Jīvātman

The individual Self, the embodied soul; the aspect of [[atman|Ātman]] that identifies with the body, mind and experiences in saṃsāra. The jīvātman is the spark of consciousness dwelling in every living being, distinct from [[paramatman|Paramātman]] (the universal Self) though essentially identical to it.

The Yoga Yājñavalkya defines yoga as the union (saṃyoga) of jīvātman and Paramātman (1.44). This union does not create something new, but reveals the pre-existing identity between the two, dissolving the ignorance (avidyā) that sustained the appearance of separation.

In yogic practice, the jīvātman is the traveler who, guided by the techniques of [[ashtanga|aṣṭāṅga-yoga]], ascends from [[muladhara-chakra|mūlādhāra]] to [[sahasrara-chakra|sahasrāra]], where it merges with Paramātman in the state of [[samadhi|samādhi]].