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How does the Shiva Samhita define yoga?

Yoga, as painted in the Shiva Samhita, isn’t just a series of postures or breathing exercises—it’s the grand art of union. At its heart, it’s portrayed as the merging of the individual spark (jiva) with the universal flame (Shiva), a marriage that dissolves ignorance and lights up the path to supreme bliss. When mental chatter finally settles, what remains is pure consciousness, akin to a mirror free of dust, reflecting reality in all its glory.

Several key strokes bring this vision into focus:

• Eight-Limb Framework
- Yama and Niyama: Ethical anchors, much like guardrails keeping a traveler on track.
- Asana: Postures that transform the body into a stable throne for meditation.
- Pranayama: Breath control that stokes the inner fire without letting it blaze out of control.
- Pratyahara, Dharana, Dhyana, Samadhi: Withdrawal, concentration, meditation, and ultimate absorption—the crescendo of the yogic symphony.

• Tantric Techniques
Mudras and bandhas are described as secret handshakes with the subtle body. By locking energy channels and sealing pranic currents, these techniques turn the body into a live conduit for awakened consciousness.

• The Goal of Yoga
Liberation isn’t a distant mirage—it’s the natural state waiting behind layers of ego and illusion. Peeling back those layers, much like uncovering ancient frescoes, reveals a timeless self untouched by birth, death, or worldly drama.

This perspective feels especially fresh now, as people around the globe mark International Yoga Day and rediscover these ancient teachings in an age of smartphones and social media whirlwinds. Rather than chasing another fleeting high, Shiva Samhita offers a roadmap to the real deal: an inner revolution where mind, body, and spirit finally learn to dance in perfect harmony.