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Is Yoga a Religion? Who is Shiva?
The following is excerpted from the "Origins of Yoga" CPD course, available on our website.
Yoga is not a religion, but it has influenced religious belief. This is an important distinction.
I have written about this before, and in many ways, it has become an enjoyable subject to explore. Are the people we are talking about—Shiva and Parvati—just normal people (if, in fact, they existed) who attained enlightenment? Or are they god and goddess? Or is the truth somewhere in between? Were they just like you and me but then became divine?
It’s far more complicated than that, and I find it very challenging to fully explain. This course on the origins of yoga actually started off with me just jotting down my thoughts as I desperately tried to articulate how I felt.
Essentially, when Shiva attained enlightenment, his followers believed that once you reach that state, you are in the presence of God. Because they believed that upon attaining enlightenment, there is no ego or self left behind—you merge with the divine—you become God. So if Shiva was an enlightened soul, he was also God, as the divine was in him.
For a long time, it was believed that “Shiva” simply meant “that which is not,” referring to everything that exists in the universe but is beyond our mental grasp and perhaps always will be. Like black holes—everything outside of our senses that we cannot comprehend is considered Shiva. Shiva is everything and everywhere, not a person. But when this wandering yogi first appeared, he became a human reflection of “that which is not”—a physical embodiment of the unknowable. He transcended our human minds and left us in awe. Just being in his presence made people feel as though they could sense the very vibrations of creation itself. So, Shiva was considered by some as a god—or even the God.
Those who believed in him wholeheartedly called themselves Shaivas. They worshipped Shiva as a god and believed that devotion to him alone could set them "free." Others branched off from Shaivism, but still existed under its broader umbrella, calling themselves Tantrics. They believed that to experience "Shiva," all one needed was to follow the techniques from the Vijnana Bhairava Tantra (for example)—nothing more, just wholehearted faith and commitment. Some followers and seekers felt they needed more preparatory work before they had the mental strength to practice meditation on Shiva. These seekers believed they needed postures and breathing exercises to strengthen their minds, bodies, will, and resolve. They became known as Yogis. Others, inspired by Shiva’s wandering ascetic ways, lived in cremation grounds, covered themselves in ash, and even ate human flesh (to symbolize that nothing is real). These became known as Aghoris.
Each group followed its own path, with its own ideologies, each believing their way was the only path to Shiva—all based around the same idea of liberation. But it didn’t end there—many more offshoots emerged and continue to this day.
Some of the above believed Shiva was God. Others saw him as a doorway to God. Some viewed him as the Adi-Yogi, a kind of prophet who left behind techniques to help humanity finally set itself free.
To some, this is all religious. To others, like myself, it’s not.
Lesson 8: Is Yoga a Religion?
People from the Indian subcontinent have always been deeply spiritual. Western visitors and invaders often found fascination in observing their spiritual and religious practices. Although it wasn't the British who first coined the term “Hindu,” it was the British who popularized it.
The word "Hindu" is derived from the Sanskrit word "Sindhu," which refers to the Indus River. The ancient Persians, who had difficulty pronouncing the "S" sound, referred to the people living beyond the Indus River as "Hindus." This usage dates back to at least the 6th century BCE and was primarily a way to describe the people living in the Indian subcontinent, without any specific religious connotations.
However, during British colonial rule in the 19th century, the term "Hinduism" began to be defined as a distinct religion. The British used "Hindu" to categorize the diverse spiritual, philosophical, and cultural practices of the people living in India. Before this, there wasn't a single, unified religion called "Hinduism." The British, in their efforts to classify the populations of India, used "Hinduism" as a blanket term for a wide range of beliefs, practices, and philosophies. This included Yogis (who believed Shiva was an enlightened being), Buddhists (followers of Gautama Buddha’s teachings), Sufis (a mystical branch of Islam), Jains, Sikhs, Tantrics, Aghoris (who broke away from traditional yogic paths), Shaivas (who believed Shiva was God), and Vaishnavas (who believed Vishnu was God), among others.
For a long time, all these diverse groups were referred to as "Hindus." The term didn’t necessarily define a religion but instead denoted someone on a spiritual path, whether it was philosophical, religious, or spiritual. Essentially, to be "Hindu" was to be a seeker of truth. Fast forward to 2025, and it’s generally understood that primarily the Shaivas and Vaishnavas fall into the category of Hinduism, while the other groups have formed distinct religious or spiritual movements.
Yoga, for a long time, was a spiritual practice adopted by different groups to deepen their own spiritual journeys. I talk about this in my book when I explore how various spiritual paths have embraced yoga as a tool for self-discovery. What makes yoga unique is that it never demanded loyalty to any one faith—it was a tool used to enhance one's connection to life itself, regardless of the belief system you follow.
The reason different faiths and beliefs practiced yoga is that yoga, in its truest sense, has no prerequisite of faith. For example, to be a Shaiva, one must believe that Shiva is the all-encompassing god, the highest reality. To be a Muslim, one must believe in and submit their will to Allah. But yoga does not require belief in any particular deity or dogma. It only asks for a willingness to try, to seek. There are no rigid rules, codes, temples, or dietary restrictions. In fact, some of the modern rules and dietary practices associated with yoga have evolved over time, but if we go back to the original path of Shiva and Parvati, there were no such prerequisites.
As I’ve written before, most religions have a foundational text that defines their belief systems. Buddhists have the Tripitaka or the Pali Canon, Sufis have the Quran, Jains have the Agamas, Sikhs have the Guru Granth Sahib, Shaivas have the Shiva Sutras, Vaishnavas have the Bhagavad Gita, and so on. But Yogis—especially those inspired by the conversation between Shiva and Parvati—have a text titled The Vigyan Bhairav Tantra, which could be described as a self-help manual for meditation. The language in the text is often difficult and symbolic, requiring a deep understanding of Shaivism and Tantra to decipher, which is why Paul Reps’ poetic translation is so popular. It simplifies the essence of the text into what it is: a masterpiece of meditation. The text doesn’t impose belief or dogma; it simply guides the seeker to close their eyes and trust that whatever they seek will come to them in their own time.
Yoga is not a religion, but it has influenced religious belief. This is an important distinction.
Zahir Akram - Eternal Seeker
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