Within the universe and inside our own bodies and minds, there exists a balance of opposing forces; light and dark, hot and cold, heavy and light, movement and stillness, and so on. The ancient wisdom of Ayurveda understands that life is made up of these opposites, and that finding balance between them is the key to a healthy physical and mental state. Ayurveda is linked to the even older lineage of Tantra, a system intended to guide the practitioner towards understanding themselves on spiritual, mental, emotional and physical layers. The word ‘tantra’ itself can be translated as ‘woven together’, referring to the necessity of life’s polarities; light and dark, yin and yang, and masculine and feminine, to weave together in order to create wholeness.
It is this ‘weaving together’ that is said to play a part in the creation of the world we know today. When Lord Shiva and his wife Parvati (also known as Shakti) united, their energy was ‘woven’ together, and universe was born. Through this birth, we can see the balance of day and night, Summer and Winter, water and fire interacting in front of our eyes. As well as these polarities that exist in nature, there’s a divine masculine and feminine energy within all of us. Call it ‘yin and yang’, ‘sun and moon’, or ‘male and female’; these two opposing forces that make up the wholeness of what it is to be human. This intertwining of masculine and feminine is depicted in the Ardhanarishvara form; a half male and half female being made up of Shiva and Shakti, equally split down the middle. If there was ever a symbol for ‘equality’, the ancient texts had this one figured out pretty early on! The earliest known illustrations of this form are from the first century CE, representing how the opposite energies of masculine and feminine are inseparable and found in every part of nature. Whether you’re a man, woman or identify differently entirely, there are aspects of these divine energies we can tune into every day, in order to find more balance in mind and body, and celebrate the Shiva and Shakti in all of us. Read on for three perspectives and practices to help cultivate this awareness.
Left & Right
In many yogic practices, the left and right sides of the body are dedicated to the two types of energy. The right hand side of the body is the traditionally masculine side, whilst the left is linked to femininity. The right side is home to the Pingala Nadi, a channel carrying prana or ‘life force energy’ from the base of the spine, through each of the chakras, up to the top of the head. The Pingala Nadi represents the sun, heat, fiery energy, and stimulation, and we can actually enhance these energies in our own body and mind by practicing Surya Bhedana, or ‘right nostril breathing’. When inhaling primarily through the right nostril, circulation increases, body temperature rises, cortisol and blood pressure become higher, and the heart rate increases. All of these responses show that right nostril breathing impacts the sympathetic nervous system (the ‘fight or flight’ side of the nervous system) putting the body into a state of alertness and readiness – useful if you need a boost of motivation and energy, or to balance lethargic, low states.
The left channel links to Ida Nadi, a channel dedicated to feminine energy on the left side of the body, also running from the tailbone, through the chakras, and uniting with Pingala Nadi at the top of the head. When inhaling primarily through the left nostril (a techniques known as ‘chandra bhedana’ or ‘moon activating’ breath) – linked to ida nadi – the sympathetic or ‘rest and digest’ side of the nervous system is activated, lowering blood pressure and body temperature, calming stress levels and reducing anxiety. This way of breathing also sends blood to the right hemisphere of the brain, associated with creative thinking, daydreaming, and emotions.
When you’re approaching a situation that perhaps requires more ‘Shiva’ energy, practice right nostril breathing, and when your ‘Shakti’ energy is required, practice left nostril breathing. A simple way to balance the two energies, is to regularly practice Nadi Shodhana, or ‘alternate nostril breathing’.
To practice this, close your right nostril and inhale through the left, then close the left nostril and exhale through the right. Follow this by inhaling through the right nostril, then closing the right nostril and exhaling through the left. Literally breathing through ‘alternate’ nostrils, which can help balance the brain, and level-out the body’s energy.
Yin & Yang Seasonal & Daily Cycles
Each season holds a certain amount of Shiva’s Yang and Shakti’s Yin energy. In the Northern hemisphere, The Spring and Summer are traditionally a time of ‘building Yang energy’, which links to our ability to manifest and act in the world, putting ideas into action and enjoying the more ‘fiery’ side of ourselves. In the Autumn and Winter, there’s a predominance of ‘Yin’ energy, which encourages us to turn inwards, nurture our bodies and minds, and allow space and time for creative energy to regenerate.
When we push ourselves through the year on a linear path – not recognising the need to respect and adhere to the fluctuations of yin and yang, and masculine and feminine energy that rises and falls, we begin to live out of alignment with nature. This is when exhaustion, stress, and illness can occur, and is a clear message to realign our bodies and minds with the rhythms of the world around us. To start tuning into the various rhythms of nature, and how their Shiva and Shakti energy affects us, it’s useful to cultivate a relationship and connection to the sun (a traditionally ‘Shiva’ aspect) and the moon (A ‘Shakti’ planet).
To tune into the Sun, begin a practice of watching the sunrise and sunset as often as you can. Doing this is perhaps one of the oldest rituals humans have had, and is a wonderful way to come back to our more primal, instinctual selves, as well as helping the body clock get back into a healthy rhythm.
To connect to the Moon, observe the changing lunar phases, and reflect upon how the moon may be impacting your own energy levels. Many of us may recognise that a full moon can very much heighten emotions, and this is a great time to think about letting go of things you’ve been holding on to over the past cycle. A new moon is a time for deep rest and introspection, planning and self-care.
Try these techniques over the next couple of months to help balance your Shiva and Shakti energy, uniting these powerful opposing forces to cultivate a state of fullness in the mind and body.