சைவ ஆகமம் (shaivism) provides a succinct encapsulation of different ways of worship, categorizing the ways of worship as generic as possible, without taking any sides with transient concepts like religion, caste, creed, nationality, age, education, etc.

1.) சரியை (sariya) "to intend" - worship with intent. mind-only phenomenon. Such as making a wish to their deity, in-heart prayer, listening to chants, taking part in a mass, observing a pooja, archana, yagna, etc. Basically, all the worships that doesn't explicitly involve any physical effort, but just mindful intent for spiritual progress is classified as சரியை.

2.) கிரியை (kriya) "to do" - worship with action. mind+body. Just praying doesn't satisfy everyone. There are people who need to work on their own in carving their progress. So they start taking physical efforts like chanting mantras, yogasana, pranayama and every other form of worship with explicit effort for spiritual progress is classified as Kriya.

Performing yagna, pooja, archana, fasting, pilgrimage, walking on fire chunks, rolling around the temple, nail-bed ritual and many such more, though need physical effort, their primary purpose is to strengthen the intention. Hence such practices are cusp of sariya and kriya. These practices are often backed up by indirect reasons and if not curbed, can potentially evolve into meaningless superstition, when the underlying space and time changes.

3.) யோகம் (yoga) "to join" - discarding both intent and action and just being a witness. This is shear observance, no chanting, no effort, no intent either. It is quite advanced and needs the basic understanding that we are a separate entity that is capable of observing our own body and mind as third parties. Mind, with years of habit, will kindle and bubble up all the incomplete thoughts that were garaged for a long time. Same with the body, it'll respond with pain, itch and a baseless compulsion to move. Normally, people lack the necessary understanding, strength and determination to observe these compulsions of mind and body as an outsider. Success in sariya and kriya will ensure this necessary strength is imbibed by the practitioner.

In the current times, the term yogasana was shrunk to "yoga" and catapulted to fame, though the meaning changes vastly with this shrinking. Yoga means "to join", while yogasana means "to perfect the seating posture". So, be aware not to mix this third stage of yoga with the body-bending asana's being practiced around the world as "yoga".

4.) ஞானம் (wisdom) - Attainment. This is not a way of worship, but the fruit and proof of success in spiritual progress. People who have attained this level invariably show a high level of clairvoyance, candor and composure. They exhibit a deeper knowledge on subjects involving cosmos and inner journey.

சரியை (sariya), கிரியை (kriya) & யோகம் (yoga) are not necessarily linear stairs to climb, but a logical path of a practioner. Sariya is introspection of principles (நாதம், சிவ தத்துவம்), while kriya needs energy (விந்து, சக்தி தத்துவம்) to do things. Obviously, one with already strengthened intent (sariya) will make the necessary attempt to take action (kriya). It will eventually lead to yoga (சிவசக்தி தத்துவம்), the combination of intent and action. When this yoga ripens, it blooms as ஞானம் (wisdom).

People have catapulted to wisdom directly from all of these three stages. Anandamayi Ma attained with strong sariya, Yogananda attained with explicit kriya and Vivekananda attained by direct yoga. They are neither fictional nor ancient historic figures, but people who lived amongst us in our generation and are photographed, recorded and captured in videos.

All the surrender oriented religious practices like praising and surrendering to krishna, shiva, jesus, allah, nanak, moses are all the way of sariya. For younger souls (சகலர்), their intent for spiritual progress is much weaker and this practice of sariya is often evangelized on them. Listening to the fictional stories on heroics and compassion of their deities, historic references, singing praises of object of their devotion are all intended to sow the seed and to nourish their intent to seek spiritual growth. Strong surrender dwindles the ego (ஆணவ மலம்) and hence their actions seizes to incur further karma (action-reaction-chain).

Patanjali's was predominantly the way of kriya. Kriya literally translates to "to do". All the yoga(asana) studios around the world are to explicitly take effort in spiritual evolution, which is the the essence of the way of kriya. By the time one is practicing the kriya, it is implied that their intent is already hardened. The one known pitfall of this path is, it often strengthens and polishes back the ego (ஆணவம்) of the practitioner. Hence, the need for a good guide to practice detached action and to constantly clip the sprouts of ego as they arise.

Buddha's preachings are the way of yoga. Vipassanā is a perfect example of pure observance without interference. Osho and J Krishnamurthy, contemporaries and despite their differences, were preaching the same way of yoga. To drop all the intent and action and just be a witness. In this stage, there are not shades of religion nor geographical boundaries. The practitioner transcends all such physical limitations. Monks of himalaya, tibet and zen and their followers do a combination of kriya and yoga to accelerate their attainment. Irrespective of the starting point, whether it is sariya or kriya, they eventually touch this yoga before attaining wisdom.

There are also combinations, Islam's way is combination of sariya and kriya; Zen is combination of kriya and yoga; Agoris, naga sadhus, rishis, siddhas and shaivites of himalayan and south-indian origin follow the combination of all three in their worship.

Shaivism also recognizes atheism as a perfectly acceptable way of worship. Buddha's preaching are absolutely atheistic as well. Atheists are often the ones who are not interested in believing but would rather quest to know the fact. This helps them climb the stairs much faster, detached. Biggest hurdle they would face is again the ego (ஆணவம்), which anyways starts dwindling once they attain the stage of true knowledge.

Every individual has the right to try several paths of their choice. A good society is one that grants and protects such individual rights. People (only the wise ones) can guide them to try some of the known paths, but with a clear understanding that it might not be suitable for that individual and ensure his/her options are kept open for further quest.