The Dance of Shiva

It is said that man danced before he spoke. He certainly danced before he painted and sculpted reliefs on his walls. All cultures of the world have given dance a ritual status before any formal ritual or liturgy was codified in texts, or recreated through relief or paint.

Yoga, like dance, is much more than a mere physical exercise. It is a holistic way of relating to the body that involves an increasing awareness on all levels: the physical, the mental, and the spiritual. Yoga unites the functions of each of these aspects of our personality. This is true for dance also. Certainly any successful dance performance is characterized by a balanced harmony between the body and spirit. What is suggested here is that dance, like yoga, is a conscious attempt at integrating all the tiers of our existence. It does not negate but on the contrary affirms the sensual nature of our objective physical being, and treats it as fundamental to any attempt at spiritual awareness as our subjective intangible soul.

He is the god of destruction, his dance too is thus essentially of a similar nature. A ring of flames encircles him.

These are the cremation fires which are ultimately going to consume our mortal bodies. But on the other hand dance is also an act of creation. It brings about a new situation and transforms the perpetrator into a higher realm of reality and personality. Thus the forces gathered and projected in his frantic, ever-enduring gyration are both of creation and annihilation.

Shiva's tresses are long and flowing, and dark as the night is. Supra-normal energy, amounting to the power of magic, resides in such a wildness of hair untouched by the scissors. The celebrated strength of Samson, who with naked hands tore asunder the jaws of a lion and shook down the roof of a pagan temple, was similarly said to reside in his uncut hair.

Shiva rides on the bull. Only those who are masters of their own impulses can ride on the bull. As Mahayogi, the god is master of the bull. This is true even when he is with his shakti, and his images therefore often represent him sitting upon its back, poised gracefully and fully in control.

"Among those who have mastered the bull you are the bull keeper. O Lord! Riding on the bull, you protect the worlds." --- Lingopasana-rahasaya

The metabolic energy called Kundalini is symbolized as Parvati. She is conceived as the serpent power which lies coiled in the lowest chambers of the human body. Kundalini when properly quickened, unfolds her vibrating hoods and by an upward sweep enters the spinal cord and then the brain, and finally unites above the head with Shiva. In mythology, Shiva's wedding with Parvati is the entrance of this serpent power into the Higher Mind which is compared to the snowy mountains of Kailash. Kailash is the symbol of the highest mind and Shiva has his abode on this mountain where silence reigns eternally.

The analogy is between a human wedding which releases the highest ecstasies of the flesh, and the wedding of Kundalini with Shiva, which is a symbol of the highest bliss attainable by an individual soul.

• All the people must understand that lord shiva is not form human origin he is a yaksha swaroopa which means he is a celestial being,et or ufo what u guys name it...he helped animal called human to evolve from their 5 sense of reality higher to know the profoundness of life not to reproduce talk nonsense and die like an animal.....
  by Ratish on 20th Jul 2011
• I completely agree with luke! Revelations talks about this. And it has deceived too many people already. People need to know the truth, and that the truth is Jesus Christ. And having a relationship with him! That is the only way to true peace, the only way to reach heaven after death. GOD BLESS
  by Jon on 6th Jul 2010
• I AGREE WITH YOU.. THIS ARTICLE IS COMPLETE RUBBISH.
  by BALAN on 22nd Jan 2010
• article is beautiful.It demonstrates the true meaning and the depth of knowledge of the author.it exhibits the advances made by the civilization.it is unfortunate that we have moved miles and miles(cannot surmise what figure to put)away from such wisdom and aping the ones who hardly know an iota.The Vedic culture has fathomless wisdom and the taker(comparatively difficult to add the alphabet 'S') are the fewest of the few.
  by madhusudan on 19th Jun 2009
• Awesome Article on Shiva. I really like the quote from kamasutra "detachment is the way to liberation, and there can be no detachment unless there is attachment". simply Beautiful.
  by Indian on 10th Jun 2009
• It's nice to know if a Christian indeed was
  interested in other religions/cultures. All cultures should try to understand each other. However, the moon on Shiva's head is a symbol of the "IDA" the cooling lunar nerve (thus the moon) which extends from the reproductive & energy storing groin area till the nostrils. This is the nerve that yogis use to pull-up energy from the nutritious semen for use in the brain & other organs in the body when consciousness expands during Kundalini Yoga. This process happens automatically as mind/body consume energy & if it's not readily available when the expansion happens, the semen is the fastest way to bring nutrition to the body. You can't drink, Bile nor Sulphuric Acid nor possibly any other enzyme produced by the body as it will either hurt or kill you. But you CAN drink Semen (ever have a blowjob?) So, the linga is a representation of the penis of Yogi Shiva (who was probably a real person) in ancient times who used Kundalini Yoga to concentrate on the "Crown Chakra" at the top of the head during meditation to pull energy (Shakti) from the base of the spine (Muladhara Chakra) into the spinal canal (Sushumna, the snake) through all 7 chakras upwards to unite with the Crown Chakra & the frontal cortex in the brain (to open the 3rd eye i.e. 6th sense.)
  There's nothing gross about this. It's a
  feature of your body if you decide to use it toward rapid enlightenment. (However, I wouldn't dry blowjobing on shit - LOL!)
  
