TIRUVANNAMALAI, INDIA, July 1, 2026 (Hinduism Today): Writer Erica Bassani interviews Amma Thiyaneswar, a Tamil woman guru who teaches a tradition called Sivam Yoga. Amma traces the lineage from Lord Siva to Parvati, Nandi and Tirumular and says its teachings have been transmitted orally from guru to guru rather than preserved in written form. She describes Sivam as the unique, formless and nameless supreme power underlying all forms.
Born in Tirunelveli in 1962, Amma says her fascination with God began in childhood and that she received guru diksha from her grandfather. She later married and had children; after her husband received Siva diksha and became a sannyasin, her own spiritual path became clearer. Amma maintains that household life need not prevent spiritual realization, saying constant remembrance of God can be cultivated alongside ordinary family and work responsibilities through sustained practice.
Source: https://www.hinduismtoday.com/magazine/july-august-september-2026/sivam-yoga-is-her-calling/