July 8 and 9 - worhipping Lord Siva

July 8 and 9 are very significant days that you do not want to miss. This is the day when Lord Siva creates a new code of conduct for righteous living in his form as Nataraj, the Dancing Siva. There are only 4 or 5 days throughout the entire year when this ritual is performed for Nataraj at Chidambaram temple. During the Tamil month of Ani (June - July) Lord Siva performs the dance of ecstacy and on this day by worhipping Lord Siva and surrending at His feet helps one to wipe out the sins.

Chidambaram is one of the most ancient and most celebrated of shrines in India. It is of great religious as well as historic and cultural significance. Chidambaram is associated with Nataraja, or Siva in his Ananda Tandava pose (the Cosmic Dance of bliss) in the cosmic golden hall and the hall of consciousness. Siva is also worshipped in the "formless form" of the Chidambara Rahasyam, while the temple is known for its Akasa Lingam, an embodiment of Siva as the formless Space. The word "Koyil" or temple in the Vedic tradition refers to none other than the Chidambaram Nataraja temple.
The dance of bliss, or the Ananda Tandavam of Siva is said to symbolize the five divine acts (pancha krityas) of creation, sustenance, dissolution, concealment and bestowment of grace.

This is also a great time to start wearing the Rudraksha beads which are known to clean all your sins. The beads are said to bring abundance and prosperity to the person wearing it. Rudraksha Beads represents Lord Siva, the symbol of auspiciousness. Lord Siva gives spiritual evolution. This mala helps in strengthening the balance between spirituality and materiality in one's life. It also bestows good health and peace.

The Rudraksha mala when worn helps with blood pressure and cardiac problems. This mala is also used at the time of meditation. This rudraksha mala is stung in silver and the beads are covered with silver caps.
Nataraj, the dancing form of Lord Shiva, is a symbolic synthesis of the most important aspects of Hinduism. The term 'Nataraj' means 'King of Dancers' (Sanskrit nata = dance; raja = king). The upper right hand holds a small drum. This signifies the origination of sound, Creation. The upper left hand contains fire symbolizes destruction. The two contradictory concepts in the upper hands show the counterpoise of creation and destruction. The second right hand shows the Abhaya sign meaning fearlessness, bestowing protection from both evil and ignorance to those who follow the righteousness or justice. The second left hand points towards the raised foot which signifies upliftment and salvation. The dwarf on which Nataraja dances is the demon and this symbolises Shiva's victory over ignorance. As the King of Dance, Nataraja, Shiva performs the cosmic dance, the dance in which the universe is created, maintained, and resolved, Shiva's long, matted tresses, usually piled up in a knot, loosen during the dance and crash into the heavenly bodies destroying them competely. The surrounding flames represent the manifestation of the Universe. The snake swirling around his waist is kundalini, the divine force that is to reside within everything. The stoic face of Shiva represents his neutrality, thus being in balance.