Call upon the power of Shiva to transform and transcend in this mantra and meditation class. Shiva, also known as The Destroyer, is the patron saint of yoga, meditation, and arts; his whole mission is to transform reality and transcend consciousness. Sit in meditation and observe before joining Clara for mantra, Aum Namah Shivaya, which translates to the idea that we bow to Shiva and the eternal Self.

Style: Meditation

Duration: 20-mins

Level: Open-level class

Props: none

Focus: Relaxation

Location: Lila Familia Production Studio, Vancouver, BC

Shiva is also known as the Mahadeva, the great god, or the auspicious one. He’s seen dancing the Tandava, the great dance of destruction to ignite change, or seated in meditation where he transforms his internal landscape. The Tandava is the cosmic dance of death; Shiva is the Lord of the Dance and dances the Tandava to end an era to destroy the universe. The ananda tandava is the other dance Shiva performs, it’s the tandava danced with bliss or joy.

Where the tandava transmutes the physical world, meditation connects Shiva to universal consciousness that reverberates in everything to shift the internal landscape. Shiva is part of the Trimurti of Indian Philosophy, which claims that three Gods look over the universe through creation, preservation, and destruction. Brahma creates, Vishnu preserves, and Shiva destroys—he destroys so that the universe may be created again so that the cycle continues. Indian philosophy celebrates creation and destruction equally, as we need to destroy the world’s illusions before we can create change.

As you take your seat for meditation, honor the lineage of seekers who came before us. The seekers being those who ask the questions and go out in search of the answers. Consider what you’re seeking today in your practice.

Some questions you might ask yourself are:

• How would you like to deepen your understanding? 
• What is it that you seek? 
• What do you need from your meditation today? 
• How can you align with Shiva in your meditation practice?
• Is there something you’re willing/need to destroy to make space to create? 

The Mantra

Aum Namah Shivaya is a powerful mantra that can be traced back thousands of years; it appeared in Shaivism literature in the Shiva Puranam composed somewhere between the 1st and 3rd Century CE.

Shaivism believes that Shiva is the single most important God. Shaivism is one of the oldest sects—over 2500 years—and has influence throughout India. In the Shaivism tradition, Shiva is seen as the Atman (soul) of all beings.

Aum Namah Shivaya translates from Sanskrit as ‘praise to the auspicious one,’ as Shiva represents eternal consciousness; he lives in the collective consciousness of all beings and in each person. Therefore, this mantra means ‘I bow to mySelf, to my inner divinity.”

Aum the primordial sound that connects us all.

Namah to bow.

Shivaya Shiva’s formal name, but also means the inner Self or eternal consciousness.

In Siddha Shaivism, Namah Shivaya contains five syllables that are said to represent the five elements:

Na earth

Ma water

Shi fire

Va air

Ya ether