Śhiva, the first Adi Yogi, is the primordial teacher of yoga, the silent witness of creation, who embodies absolute stillness and the infinite void. For those who have not yet met him within, he is both mystery and guide—the ultimate yogi whose presence invites us to enter our own inner sanctuary. As the Puranas describe, Śhiva imparted the knowledge of yoga to the Saptarishis, revealing its power to harmonize body, mind, and spirit: “Yoga is the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind” (Yoga Sutra of Patanjali, echoing his eternal teaching). In his state of Shunya Samadhi, Śhiva rests in perfect consciousness beyond time and form, showing that true yoga is not only postures or practices, but the union with stillness itself—the inner silence where creation and dissolution are one, and where every seeker can touch the infinite within.
Parvati, the first student of yoga, embodies devotion, discipline, and the longing for union with the divine. Through unwavering dedication, she undertook rigorous sadhana to attune herself to Śhiva, learning directly from the Adi Yogi’s presence and example. Her practice was not merely physical or intellectual, but a full surrender of heart, mind, and spirit, illustrating that yoga is the art of harmonizing inner energies. In her union with Śhiva, she becomes Śhakti—the living energy that complements the stillness of the divine, revealing that the path of yoga is both a personal journey of awakening and a sacred dialogue between consciousness and energy, teaching all seekers the profound balance of devotion, discipline, and divine partnership.
9 Planets
According to sacred texts, the Navagrahas were created by Lord Shiva to maintain cosmic balance and guide beings on their karmic journey. Each planet emerged from his divine energies as a deity upholding universal law — Surya (Sun) from Shiva’s third eye fire, radiating light and life; Chandra (Moon) from his cooling mind, soothing and nurturing; Mangala (Mars) from his anger and strength, symbol of protection; Budha (Mercury) from his voice and wisdom, embodying intellect; Brihaspati (Jupiter) from his knowledge and compassion, the divine guru; Shukra (Venus) from his creative essence, representing beauty and harmony; Shani (Saturn) from his justice and endurance, the teacher of discipline; while Rahu arose as a shadow force from Shiva’s cosmic dance, bringing illusion and sudden change, and Ketu as the tail of that energy, guiding detachment and liberation. ✨ Thus, Shiva placed the Navagrahas in the universe so humanity could evolve through both blessings and challenges — learning, growing, and ultimately finding liberation.
LINAGE OF TEACHERS
The Saptarishis, the seven great sages of ancient Vedic tradition, are revered as the custodians of cosmic wisdom, the original teachers of dharma, and the guides of yogic knowledge. According to the scriptures, they received the timeless teachings of Śhiva, including the practices of meditation, mantra, and the sacred flow of prāṇa, and preserved them for humanity. Each rishi embodies a unique aspect of consciousness and mastery, collectively representing the full spectrum of spiritual, mental, and ethical development. The Saptarishis serve as beacons for seekers, showing the path of disciplined sadhana, inner purification, and self-realization. Their legacy reminds us that yoga and spiritual knowledge are not merely techniques, but living transmissions that connect the aspirant to the eternal currents of the universe, guiding one toward harmony, clarity, and the realization of the Self.
Yogis
The modern lineage of yoga in India has been carried forward by great male teachers who preserved and expanded the wisdom of Śiva for today’s seekers. Tirumalai Krishnamacharya, the “Father of Modern Yoga,” trained B.K.S. Iyengar, master of alignment, and K. Pattabhi Jois, founder of Ashtanga Yoga, whose work continues through R. Sharath Jois. T.K.V. Desikachar developed Viniyoga, while Swami Sivananda, Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, Paramahansa Yogananda, and Swami Vivekananda spread yoga and meditation worldwide. Others like Baba Ramdev, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Jaggi Vasudev (Sadhguru), Swami Satyananda, Swami Rama, Swami Satchidananda, and Bishnu Charan Ghosh further diversified yoga’s reach. Today, younger teachers such as Bhavesh Bhimanathani keep this living tradition vibrant and relevant for new generations.
