By Gurudevi Nirmalananda

Svaroopa^® yoga is based in the Kashmiri Shaivite tradition that says the world is real — so are you and so is everyone else, but there is more to all of it than you currently see.

You must find that “something more” within yourself, then you will see it in everyone and everything. This seeing is a recognition of the one divine light in all. It is experienced as an overwhelming and unconditional love and joy — simultaneously.

How do you get there? Your breathing practice and poses get you started, but you reach a point where you must work on your mind directly.

Different systems give you different techniques for your mind. Kashmiri Shaivism says you must repeat mantra. There are two times of the day you must repeat mantra: when you are meditating and when you are not meditating.

You can begin with this mantra, “Shivo’ham.” It means “I am Shiva, the Ever-Existent One Reality.” An alternative translation makes it even more clear, “I am my own divine Self.”

This is a temporary mantra. This means it will work, but it does not commit you to any long-term practice, lineage or tradition. It gives you the opportunity to start clearing out your mind, so you can live in progressively more and more clarity and integrity, leading to transparency.

Excerpt from A Yogic Lifestyle, pages 35–36