  Om namah Shivai
  -k-
  
  by Kenz D. on 5th Dec 2008
• Luke, you are honestly one of the biggest idiots I've ever come into contact with. You don't even know what gender Shiva is (--->HE<--- is male, as is stated in this article, you dumbass), but you think you can give your 'expert Christian opinion' on --->HIM<---, when you clearly know nothing of --->HIM<---.
  And, where does Shiva promise that we're all going to burn in a fiery hell? Please, quote one Hindu scripture that you've read where Shiva says, "All my devotees will burn in hell forever... so, of course everyone will want to worship me." Can you quote one? Oh, that's right, you know nothing of Shiva or the Hindu tradition. Maybe you should just keep your idiotic ramblings to yourself next time... okay?
  by Om Namah Shivaya on 25th Nov 2008
• Jai Shiva Shankar!
  Aum Namah Shivaya!
  by bhakt on 25th Nov 2008
• Wonderfull article!
  
  And LUKE. Are you blind? How the bejez can this article strengthen your faith in the Bible? Did you not notice RUDRA, the pillar of fire? The same pillar that helped Moses out of "egypt"?
  
  And did you not understand, that grinding up the bull, as moses does, is to transmute the bull? To transmute the sexual power into GOLD?
  
  My God man, the Jews celebrate the exodus with the feast of balsheva .. Baal (lord) Shiva!
  
  They shall see and see and not understand....
  by Jon Lennart Aasenden on 20th Oct 2008
• God is.
  religon is cultural understanding/misunderstanding.
  Christ was buddah nature.
  "christians" are usually ignorant of christ conciousness, And if you hate another
  for calling the same GOD a different name you've missed the point of all divine knowledge.muslims and christians and hidus who fight each other are only giving themselves more bad karma. A true Brahma forsakes petty human foolishness.
  by j on 18th Oct 2008
• I am SHIVA,the ONE & SUPREME FORCE of this UNIVERSE...I have manifested myself in a WHITE NON-HINDU BODY without CASTE to bring the ONLY TRUTH forward...SHIVA IS LOVE....& ONLY LOVE..!!! Totally PURE...but NOT UNCONDITIONAL in its RESPONSE...
  KARMA IN AN OCEAN OF JOY....
  by SHIVA on 20th May 2008
• No doubt the article is excellent, but only for people who understand its spiritual meaning and the concept of LORD SHIVA and the SHIVA LINGA. Precisely Hindu born. Every body else has very conveniently misunderstood it according to their needs. I would suggest every body else to enjoy the literature and appreciate the concept as outsiders. More than that I urge not to insult the concept of SHIVA by misunderstanding the concept itself. If anybody want to take important decisions like losing verginity or accepting the autenticity of bible, pls do that because you want to, not because the article makes you feel so. Please guys, show some respect and compassion for divine literature. Its not for passing time.
  by madhu on 4th Mar 2008
• please do not sale god into the market please
  by John on 7th Feb 2008
• At the outset i would want to say that the story mentioned here, Shiva attracting women of ascetics has a different meaning.
  
