Book Title: Shiva’s GraceAuthor: Guru Shri Siddhartha Shiv KhannaISBN: 978-9356739512Page: 813 About The Book: Discover the transformative power of yoga with ‘Shiva’s Grace,’ a captivating journey that transcends the boundaries of time and space. This comprehensive book invites readers to embark on a life-changing adventure of physical, mental, and spiritual growth. Through the wisdom of yoga, explore the depths of self-discovery and unlock the hidden treasures of ancient wisdom blended harmoniously with modern-day insights. Delve into the profound teachings of sacred texts, unravel the mysteries of yogic philosophy, and embrace the transformative potential of dedicated practice. From the majestic Himalayas to serene ashrams, embark on an enchanting voyage filled with heartwarming stories of yogis and rishis, alongside exhilarating personal anecdotes that inspire and uplift. ‘Shiva’s Grace’ illuminates the path to inner harmony, bliss, and transcendence, guiding readers toward their highest potential. Interview: Akhila: Did you envision writing “Shiva’s Grace” from the outset, or did the idea come to you later? Guru Shri Siddhartha Shiv Khanna: Namaste, I had never thought of even writing an essay let alone writing a series of books based on yoga. What you see today has taken over 6-7 years to put together as a book format and is knowledge gained over 12 years through applying it. The beginning of this book was very humble. The Indian version of this book has 815 pages, and it began its journey to become a book from just a bunch of randomly written notes that I used to have while giving seminars because there wasn’t sufficient information available in one place when I was giving my yoga education programmes. My students would make notes from each seminar, compile them together and give them to me so that I could further elaborate on them. The students were the main driving force behind this book and it was at their behest the full writing process took place, so in a way we should thank them more than me for this book. Akhila: Could you share the inspiration behind your book, “Shiva’s Grace”? Guru Shri Siddhartha Shiv Khanna: There are at least a few reasons behind the book. One is what I mentioned earlier, that is surely one of the main driving forces behind the book. But there were another few significant reasons also. While I was interacting with various yoga professionals who had done their yoga teacher trainings to become yoga instructors and teachers, I had an unexpected surprise waiting for me in the form of what little knowledge they had upon the subject of yoga when it came to authentic practice and teachings of yoga and this was a very worrying sign. Truth is simple, and it is already out there, but sometimes in this world which is overwhelmed by information overload at every corner, it is becoming harder and harder with each day to find what is genuine and what is not; I took it upon myself to put a systemized version of knowledge together hoping that through this both teachers and practitioners of yoga can get hold of the authentic path and teachings of yoga for themselves in their quest and search for self realisation. Akhila: How did you approach the creation and development of your book? What motivated their distinctiveness in “Shiva’s Grace”? Guru Shri Siddhartha Shiv Khanna: Sometimes even reading a book is difficult due to the complex nature of the book, and in most cases these books are available in Sanskrit. The ones which are available in English, I have noticed that many times the interpretations of words is wrong and many times the commentary does not justify the expansive nature of that single idea which was being given. So the main principle was to keep it as simple as possible and make the language as accessible as possible. Beyond this, the book had to be written in a manner that each word, sentence, paragraph as well as topics and chapters of book seamlessly merged with each other just like the practice of yoga itself while the essence of the book did not compromise even by the slightest of margins. The development of book was very difficult in all fairness, what topics to include, in what order should they be, how much knowledge is enough, what knowledge should be kept out, how to manage writing in a language which a 8 year old child will understand aswell as a 90 year old person enjoy without compromising. Akhila: What themes and messages were you aiming to convey through your book? Did “Shiva’s Grace” provide ample space for expressing your ideas? Guru Shri Siddhartha Shiv Khanna : The book is based on a theme that Yoga essentially is a timeless and eternal cosmic knowledge which begins as a dialogue between Shiv and Shakti, therefore it transcends the boundaries of time space and causation and is relevant for each and every creature of this the universe regardless of their age, sex, origin. Within yoga there is something to be found that can help a person overcome the obstacles of life, including transcending their own ego and becoming self realised. I have used logic, stories and the help of various other wise yogis and rishis who have come before us to pen down on how to achieve yoga. Akhila: Do you believe that “Shiva’s Grace” extends its relevance to universal issues and current events? Guru Shri Siddhartha Shiv Khanna: As I mentioned earlier, Yoga essentially is a timeless and eternal cosmic knowledge which begins as a dialogue between Shiv and Shakti, therefore it transcends the boundaries of time space and causation and is relevant for each and every creature of this the universe regardless of their age, sex, origin. Shiv and Shakti being the very embodiments of time space and causation create this dialogue of yoga which is based upon various mechanisms available to all or any living creatures. It has been carefully combined keeping in mind the diverse kind and types of individuals. it’s perfect for every