Shaivism understands reality through the primacy of Shiva, revered as the supreme consciousness and ultimate Brahman. Shiva is held to be both transcendent and immanent: beyond all forms and yet present within every aspect of existence. All creative, preservative, and dissolving functions of the cosmos are seen as expressions of this one divine principle, from which other deities emanate and into which they finally return. The universe itself is regarded as emerging from Shiva’s consciousness and ultimately dissolving back into it.

A recurring theme in Shaiva thought is the relationship between Shiva, the individual soul, and the world. Individual beings are viewed as essentially divine, yet appearing separate due to limiting factors such as ignorance and illusion, often described in terms of māyā. This apparent separation gives rise to bondage and the cycle of karma and rebirth. The goal of spiritual life is liberation (moksha), understood as freedom from this cycle and the recognition or union of the soul with Shiva as its true nature.

Shiva is never considered in isolation from Śakti, the divine energy that is inseparable from him and represents his dynamic, creative power. This unity of Shiva and Śakti underlies the manifestation of the cosmos and is symbolically expressed in forms such as the liṅga, which points to Shiva’s formless and creative principle. Shaivism also contemplates Shiva’s fivefold activity—creation, preservation, destruction, concealment, and grace—as the rhythm of the divine at work in all things. In this vision, the world is not merely dismissed, but seen as a field in which the play of consciousness unfolds.

Spiritual practice in Shaivism is correspondingly rich and varied. Devotional worship, temple rituals, and the veneration of symbols such as the liṅga are joined with disciplines of yoga, meditation, and sacred mantra, notably “Om Namah Śivāya.” The guidance of a guru is regarded as crucial, since the guru serves as a channel for Shiva’s grace, which is ultimately decisive for liberation. Different Shaiva traditions may emphasize non-dual insight, devotional surrender, or direct inner experience, yet they converge on the conviction that through right practice and divine grace, the soul can awaken to its identity or intimate union with Shiva.