Yoginis
The modern lineage of yoga has also been shaped by extraordinary yoginis who carried forward Śakti’s wisdom with devotion and strength. Anandamayi Ma embodied living divinity, while Mata Amritanandamayi (Amma) continues to spread compassion and service worldwide. Indra Devi, a student of Krishnamacharya, was among the first women to teach yoga globally. Other luminaries include Shakti Parwha Kaur Khalsa of Kundalini Yoga, Swami Radha of Yasodhara Ashram, and pioneers like Geeta Iyengar, Mira Alfassa (The Mother), and Mataji Narayani, who made yoga accessible to women everywhere. Contemporary voices such as Seane Corn and Shiva Rea carry this tradition into modern practice, ensuring that the feminine essence of yoga—nurturing, transformative, and liberating—remains alive for generations to come.
Oṁ (ॐ) is the primordial sound, the vibration of the unmanifest, the seed of all creation.
Within this vibration, the dynamics of Śhiva and Śhakti unfold: Śhiva represents the unchanging, silent, formless consciousness—the stillness, the witness, the eternal axis (the unmanifest aspect of Oṁ). Śhakti represents the dynamic, creative energy—the force of manifestation, movement, and life (the manifesting aspect of Oṁ).
Together, Śhiva-Śhakti is the union of stillness and energy, potential and action. When Oṁ is intoned:
The “A” resonates with Śhakti—creation and expansion.
The “U” resonates with Sustenance, balance of energies, interplay of consciousness and energy.
The “M” resonates with Śhiva—dissolution, stillness, and absorption back into the source.
The silence after Oṁ is pure Śhiva, the unmanifest reality, where all dualities merge. In essence, Oṁ is the vibration that expresses Śhiva-Śhakti, showing that consciousness and energy are inseparable. Śhiva without Śhakti is still, Śhakti without Śhiva is chaotic, but together they are the creative principle of the universe, the inner dance of all beings, and the essence of yoga and inner marriage.
The five elements — Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Ether — are not separate forces, but living streams of Śhiva–Śhakti’s inner dance that merge within us as the flow of Kundalinī energy awakens. In yoga, as each element is purified and balanced, the energy that was once bound in the lower centers begins to rise, transforming heaviness into lightness, emotion into devotion, power into illumination, and breath into spacious awareness. When these elements unite in the higher chakras, their dance gives birth to visions and inner experiences — a radiant glow behind closed eyes, the sound of subtle vibrations, or a deep sense of boundless space. These are signs of Śhakti merging with Śhiva, where form dissolves into formlessness and the yogi perceives the inner light of consciousness itself. This journey through the elements is not only mastery of life’s forces but the revelation of our own divine essence — the luminous union of energy and awareness.
The five elemental liṅghams of Śhiva — Earth at Kanchipuram, Water at Thiruvanaikaval, Fire at Tiruvannamalai, Air at Kalahasti, and Ether at Chidambaram — are living symbols of the Pancha Mahābhūtas, guiding practitioners to awaken and harmonize the elements within their own bodies. Each liṅgham corresponds to a chakra and its elemental quality: Earth at the root (Muladhara) grounds us and builds stability; Water at the sacral (Svadhisthana) opens flow, emotion, and creativity; Fire at the solar plexus (Manipura) ignites transformation, courage, and willpower; Air at the heart (Anahata) expands breath, love, and clarity; and Ether at the throat (Vishuddha) awakens spaciousness, intuition, and higher awareness. Meditating on or worshipping these liṅghams aligns the Śhiva–Śhakti energy within, allowing the Kundalinī to rise through the chakras, activating balance, insight, and inner vision. Through this sacred practice, the temples and liṅghams do not just honor the cosmos, but serve as mirrors and amplifiers of the elements within us, guiding the practitioner to embody the cosmic forces, experience spiritual awakening, and live in harmony with the flow of life
Symbolism:
- The Trishul’s three prongs are not just symbolic of nadis but also represent the three states of consciousness (waking, dreaming, and sleeping) and the three Gunas (Sattva, Rajas, and Tamas).
- Holding a Trishul signifies that Shiva, the divinity, is above these three states while also being the sustainer of them.
- The Trishul embodies the balance and harmonious flow of energy within the human system, achieved through the proper functioning of the three nadis.
In essence, the Trishul serves as a powerful reminder of the interconnectedness of the physical, energetic, and spiritual aspects of existence, with the three prongs representing the vital pathways and qualities that shape our experience.