Thinking of yourself as Shiva is not a mistake but boasting and telling others is huge mistake; real experience of this state is needed

Swami Lakshmanjoo sitting with devotees at His Birthday Celebration in Ishvara Ashram, Srinagar, Kashmir

(from "Self Realization In Kashmir Shaivism" by Swami Lakshman Joo"):

You must understand that, in reality, nothing has happened to Lord Siva. He is never ignorant, He is never elevated. From which point would He be elevated? Was He not elevated before? Why even use the word “elevation”? The elevation is meant for those who are sunk or who are sinking. If He has never sunk down, and you are one with Him, then why talk of elevating yourself? You are already elevated, you are divine.

This is Kashmir Saivism. This theory of Saivism is misunderstood by many people. You must first come to understand this theory and then you will begin to become Lord Siva. According to the theory of Saivism, you are Siva, and will eventually come to the conclusion that you are Siva. And yet, you are not actually Siva, because you have not achieved that state. Even though you have not actually realized that you are Siva, it is not a mistake to think that you are Siva. You should go on thinking that you are Siva. You should always elevate yourself with the thought that you are Lord Siva – but do not boast of this.

If you tell someone that you are Siva it means that you are not Lord Siva. You must actually understand that if you are Lord Siva, then this whole creation is all a joke, an expression of your play. One might ask, “How do you know whether or not you are fooling yourself thinking that you are Siva, or whether you really are Lord Siva? How do you know?” The answer is that you will come to know yourself because you will be blissful, you will always be blissful. When you are in that state and when something bad happens to you, you will not get worried; and when something good happens to you, you will not get excited. While experiencing pain you will be peaceful. You must come to know and see in yourself situated in this way. If you are not situated in this way and boast, saying, “I am Lord Siva, I am Lord Siva,” you will be slapped and made to understand that you are not Lord Siva.

To actually know who you are is a big problem. You have to find out yourself where you are situated. It happens by the grace of Lord Siva, or by the grace of a master, or by the grace of the sastras.