/8cMWYnpPh40/s320/Moksha+Ensemble-Lady+Sun.jpg

Belief Number Nine



REGARDING THE FOUR MARGAS, STAGES OF INNER PROGRESS


Siva's followers all believe that the performance of
charya, virtuous living,
kriya, temple worship,
and yoga, leading to Parashiva
through the grace of the living satguru,
is absolutely necessary to bring forth jnana, wisdom.
Aum.
http://www.internationalschoolofyoga.com/yogaimage.jpg

Belief Number Ten



REGARDING THE GOODNESS OF ALL


Siva's followers all believe there is no intrinsic evil.
Evil has no source,
unless the source of evil's seeming be ignorance itself.
They are truly compassionate,
knowing that ultimately there is no good or bad.
All is Siva's will.
Aum.
http://www.yvonnedevilliers.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/shutterstock_6796918-copy.jpg