In the philosophy of yoga there are many different deities. At first, this seems to be a collection of gods and goddesses that are each separate from one another, but really they are all different aspects of the one energy that is the source of everything in existence. Each of the gods and goddesses that colour and spice the mythology of yogic philosophy are archetypes. These archetypes represent characteristics of who we are, or who we can potentially be. Every single deity is a reflection of part of you, a way of understanding the self more completely.
Before we go too deeply into the richly woven tapestries of yogic philosophy, let's be clear about a few things. It is important to take any philosophy offered to you in the context of what you already hold true in your own heart. In yoga class, I make sure people know that I do not ask you to believe in something different. Instead, I offer you ways to go deeper into your own beliefs. We each seek a spiritual connection, and each culture offers a myriad of ways to connect with something bigger. Find what resonates with you, and take the jewels to add to your own spiritual treasure. Also, there are many schools of yogic philosophy. I am writing from a non-dual Tantric perspective, which basically offers the belief that all is one, and that this all encompassing conscious energy is intrinsically good.
Shiva and Shakti are the ultimate divine couple. They are the God and Goddess from which all else comes. Shiva represents the power to know. He embodies supreme, unbounded power of consciousness - the light that shines without any other source. Shakti is his consort. She represents the power of this consciousness. Shakti is the dynamic, creative attribute. For example, Shiva is water, and Shakti is movement: the defining aspect that makes water an ocean, river, stream, or bead of dew on a leaf. Shiva and Shakti are always connected. Shiva is the unlimited potential of the universe. Shakti takes that potential and artistically creates an infinite number of expressions of divine experience. She is unbounded diversity arising from a singular power.
To connect to Shiva, be still. Imagine yourself meditating on the highest mountain; pure, tall, powerful, unrestricted and completely free in your body, mind and soul. To connect to Shakti, breathe. It is said that Shakti exhales into you when you are born, and inhales you back into her when you transition out of the physical body. Shakti breathes you. She moves through you and pulses in every cell of your body. Shiva and Shakti are the air and the wind. They are the light and the flames of sun and fire. They are the masculine and feminine forces that balance everything in existence. Yet they are also beyond existence, present both in the manifest and the unmanifest worlds.
When you practice yoga there is an energizing element and a connection to who you are. That is the magic of yoga. It's a natural high of the purest kind. When practicing Anusara® yoga, you align yourself with nature and the flow of energy that is the creative force in everything. The centered feeling, the power you plug into is Shiva. The dance, the art, the expression of self that shines forth in each posture and transition is Shakti. Shiva's power flows the same in each of us, but we all dance differently with Shakti.
In a recent training with Anusara yoga founder, John Friend, he started off one morning by asking us "What is the meaning of life? Why are we here?" He then told us to write down the answer in one or two sentences.
After having a little laugh at the boldness of cutting straight to the point of the questions that fuel the thought processes of philosophers everywhere, this is what I wrote down: "We are here to play, to delight, to love... To experience our own divinity and expand our creation. To deeply connect and know who we are, and to shine brightly." Let's condense that even more: "We are here to connect deeply with spirit and to express fully; to realize that everything is a spark of source."
We are each a unique expression of source. We have free will. We have creative power. At the same time there is something so much bigger that we are a part of that is also creating, and so it is helpful to think of our thoughts, words, and actions as co-creations. The spark of source within is Shiva. By aligning with the current of Shakti, life flows gracefully. Like a ship on the ocean, open your sails to the winds of Shakti, and you are given energy and support in abundance.
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Katrina Ariel Koric is an Anusara-inspired yoga teacher and free spirit traveling the world and living her yoga. She shares her adventures, experience, wisdom, and inspirations through online yoga offerings. You'll enjoy the easy way Katrina helps you integrate yoga and philosophy into your life when you subscribe to her free Daily Doses of Delight at yogawithkatrina.com/category/daily-doses-of-delight yogawithkatrina.com/category/daily-doses-of-delight/.
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