The Magic & Mythology of The Dancer Pose

In yogic lore, Shiva and Parvati, often referred to as the "cosmic couple," represent the ultimate balance—the dance of creation and destruction, energy, and matter. Their status has been elevated to that of gods, and while many honor them in this divine form, it’s important to understand that they don’t have to be seen as deities by anyone who reads this blog. For me, their story is not about religion and worship — they represent a profound metaphor for the very fabric of existence, for the interplay between the seen and unseen forces that shape our reality.

Shiva, often called the first yogi, represents matter, the stillness and form that makes up the universe. Parvati, the divine feminine, embodies energy, the force that moves, transforms, and breathes life into matter. Together, they aren’t just husband and wife, or even gods and goddesses—they’re the perfect expression of balance and harmony. Without matter, energy would have no vessel, and without energy, matter would remain inert, lifeless. It is said in yogic lore that without Parvati, Shiva is inert and devoid of life. He is "Shava" - as in the corpse pose Shavasana. Parvati literally breathes life into Shiva.

That is why there is a murti of them in our studio. They reflect the balance of opposites and are the very principles of balance that sustain our universe. They are as one.

As Sadhguru once said, “Shiva is not a being; he is a happening.” And Parvati is the force that makes that happening come alive.

When I share stories of them both, I do so in a way that celebrates the roots of yoga. Without them, without Parvati's questions, you would not be reading this blog. You wouldn't have a yoga practice. We wouldn't know what yoga is. My continued sharing of their story serves as a reminder that yoga means to find harmony. To navigate the trials and tribulations (as Shiva & Parvati did) and to find that peace and harmony within.

For this reason, as always, I present Shiva and Parvati not as gods and goddesses, which they don't mean to me, but as the very first yogis whose story continues to school me on all things Yoga.

Shiva and Parvati were the embodiment of yogic practice. They spent much of their time practicing together. One day, Shiva playfully challenged Parvati to a dance contest. Parvati had to mirror all of Shiva's intricate poses, and with her grace and skill, she flawlessly matched each one of his movements, performing them with the same elegance and precision as Shiva himself.

But Shiva, being the trickster that he was, wanted to tease Parvati. He transitioned into the difficult pose known as Urdhva-Thandava—a posture where he raised his right leg behind him and straight above his head. This pose, with its wild, almost impossible extension, symbolized Shiva’s unrestrained energy, his raw and untamable spirit. Parvati, despite her incredible mastery, couldn’t replicate the pose. But instead of feeling defeated, she chose a different response.

Parvati’s Dance of Balance and Grace

Rather than trying to force her body into Shiva’s posture, Parvati embraced her own energy. She let go of the need to "get it right" or to copy Shiva exactly, and instead, she became the dance. Parvati moved in her own way, creating a pose that mirrored her feminine energy, her balance, poise, and grace.

Parvati's Yoga wasn’t about competition; it was about expression.

Parvati's dancer pose wasn’t a replication—it was her truth.

In the Puranas, it is said, "The wildness in Shiva was always tamed by Parvati’s exquisite beauty and charm." This reminds us that while Shiva represents pure, unbridled energy, Parvati balances him with her calm, centered nature. And together, they create harmony.

The Meaning of Natarajasana

The story of Shiva and Parvati’s dance is embodied in Natarajasana, the dancer’s pose. Nataraja, meaning "King of Dancers," is Shiva in his form as the cosmic dancer. When you step into this pose, you aren’t just stretching your body—you are embodying Shiva’s fearlessness, his grace, and his power. But just as Parvati teaches us, it’s not about perfectly imitating a shape. It’s about immersing yourself so deeply in the practice that you become the dance itself.

As Sadhguru explains:

"To identify the dancer in the dance, you must get so immersed in the dance that you also become the dance—you are not a spectator, you are it—then you know the dancer by experience; you are touched by him."

Lessons from Parvati: Let Go of Perfection

Parvati’s lesson in this story is one of surrender. She teaches us that if we can’t do something exactly as we think we should, it doesn’t mean we’ve failed. Instead, it might be an invitation to find our own way, to express ourselves uniquely.

In the same way, when practicing Natarajasana, if our leg doesn’t lift as high as we would like or our balance wavers, that’s okay. What matters is the spirit of the pose, the willingness to surrender the idea of perfection and allow ourselves to experience the beauty of our own practice.

Parvati teaches that we aim high, but we don’t get attached to a specific outcome. Whether our dancer’s pose is a small, humble balance or a full, high-leg stretch, what matters most is that we're fully engaged, fully immersed. As Parvati showed us, it’s not about perfectly copying the pose—it’s about finding our own expression. Our own balance between effort and surrender.

As the Aṣṭāvakra Gītā teaches:

"You are not the body. You are not the mind. You are the witness of these. You are pure awareness."

So, the next time we step into Natarajasana, we should remember the story of Shiva and Parvati. We don’t just make a shape — we become the dance. We surrender to the flow and find the magic that happens when we let go of the need to be perfect. After all, the real beauty of the dance lies in its imperfections, in the way it lets you express your true self.

There is no right or wrong (in any yoga pose) — you do your pose in your own way. One that expresses who you are.

The following is extracted from the Poses Manual that is part of our Yoga Teacher Training

Zahir Akram - Eternal Seeker

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