The general myth of Skanda extremely simplified is that he was born in the Himalayas (the metaphorical spiritual world/north), marries Devayani (the daughter, of the god king Indra, who represents Love, and the power to manifest), travels south, then marries Valli (the tribal girl who represents Light, and the power of intention), and then returns home traveling back north to the Himalayas. He accomplishes this through Action, which symbolically is represented as Skanda’s weapon, the lance or spear, because it depicts one-pointed focus or concentration. When the mind is focused the energies of the lower-self are transformed into those of the higher-self.

Even more simply put, the myth of Skanda represents the journey of our own individual soul. We were all born in heaven (north) descend down into matter (south) and learn to Love. It is through the power of Love that we are transformed into Light, and will return home again, back to heaven. Thus, Skanda Yoga is Love and Light in Action.

Love and Light in Action was the slogan for Skanda Yoga long before we knew what it really meant. Sadhana Shakti had been using it for years in emails and decided to put it on our T-shirts. I didn’t object because I couldn’t think of anything better. It was only through studying the sacred myths of India did we later learn what it really meant. This is a highly synchronistic event that reveals the divine plan in all things.

We like to use our story to depict the meaning of ‘Lila’ (the Divine Play). Skanda is the ruler over the three primary shaktis, but is also the lord over the cosmic play known as Lila. We all play a role in this divine play. We gain self-knowledge through the many practices of yoga and apply them into Action. This Action raises our vibration to higher levels of spiritual awareness, which allows us to experience Love, and then returns us back to the source – Light.

Love and Light in Action is the actualization of the three primary shaktis (spititual powers) of Skanda, which are iccha (will power/intention), jnana (knowledge) and kriya (cleansing) shaktis. Our intentions will into being knowledge through cleansing/purifying activities. This is a simple formula for attaining right motivation and skills that lead to a state of purity.

Love and Light in Action also depicts the meaning of the tantric principle ‘sat-chit-ananda’ that describes existence: sat (reality), chit (consciousness), and ananda (bliss). This means that at the highest level of reality everything is consciousness and pulsates in bliss. We are all beings of Light that have manifested in physical form, and it is through the purification of consciousness, that we can fall in Love, experience bliss, and prepare our soul for the final journey home.