Discover the roots of yoga

MOUNT MERU or KAILASHA and its mystical signification for our yoga practice

Mount Meru or Kailasha is an important sacred place for buddhists and hindus alike. The mythical mountain in the Himalayas of western Tibet is the eternal abode of Shiva. And Shiva gave Yoga to mankind.

Merudanda describes a central axis from the core of the earth to its outward extension, the mountaintop of Meru. „The holy gold mountain visualized as the axis of the universe and abode of the gods, represented the spiritual centre for mankind in the Golden Age (satya yuga), when devine knowledge was accessible to all. “ („The illustrated dictionary of Hindu Iconography“, Margaret Stutley,1985, London)

For us yoga practitioners Merudanda is our spine. The straight spine in Siddhasana, an upright seated position with maximum ground contact makes us feel stable and aligned in an axis from the center of the earth to infinity. It gives us a feeling of groundedness in a mystical experience. Our body serves as a vessel to explore infinity. WE PRACTICE WITH THE BODY AND LET IT GO.

Shiva as a Yogi is depicted as a dancer and an emaciated beggar. A good yoga practice leads us towards those sensations of freedom and lightness: IN our bodies as in a dance and as a letting go of our identification with our bodies.