"In the eye of creation's electrical storm, this body, the eye of the mind circles itself motionless, centered, seeing."
 

The Ring of Fire and Light

"Many Hindus use the word "Siva" as those of other religions may use the word "God." Siva is a complex figure. As Siva Lingam, Spiritual-Reality is depicted as the formless form. The "eye" of creation. The "absoluteness" around which all relativity revolves. As Shiva/Shakti or Ardhanareshwara, Siva represents the reality of the "maleness/femaleness"  that is creation. As MahaDev and Yogiraj, Siva is the epitome of the yogic lifestyle that each one will undergo on their search for Self-Realization. And as Nataraja, Siva depicts the reality and joy of creation."  SOURCE

from
EMBRACED BY THE LIGHT 
Near-Death Experiences in Catholic Perspective By David Toolan,S.J.

SOURCE

These iconographic details of Nataraja are to be read, according to the Hindu tradition, in terms of a complex pictorial allegory:
 

The most common figures depict a four-armed Shiva. These multiple arms represent the four cardinal directions. Each hand either holds an object or makes a specific mudra (gesture).

The upper right hand holds an hour-glass drum which is a symbol of creation. It is beating the pulse of the universe. The drum also provides the music that accompanies Shiva’s dance. It represents sound as the first element in an unfolding universe, for sound is the first and most pervasive of the elements. The story goes that when Shiva granted the boon of wisdom to the ignorant Panini (the great Sanskrit grammarian), the sound of the drum encapsulated the whole of Sanskrit grammar. The first verse of Panini’s grammar is in fact called Shiva sutra.

The hour-glass drum also represents the male and female vital principles; two triangles penetrate each other to form a hexagon. When they part, the universe also dissolves.

The opposite hand, the upper left, bears on its palm a tongue of flames. Fire is the element of destruction of the world. According to Hindu mythology at the end of the world, it will be fire that will be the instrument of annihilation. Thus in the balance of these two hands is illustrated a counterpoise of creation and destruction. Sound against flames, ceaselessness of production against an insatiate appetite of extermination.

The second right hand is held in the abhaya pose (literally without fear) and so a gesture of protection, as an open palm is most likely to be interpreted. It depicts the god as a protector.

Batik Paintings of Lord ShivaThe left leg is raised towards the right leg and reaches across it; the lower left hand is stretched across the body and points to the upraised left foot which represents release from the cycle of birth and death. Interestingly, the hand pointing to the uplifted foot is held in a pose imitative of the outstretched trunk of an elephant. In Sanskrit this is known as the ’gaja-hasta-mudra’ (the posture of the elephant trunk), and is symbolic of Ganesha, Shiva’s son, the Remover of obstacles.

Shiva dances on the body of a dwarf apasmara-purusha (the man of forgetfulness) who embodies indifference, ignorance and laziness. Creation, indeed all creative energy is possible only when the weight of inertia (the tamasic darkness of the universe) is overcome and suppressed. The Nataraja image thus addresses each individual to overcome complacency and get his or her own act together.

The ring of fire and light, which circumscribes the entire image, identifies the field of the dance with the entire universe. The lotus pedestal on which the image rests locates this universe in the heart or consciousness of each person.