  Note the statement "Shiva, the first amongst yogis, remained supremely unaffected both by the women's adoration and the sages' anger", its ain't that Shiva wanted to turn those women amourous or was himself being amorous, instead it is about self control in most adverse situations. Shiva is indeed the originator of knowldge of "Kaam" (Sexual/Sensuous Pleasure) but if you dwelve deeper into the ideas then it is not about illicit love or immoral sex, it is about feeling the sensuous pleasures but in a controlled way that helps attain higher state. Sex without any restraint is not taking you anywhere, its controlled pleasure is that when you control the energy to your wish & that you benefit physically/mentally out of it.
  by Sandeep on 31st Oct 2007
• Excellent article and very educative.
  by Srinivasa on 1st May 2007
• What a beautiful article! I love Shiva and I know that true bhakta does have the feel of illicit desire as it leads AWAY from worldly life. If only all suffering caused by wanting what you can't have could be soothed by adoration to Shiva, we'd have a more peaceful, harmonious world.
  by Acacia Lazuli on 10th Mar 2007
• god shiva the distroyer of all sorrow. when some one is confused who is god . god shiva says he has pather budhi. means he had taken many birth so that he does not remember a thing
  god shiva is the only one who can distroy your sorrow and god brahma will help you constrct your happiness and god vishnu will sustain your happiness. this is the beauty for all souls on earth.
  who does not want their sorrow to be distroyed. who does want to construct happines before distroying sorrow
  om shanti . except the vidharmy anti nature anti godly christians and anti godly muslims. they are considered as terrerist they will be hunted very soon.om shanti
  by jayadeepan on 4th Mar 2007
• This article was perfect for me. I was a struggling christian until I read this article. it proves the bible is real and God excists. This "false god" is specifically spoken about in the bible. All who follow her are going to be consumed in flames, much like how the bible describes those who follow "fales Gods" and give into the flesh (flesh, the same thing Shiva encourages you so strongly to do) The bible also says that in the end days a woman will come apon the earth and many shall follow her. Only the strong will resist her and god shall come to earth and crush her. if u will notice many of these pictures also tie into the bible. A picture of Shiva with a serpant around her neck (the serpent of lucifer) God speaks about crushing this serpents head, while recieving injury to his ankle. Shiva has the sun behind her in another picture, this represents flames that is hidden behind her fleshly image. Also a direct circle of fire (ring of fire if you will) is surrounding Shiva, and all who follow her and her sinful ways will be thrown into the lake of fire and perish (another thing Shiva PROMISES will happen) Now I am no longer a struggling christian, this article has boosted my relationship with the Lord. I am deeply sorry if this article has helped you come closer to worshiping shiva. You can Contact me at crigjig@yahoo.com if you would like to talk to me about this article, the false god, or even life itself. Thank you again and God bless!
  by Luke on 5th Feb 2007
• The information contained in this writing is so profound and pure I am incredulous. I have been suffering from misinformation all my life.
  
  I am very drawn to Hindu consciousness, to the mythology and its application in the lives of humans today. Perhaps there might one day be peace on earth........................sex for the purpose of universal understanding and peace...................
  
