The Union of Shiva and Shakti

Yoga means to yoke, to unite. From its earliest teachings, yoga has always been a path of integration, bringing together body and mind, movement and stillness, effort and ease.

In ancient India, many of the early teachings were recorded and practiced by rishis, the early teachers who explored breath, meditation, and the nature of awareness. Even within those early texts, the philosophy of yoga honored two universal forces present in everyone, Shiva and Shakti.

Shiva represents awareness, stillness, and presence. Shakti represents movement, creation, and intuitive flow. While often described with masculine and feminine symbolism, these energies move far beyond gender. They reflect the full spectrum of human experience within every individual.

As Yoga has evolved and grown worldwide, it has become a practice for every body and every identity. Modern yoga continues to echo its ancient foundations, reminding us that wholeness emerges when we welcome every part of our experience, the activated, and the settled, the expressive and the receptive. Every pose has meaning, guiding us back to ourselves.

With each inhale and exhale, Shiva and Shakti rise and fall within us. Yoga simply helps us return to that balance.

By Carrie Payne