112 Ways of Shiva to Discover Yourself

What’s that one question we tend to ask at some or the other point in our minds? It is, “How does this vast world operate?  Who's in charge of making everything happen, right from the very start? And what's there after death? These questions are like big mysteries yet to be answered.

Well, guess what? We’re embarking on a journey using Lord Shiva's meditation techniques to solve these mysteries. Life is filled with surprises and Shiva’s teachings serve as a roadmap that will help us comprehend how things fit together.

Millions of spiritual seekers from around the world have been extremely curious to know about the captivating secrets of Lord Shiva. Among these profound sciences are the "112 meditation techniques of Shiva," often referred to as the "112 ways of Shiva" from the book Vigyan Bhairava Tantra. These techniques, which have been passed down through many lifetimes, provide a road map for those who want to delve deeply into the essence of existence and reach the pinnacle of spiritual awakening.

Devi, the consort of Lord Shiva, posed profound questions about reality, the universe, and the essence of life like what’s the origin or starting point of everything and what keeps the universe in balance, the central force that takes hold of the cyclical nature of existence, like birth, life, death, and rebirth.

Goddess Parvati asks:

O Shiva, what is your reality?

What is this wonder-filled universe?

What constitutes seed?

Who centers the universal wheel?

What is this life beyond form pervading forms?

How may we enter it fully, above space and time, names and descriptions?

Let my doubts be cleared!

Shiva responded by revealing the 112 meditation techniques which are intended to guide the practitioners towards a heightened state of consciousness and self realization. These techniques, referred to as "Sutras," aren’t just methods but pathways to help you gain a deeper understanding of the universe.

Why are 112 ways of Shiva important?

1. Reduced stress and anxiety: In a fast paced world filled with constant pressures and demands, these techniques provide a way to calm the mind and reduce stress so that you make better decisions in less time.

2. Enhanced focus and productivity: With millions of distractions present around you, it’s easy to get distracted. The 112 ways of Shiva emphasize mindfulness and concentration, which can improve attention span, give you clarity of thought, and enhance overall productivity.

3. Emotional balance: By practicing these meditations, you tend to gain control over your emotions which improves mood, leading to improved relationships and better decision-making.

4. Deepened self-awareness: The techniques encourage introspection, helping individuals understand themselves better, recognize their patterns, and make the changes needed.

5. Connection to the present moment: Our stress mainly pertains to either past happenings or future apprehensions. Shiva meditations help anchor individuals to the present, enhancing the quality of each moment.

6. Improved health: Regular meditation has been linked to various health benefits, including lower blood pressure, improved sleep, and a stronger immune system.

7. Spiritual growth: For those on a spiritual path, these 112 techniques by Shiva offer a roadmap to deeper spiritual experiences and understanding of the universe's mysteries.

8. Enhanced creativity: By quieting the mind and tapping into deeper states of consciousness, individuals can unlock greater creativity to think of great ideas and solutions.

9. Resilience in adversity: The practices teach acceptance, detachment, and the impermanence of life which helps you stay calm and strong even in tough times.

11. Holistic well-being: Beyond just mental benefits, these techniques promote a holistic sense of well-being, harmonizing the mind, body, and spirit and helping you stay happy.

Also read:

Is your posture aligned with Mahadev's?

7 Lord Shiva mantras: How to call Lord Shiva for help?

What's the most powerful meditation technique?

112 meditation techniques of Shiva

1. Focus on the starting points of your breath.
2. Concentrate on the moments between breathing in and out.
3. When the breath doesn't move in or out, enlightenment emerges.
4. Breathe in fully, hold it, then exhale completely and pause.
5. Visualize energy, like sunlight, moving from the base chakra to the crown.

Also read: How to know which of your 7 chakras is out of balance?

