On yoga practice

We are usually tuned into the outer world, into society, into what we do. We are in some way tuning in with other people, with some kind of activities. Yoga begins when we tune in with ourselves, return to ourselves, try to catch our own vibration, feel the energy, breath. Breathing is an expression of our prana, which anyone can feel. Not everyone feels the energy, but everyone is familiar with breathing. That is, we look into ourselves.

In fact, this is a reflection of the universal process, when Shiva looks at himself. He creates duality, separates himself from Shakti in order to look at himself and know himself. So do we, and all processes repeat this action. Cognition of the self or self-knowledge is possible only because there is duality, then presence of observer, appearance the object of observation and the process of cognition itself are possible. If there is no duality, if everything is fused together, then there will be no process of cognition.

So this whole world is nothing more than a process discovery and learning, its cause and purpose at the same time. Our body, we ourselves, participate in this process. Our body is a manifestation of duality, our mind and everything connected with it — all Maya, illusion — can be seen as fetters, that limit us and force us to stay in samsara, but also can be viewed from a different perspective, from the point of view of Shiva, that the presence of a body is an opportunity to know oneself, to realize the impulse of the Absolute.