About Shivoham Institute
Our Story: The Journey So FarAs a renowned Tantra Yoga and Academic institution, we are passionately committed to the holistic growth of our students, nurturing not only their intellectual curiosity but also promoting mental, physical, and spiritual well-being through the practice of Kundalini Tantra yoga.
Shivoham Institute
Since humans developed self awareness, there has only been one question that we have sought to discover, even with the complexities of modern life this singular question remains, Who am I?
We’ve developed many perspectives to try and answer this question; religious, psychological, biological, anthropological, etc but the problems with all intellectualisations is that they create their own pitfalls which leave the questioner ultimately unsatisfied.
The Shivoham Institute was created to help guide people to answer this ethereal question for themselves. Relying on a combination of ancient tantric and yogic knowledge, alongside modern scientific discoveries, we help prepare our students for experiences of the true self. This is not something that can be directly taught, as that to would too fall to trap of inventing words to
describe experiences which often leads to confusion – something very apparent even in the yogic world.
From this new foundation of understanding of the self, we guide our students on how to move back into the world. This is the importance of tantra, we do not preach asceticism or hiding away from the world. The world needs good people but if you do not understand who you are, how do you know what you want or how should you direct yourself? Simply striving to be create more
clarity, harmony and unlocking energy path ways is useful but can be rendered redundant if directed to the wrong place.
You may wonder why we should rely on ancient teachings as logically understanding should improve with time. Originally, all was simply one and even in times of early man life moved through us and there was no need for questions as we all lived according to our life`s journey.
Now, we have infinite labels to describe things in which we all define differently. Take the word love for example, such an important part of our lives yet you’d struggle to find a definition everyone can agree on.
The first tantrics and yogis, only being later categorised as such were born into the perfect point in history where the balance of self awareness and simplicity enabled deep discoveries into the nature of our existence. This is not to say that we discount science, in fact we happily employ the scientific method as we only ask you to experiment to discover the answers for yourself and
never force what is right or wrong. As you progress you will see how meaningless these words are.
Ultimately, what we are trying to achieve with The Shivoham Institute is a continuation of the ripple effect that life has brought into our lives. We can see the compounding effect of helping people re-discover themselves and enter into world as they go on to help others. Eventually, we see a revolution of ideals that has already begun as life rebalances itself to allow us to enjoy the best of both modern and ancient forms of living.
Sri Vijay Anand
“”It is relatively well known that all modern styles of yoga came from Hatha Yoga. It’s lesser known that Hatha is a simplified variation of some of techniques collected from the Tantra’s. The most effective yoga practices cannot be found or are not fully disclosed in the most popular yogic texts referred to in modern teacher trainings. I am blessed to be part of the oral tradition that has preserved the most effective teaching. It is my life’s works to continue spreading this knowledge with the right students.”
Tantric Master and Spiritual Guide
Meet Sri Vijay Anand, a dedicated practitioner of Tantric Hatha Yoga since the tender age of 5. Rooted in the sacred teachings of Shiva’s Tattwa Gyan and Swar Yog, he weaves a tapestry of profound knowledge through the 72,000 Nadis, the subtle pathways of prana. Inspired by the 112 Shiva Sutras from the Vigyan Bhairav Tantra, he has mastered the art of combining these ancient teachings with the transformative principles of Kaya Kalp – Ayurveda’s body rejuvenation techniques. A scion of the esteemed lineage of Rishi Vashistha, one of the revered Saptarishis known for their profound understanding of Shiva’s knowledge and Upanishad wisdom, Sri Vijay Anand embodies the essence of ancient wisdom passed down through generations. Sri Vijay Anand’s mission extends beyond borders, spanning across 50 countries. His work is dedicated to advancing the physical, mental, and spiritual well-being of humanity. Through powerful Kundalini Tantra Yoga and well-being projects, transformative teacher training courses, and voluntary contributions to public service initiatives, he has left an indelible mark on communities around the world.
Anand is a unique instance of a Yogi who has strived to acquire an advanced understanding of yoga and contemporary scientific knowledge. After attaining this profound understanding, he journeyed to Europe. Over the past several decades, he has disseminated this wisdom via workshops, retreats, teacher training courses, and speaking engagements. His teaching has reached a diverse audience, including renowned figures like actor Jeremy Irons and world-renowned pianist and conductor Vásáry Tamás.
While Anand’s knowledge extends well beyond what many would require in a lifetime, his primary focus remains the integration of Shiva’s teachings into everyday life through Kundalini Tantra Yoga and Sanjeevani Kriya. This approach offers a practical solution to the complexities of contemporary existence. In a world where individuals have adapted to their environments, he believes that self-mastery is the initial step towards making a difference.
What is Yoga?
Yoga is a great example of a word that had an original meaning but has taken on many others in people’s minds. If it kept its original meaning we would not need to complicate things further than simply using this word which means to unite. That is to unite the two sides of life; Shiva and Shakti, consciousness and energy, static and dynamic, feminine and masculine.
This two sided reality displays itself in many ways through all dimensions of life, particularly the 3 dimensions (physical, mental and spiritual) or 5 koshas (layers of self).
The reality is that the further you go from the material world, the more the lines get blurred and you come to understand that yogic teachings are just perspectives to help you understand things are your current place.
Systemisation is useful though so many have tried to break down yoga in to various forms (hatha, raja, karma, jnana etc) but this can also lead to confusion. Particularly in the west where the majority of people think of it as a fitness practice.
As with all things, the solution falls in the middle and thus whilst we do teach a very systematic form of yoga, we also actively encourage self discovery and guide you based on your specific circumstances. For many, total renunciation is not needed in this life time but finding methods to understand oneself and overlooking obstacles (physical, mental and spiritual) are necessary.
What is Tantra?
Originally, tantra and yoga were not divided and before this there was not even a name for such practitioners but it has come to be something distinct. The key difference is that instead of ideals of many yogis who remove themselves from the world only to remain in ashrams or high up the Himalayas, where understanding is sought through abstinence; tantrics seek to understand through experience.
Desires are a part of life and not something we need hide away from. However, there is a difference between experiencing it with full awareness and mindless intoxicating oneself and thus we need to learn to liberate ourselves from the mind and body and return as pure consciousness.
This does require periods of withdrawal as it is much easier to be fully aware when life is simple – which is why yogis choose this life but there’s no need to remain here.
This falls back to our aims of helping people re-enter the world through a new understanding of themselves and life around it. Tantra is not only about being fully present but also about understanding the underlying energy structures at play so you can create and adjust them to your needs. There are degrees of depth to these practices but you only need go as far as you need at this particular place in your life journey.