Om! I bow to Lord Shiva - the one who is self-luminous, delighting in his own being. And now, the beginning of the Shiva Sutra. Let this greeting penetrate deep within you, for if you do not reach the door, you will not be able to understand me when I begin to describe the palace to you. Put away a little of the macho in you. Let go a little of your aggressive attitude. This understanding will not come from your intellect, it will come from your heart. This understanding will not depend on your logic, it will depend on how much love is within you. You will be able to understand this scripture; but this understanding will not be the same as following a mathematical problem. The understanding will be similar to the understanding you have in appreciating poetry. You don't pounce on poetry. You enjoy poetry quietly, sip by sip, just as you enjoy drinking tea. You don't swallow it in one gulp, as if it were a bitter medicine. You savour it little by little, you let its taste dissolve slowly.