The Celebration of the First Yogi

As a student and teacher of the Path of Yoga, it is a blessing to annually celebrate the first Yogi – Śiva.

On the 26th of February 2025, as the moon wanes and the dark night, the moonless night approaches, Yogis and Sādhakas rejoice in the celebration of Śiva.

Śivarātri is the night the Yogis and Śaivites celebrate the Auspicious One, the Pure One, the One who is unaffected by sattva, rajas, or tamas, the One who blesses all by the heartfelt repetition of His name – Aum Namaḥ Śivāya.

Acknowledgement of, and experience of Divinity is the purpose of Śivarātri—a celebration of consciousness and vitality, of Śiva and Śakti. In the West, it has become foreign to partake in these rituals and sacrifices. The apparent advances in our knowledge have led to the dismissal of these ancient and sacred practices. We have labelled them as irrational or unevolved. This has left an emptiness that we often seek to fill in less than sacred and holy practices.

Lord Śiva & Yoga

Śiva first shared the secrets of Yoga with his beloved consort and wife, goddess Pārvatī. This articulation and transmission unveiled Śiva as the first Yogi, the Ādiyogi; furthermore, it revealed him to be the first guru, the Ādi Guru. He taught his beloved Pārvatī the depths and heights of Yoga, including the well-known eighty-four āsana of Yoga.

The divine bond between Śiva and Pārvatī allowed the Goddess to convince Śiva to share his techniques with beings other than her (thank you, Mā Pārvatī). Śiva’s initial hesitancy was overcome by Pārvatī’s strength and affection for the plight of all suffering beings. Pārvatī’s desire to share the effectiveness and beauty was founded in Yoga’s capacity for overcoming the suffering of the world whilst not becoming entangled in the delights and desires of the world.

From this divine agreement, the seven great Seers (Sapta Ṛṣi-s) were created. The seven ṛṣi-s were immersed in the teachings so as to be pure instruments of Yoga. Their virtue and illumination allowed them to clearly, succinctly, and powerfully share the teachings with the world. Śiva blessed the ṛṣi-s with 18 siddhi-s, saturating them with the grace and skill to impart the wisdom of Yoga to us earthly incarnates, free from ego and darkness.

Śiva is also known as the cosmic power of dissolution and transformation. Represented in the sacred aum sound and symbol, he completes, destroys, and instigates transformation.

Śiva is, on one plane, beyond form and quality; however, on another, he is dripping with holiness and virtue. He gives the yogi plenty of scope to praise and worship him, to honour and revere him. He is the epitome of the highest ideal (Iṣṭa Devatā).

Accordingly, if Yoga is a significant component in your awakening, then Śiva may be worth a candle and a stick of incense infused with a prayer of gratitude offered at his feet on the holy night of Śivarātri.