  Thanks and may Shiva send Nandi your way........…
  by Michellino on 26th Mar 2006
• The explanation is simple and marvellous
  by Venkatesh R Peddi on 16th Jan 2006
• wow! all of theses articles are so well written. I found this site while looking for some artistic reference material but came away with the first step towards a more enlightened way of living. I can never thank you guys enough!
  by jed morley on 21st Sep 2005
• This article is not only excellent, its what I was looking for and this is the only place I could it. I not only found what I was looking for, but I also found what I never thougth was possible. I must say thank you who ever post these article.
  by Saliema on 25th Jul 2005
• Very good article, just wondered about something, shiva's dance, in the position he is shown in, i thort it was also to do with a fighting art, and is one of the many positions used in this art, can you tell me or do you know anymore about that?
  by Kamal on 5th Jul 2005
• The article is undoubtedly enriching, inspiring and rich. A note of special thanks to the creators of such an article.AUM NAMAH SHIVAYE!!!
  by Gireesh Vyas on 24th Jul 2004
• An inspired article that struck me in the heart like a diamond bullet. It is a sublime reminder that Divine Love is beyond rational quantification, an experience beyond words. Bless you for sharing it!
  by Sun Woo Kong on 2nd Jun 2004
• An enlightening and inspiring article.
  
  Thank you
  by Harish on 1st Jun 2004
• without open this page my hungry mind never rest in peace. thanz to all the people who worked so hard to create such awsum sites.may shiva bless u all
  love -hongies
  by hongkong on 31st May 2004
• i want more pictures of SHIVA the great
  by ASHOK KHATRI on 3rd Mar 2004
• it was a great article with a vast info it i really enjoyed it thanks again to you folks keep up with your good work
  by dhiren on 17th Feb 2004
• I enjoyed your words of ideas of love. I agree with you. Thank you.
  
  I would like to tell you that I have created a sexual perfume SHIVA for love that you can see in my website: www.andresinan.com
  
  
  
  Andre
  
  
  by Andre Sinan on 9th Oct 2003
• I can't thank you enough for having written this article. It is so beautiful. It has helped me make a really important decision, to lose my virginity and make love to my boyfriend, who is like the air I breath. Thank you so much, God bless.
  by marta on 10th Sep 2003
• This is the best article i have ever read before and i appreciate efforts made to create this article and My Best Wishes to the Editor Mr. NItin Kumar and i would like to read more details on Lord Shiva the controller of the Earth
  by bindu shah on 11th Apr 2003
• Totally awesome site...love the information and the artwork is beautiful....thank you!
  by Misty Chevalier on 14th Nov 2002
• Accctually..the origin of Shiva dn his worship in form of Linga..is simply made up.Please refer to Maha Shiva Puran for the details.This is only to help the ones who might be believeing that the info given in article is correct
  by samir on 9th Nov 2002
• It's an excellent artcle of cosmic yogi,
  the Lord Shiva..
  
  Om Namah Shivaye.
  
  Namaste.
  Chander
  by Chander on 20th Aug 2002
• BOOM SHANKAR ! ! !
  Peace & Love
  by Julia on 10th Jul 2002
• for me, just the right information at the right time. thankyou.
  by james tell on 28th Jun 2002
• Beautiful!
  by Ahimsa on 20th Jun 2002
• This article is so magical and now that I'm intrigued, I plan to read more about these topics. Thank you for introducing me to Shiva. I'm so fortunate to have happened upon your website.
  by che on 1st May 2002
• Thank you for the informative article and brilliant artwork. I enjoyed it very much.
  
  
  by Nat Kukadia on 25th Apr 2002
• Thanks for the article on Shiva - very interesting!
  by Paul K. Smith on 17th Apr 2002
• Hi,
  Just wanted to tell you that i loved receiving this article. It was very well written and there was a wealth of information that i can share with my students. thank you and please keep them coming!
  Namaste
  by Debi on 16th Apr 2002
• This article is excellent. Thanks for the spiritual food! It came at the right moment in time.
  
  Namaste.
  by Janet on 15th Apr 2002
• Thank you very much once again for such a well written piece.You do us
  proud.
  I do look forward to your publications . One of my fondest wish is to be
  able to live in India, possibly in a Hill Station , but close to an Indian
  University and all those miles of bookshops !!!
  by Dr. M. Jan on 15th Apr 2002