Shiva- God of Destruction
Who is Shiva?
His body is smeared with sacred ash
He has a third eye (Trilochana) at the center of his forehead. Also called the the eye of wisdom
First imparted his knowledge to his partner Shakti or Parvati.
He is thought to be in both physical form and formless.
The formless Shiva, Shiva Linga, is considered ultimate reality itself and the supreme consciousness that plays a role in creation through Shakti
Shiva is considered the god of destruction, but also regarded as Adi Yogi or Original Yogi
He attained full enlightenment over 15,000 years ago and abandoned his body in a wild, ecstatic dance.
What are the symbols surrounding Shiva?
Crescent Moon- in hair, symbolizes mystical vision and knowledge
Serpent- coiled around his neck and symbolizes the mysterious Kundalini energy within us all
Ganges River- flows from the crown of his head symbolizing perpetual purification. He gives this to his devotees.
Trident- represents the three gunas (sattva, tamas, and rajas)
Shiva’s Connection to Yoga Asana
Shiva is lord of yoga asana and the god who first discovered yoga after a thousand year meditation period. He is not known to be philosophical with his teachings, but rather direct and instructive about following the path to liberation.
Natarjasana, or King Dancer’s Pose, is in honor of Shiva’s avatar King Nataraja. The king is said to have been dancing crazily surrounded by a circular orb (the universe) , with fire on the ground around him when he reached enlightenment. We experience the universe in a similar way, through a wild, yet cohesive dance.
From atoms moving, to stars exploding their is a chaotic, beautiful, cohesive dance of particles happening. The same particles that reside in us and create prana. When in Natarjasana, we are challenged to dance in such a cohesive way we become totally still with our foot firmly planted. It reminds us that in order to achieve liberation, we must move at the rhythm of the universe which brings steadiness.