1. Ponder on the electric-like energy ascending through the chakras.
2. Reflect on the Sanskrit vowels, first as characters, then sounds, and finally as deep sensations.
3. Direct breath-energy to the top of your mouth, then guide it to the space between your eyebrows.
4. Visualize the five hues of a peacock feather, representing the emptiness of the senses.
5. Whenever you're conscious of something, immerse yourself in that consciousness.
6. With eyes shut, direct your focus inside your head.
7. Reflect on the emptiness within the central spinal channel.
8. Using a specific hand gesture, focus on a point in the forehead until it fades, leading to a supreme state.
9. Reflect on a mark or the end point of the hair bun on your head.
10. Tune into the silent sound, continuous like a flowing river.
11. Chant the sacred sound (ॐ) and focus on the silence that follows.
12. While chanting any mantra, focus on the silence before and after its pronunciation.
13. Listen intently to the continuous notes of musical instruments.
14. Chant seed mantras and immerse in their resonance.
15. Reflect on the vast emptiness in all directions.
16. Ponder on the emptiness above and below.
17. Reflect on the void above, below, and within your heart.
18. Visualize your body as entirely hollow.
19. If immediate contemplation on emptiness is challenging, consider the body's components as filled with void.
20. Visualize your skin as an external barrier with nothing substantial inside.
21. Reflect on the vast space within your heart.
22. Focus on any of these centers: navel, heart, throat, forehead, or crown.
23. Continuously concentrate on the aforementioned centers.
24. Visualize your body being consumed by a fire starting from your right foot.
25. Imagine the whole world engulfed in flames.
26. Reflect on the body and world's elements dissolving into their essence.
27. After refining your breath through specific practices, focus on that energy at the breath's starting points.
28. Reflect on the universe's evolution, then deconstruct it from tangible to intangible.
29. Ponder on your inner self.
30. Visualize the universe as an empty expanse.
31. Focus on the space inside an object, ignoring its boundaries.
32. Gaze upon an open area devoid of trees or structures.
33. Recognize the interval between two thoughts.
34. When one thought ends, prevent the mind from jumping to another.
35. Reflect on the entire body and universe as manifestations of consciousness.
36. Concentrate on the merging of inhalation and exhalation.
37. Visualize the universe and body as filled with joy.
38. Reflect on the joy experienced during magical moments.
39. Using a specific hand gesture, focus on the sensation as energy ascends the central channel.
40. Focus on the sensation between the expansion and contraction of a nerve cluster near the base.
41. During intimacy, immerse in the pleasure and the peak of joy.
42. Even in solitude, relish the joy reminiscent of intimacy.
43. Relish the joy of reuniting with a long-lost friend.
44. Savor the pleasure derived from delicious food and drink.
45. Delight in the joy evoked by music and similar experiences.
46. Direct your attention to where you find peace.
47. Focus on the state transitioning from wakefulness to sleep.
48. Gaze upon the rays emanating from luminous sources.
49. Engage in specific postures and gestures.
50. Sit unevenly, with one side elevated, and relax your limbs.
51. Sit comfortably, arching your arms overhead, and look into your armpits.
52. Fixate on an object and then turn your attention inward.
53. Touch the roof of your mouth with your tongue and produce a silent 'haa' sound.
54. Whether seated or lying down, visualize being unsupported.
55. Sway your body rhythmically.
56. Direct your gaze to the clear, cloudless sky.
57. Visualize the vastness of space within your head.
58. Recognize the three states of consciousness and the fourth that transcends them.
59. Focus on the darkness during a moonless night.
60. With eyes shut, concentrate on the internal darkness.
61. Block one of your senses.
62. Chant the letter अ without additional sounds.
63. At the end of a chant, focus on the silence of a letter.
64. Reflect on the infinite space in every direction as your essence.
65. Pierce a part of your body and concentrate on that spot.
66. Reflect, "Inside me, there's no mind."
67. Understand each element in its true essence.
68. When a desire emerges, dismiss it instantly.
69. Reflect on the question, "Who am I?"
70. When knowledge or desire surfaces, immerse in it.
71. Understand, "From an absolute perspective, all knowledge is baseless and deceptive. In truth, knowledge isn't owned by anyone."
72. Recognize everything as the same consciousness.
73. Stay focused amidst emotions like desire, anger, or envy.
74. Visualize existence as a magical display.
75. Neither focus on pain nor pleasure; stay neutral.
76. Detaching from the body, believe, "I am omnipresent."
77. Understand, "Knowledge and desires emerge both within me and outside."
78. Leaving your body aside, believe your consciousness exists in others.
79. Free your mind from all anchors.
80. Firmly believe, "I am divine, omnipresent, and all-powerful."
81. Reflect, "Just as waves arise from water, everything in the universe emerges from the divine."
82. Spin your body until exhaustion, then remain still.
83. Stare at something without blinking.
84. Blocking certain openings, tune into the silent sound.
85. Gaze into the depths of a well.
86. Reflect, "Wherever the mind wanders, the divine is present. Where can the mind escape to?"
87. Reflect on the consciousness of sensory organs as universal awareness.
88. In moments of intense emotions or sensations, recognize the state akin to enlightenment.
89. Gazing upon a vast landscape, let go of all memories and feel weightless.
90. Stare at an object, gradually withdraw your gaze, and erase its memory.
91. Continuously reflect on the profound emotion arising from deep devotion.
92. When an object is perceived, focus on the emptiness it creates for other objects.
93. When the mind is calm, enlightenment is near.
94. Understand, "The divine is evident everywhere, even in the ordinary. Nothing else exists."
95. With the belief that the divine is omnipresent, remain neutral in all situations.
96. Neither be attached nor repelled by anything.
97. Reflect, "That which is beyond comprehension, void, and omnipresent is the divine."
98. Focus on the vast outer space.
99. Wherever the mind wanders, redirect it, ensuring it remains anchorless.
100. Continuously chant the mantra representing the divine.
101. Reflect on concepts like "I exist, this belongs to me."
102. Continuously chant, "Eternal, omnipresent, without support, master of all."
103. Believe, "The universe is an illusion, like a magical display."
104. Reflect, "In the unchangeable self, how can knowledge or activity exist? The external world relies on knowledge, making it void."
105. Reflect, "The universe is like a reflection, without any true essence."
106. Distance yourself from sensory experiences.
107. Knowledge unveils everything. Recognize the observer and the observed as one.

Final thoughts

The 112 meditation techniques of Shiva are pathways to the ultimate reality. Through these ways, we don’t just discover the universe, we discover ourselves too. Think about those moments when you can't figure out something, and then everything falls into place. Shiva’s meditation techniques are like those missing pieces revealing a bigger picture of life, consciousness, and existence. By practicing these techniques, you can embark on a journey to knowing yourself better and realizing your inner potential.