Kaal Bhairav rides upon the Black dog. The dog is a creature that sees into the spirit world and the realm of the dead. As well as the Lord of Time, Bhairav is also known as the God of Death. He holds the Kankala Danda, which is the skeleton stick of Time through which he measures our lives until we sail on our next adventure: Death.

We will be working deeply with the black dog spirit on this ritual night of Bhairav Astami, the 8th night after the full Moon – a night sacred to Kaal Bhairav. The wild dog is in touch with the spirit world. It is well known to rural folk of India that, when Death is near, the dogs will howl outside the dwelling of the one about to die.

The wild dog is a clairvoyant creature that sees through the veil between life and death. The domesticated dog, just like us humans, may have lost touch with its wild clairvoyant abilities. When we work with the wild black dog of Bhairav we work both with the dog itself and with its shadow – these take the form of inner mudras (Antar Mudra) that lead us towards our clairvoyant powers.

This night’s ritual will work with the various dog and tail Mudras and Asanam – in the investigation and quest of our raw spiritual and undomesticated self. We will work with the Antar Chaya (inner Chaya mudras) of observing and discovering the shadows cast by that which we hold in consciousness.

The secrets of inner shadow work of Chaya Karana (Shadow Practice), show us that shadows can’t be released without addressing that which casts them, nor can they be destroyed. The ritual will be an alignment to the spirit of the Vahaan (power animal) that is the Dog. We will engage in the Kuttha Karana style of dog mantra that assists in clairvoyant insight.
Those interested in working with the spirit of dog energy and opening to natural clairvoyant vision are welcomed, as are also those with an interest in inner shadow work.