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from
the Yoga a Hindu spiritual and ascetic discipline, a part of which,
including breath control, simple meditation, and the adoption of specific
bodily postures, is widely practiced for health and relaxation. The yoga widely known in the
West is based on hatha yoga, which forms one aspect
of the ancient Hindu system of religious and ascetic observance and
meditation, the highest form of which is raja yoga and the ultimate aim of
which is spiritual purification and self-understanding leading to samadhi or union with the divine. Tantra a Hindu or Buddhist mystical or ritual text, dating from the
6th to the 13th centuries. • adherence
to the doctrines or principles of the tantras,
involving mantras, meditation, yoga, and ritual. Anand (in
Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism) extreme happiness, one of the highest states
of being. from the Sanskrit ananda: “blessedness,” “bliss” Asana a posture adopted in performing hatha
yoga. Mantra (originally
in Hinduism and Buddhism) a word or sound repeated to aid concentration in
meditation. • a
Vedic hymn. • a
statement or slogan repeated frequently : the environmental mantra that
energy has for too long been too cheap. DERIVATIVE: mantric late 18th century: Sanskrit, literally “instrument of thought,”
from man “think.” SA says that her personal favorite mantra before she got
comfortable with sanskrit was Let Go,
Go on because this worked with her breathing to remind her to always move
forward and not linger in negative thoughts of the past. Her favorite Sanskrit mantra is which translates to something like a Namaste for the self! I honor the divinity that resides within me. Namaste a respectful greeting said when giving a namaskar. another term for namaskar . via Hindi from Sanskrit: namas
“bowing” + te “to you.” SA says, Namaste is often translated as The divine in me bows
to the divine in you. The devout say God instead of divine, the less religious often
say light instead of divine. When I say Namaste, I like to think of it this way I am
recognizing, acknowledging and bowing to everything that I see in you that is
shining light on the connectedness among all beings and, at this moment,
myself! Namaskar a traditional Indian greeting or gesture of respect, made by
bringing the palms together before the face or chest and bowing. via Hindi from Sanskrit namaskāra, from namas “bowing” + kāra “action.” SA says, In Yoga, we call this the prayer position. Qi (also chi or ki) the circulating life force whose existence and properties are the
basis of much Chinese philosophy and medicine. ORIGIN from Chinese ( Mandarin dialect) qì,
literally ‘air, breath.’
from Wikipedia,
the free online encyclopedia: Tantra (Sanskrit:
"weave"), tantric yoga or tantrism is any of several esoteric traditions rooted in
the religions of "Tantra is that Asian body
of beliefs and practices which, working from the principle that the universe
we experience is nothing other than the concrete manifestation of the divine
energy of the Godhead that creates and maintains that universe, seeks to
ritually appropriate and channel that energy, within the human microcosm, in
creative and emancipatory ways." In the west, early European Orientalists originally reviled Tantra as a subversive,
antisocial, licentious and immoral force that had corrupted classical
Hinduism. On the other hand many today see it as a celebration of social
equity, sexuality, feminism and the body. Overview Rather than a single coherent
system, Tantra is an accumulation of practices and ideas which has among its
characteristics the use of ritual, the manipulation of energy, in some sects transgressional acts, the
use of the mundane to access the supramundane and
the identification of the microcosm with the macrocosm. The Tantric practitioner seeks to use the divine power that
flows through the universe (including his own body) to attain his goals.
These goals may be spiritual, material or both. A practitioner of tantra considers the guidance of a Guru imperative. In
the process of manipulating energy the Tantric has
various tools at his disposal. These include yoga - bodily control to actuate
processes that will connect him with the divine. Also important are the use
of visualizations of the deity and verbalisation
through mantras - which can be construed as seeing and speaking the power
into being; identification and internalisation of
the divine is performed - commonly through a total identification with a
deity, such that the aspirant 'becomes' the deity, the Ishta-Devata. Hindu tantra The philosophy of Tantra is
based on any collection of the 92 shrutis, the Tantras. Tantra exists in Vaisnava,
Shaiva, and Shakta forms,
among others. The Tantric
tradition, or Tantrika Parampara, can be considered
as either parallel to or intertwined with the Vedic tradition (Vaidika Parampara). Swami Nikhilananda wrote not only of the close affinity with
the Vedas, but also that the development of Tantric
thought shows the influence of the Upanishads, thePuranas,
and Yoga. Tantra itself speaks of its origins. For example, the Tripura Rahasya, one of the central texts of Shakta
Tantra, says "This text has been created by summarising
the teachings of the Vedas, Puranas and other
scriptures." Reality as Shiva-Shakti According to Tantra, Reality is
pure consciousness (chit), which is considered to be identical with bothbeing (sat) and bliss (ananda).
In Tantra, this being-consciousness-bliss or Satchidananda
is calledShiva-Shakti, a hyphenated word conveying
the inseparable nature of Shiva, the Absolute, and Shakti,
the power of creation. In Tantra, any conception of the Divine which does not
include Shakti, or the power to become, is considered
to be incomplete. (SA- Shiva is the male god, Shakti,
the female, goddess.) Evolution and involution According to Tantra,
being-consciousness-bliss or Satchidananda has the
power of both self-evolution and self-involution. Reality evolves into a
multiplicity of creatures and things, yet at the same time always remains
pure consciousness, being, and bliss. In this process of evolution, Maya
(illusion) conceals Reality and separates it into opposites, such as
conscious and unconscious, pleasant and unpleasant, and so forth. These
determining conditions limit or restrict the individual (jiva),
acting as fetters (pasa) by which it is bound and
made to act like an animal (pasu). In this relative world, Shiva
and Shakti are perceived as separate. However in
Tantra, even in the state of evolution, Reality remains pure consciousness,
being, and bliss, though Tantra does not deny either the act or fact of this
evolution. In fact, Tantra affirms that both the world process itself and the
individual jiva are themselves Real. In this,
Tantra distinguishes itself from pure dualism as well as from the qualified
non-dualism of Vedanta. However, evolution or the
"outgoing current" is only one half of the functioning of Maya.
Involution, or the "return current," takes the jiva
back towards the source or root of Reality, revealing the infinite. Tantra is
said to teach the method of changing the outgoing current into the return
current, transforming the fetters created by Maya into that which 'releases'
or 'liberates'. This idea is behind two of the sayings of Tantra: "One
must rise by that by which one falls" and "the very poison that
kills becomes the elixir of life when used by the wise." The Tantric method The Tantric
method is to sublimate rather than negate relative reality. This method of
sublimation consists of three phases: purification, elevation, and
"reaffirmation of identity on the plane of pure consciousness." Tantric practices Because of the wide range of
groups covered by the term tantra, it is hard to
describe tantric practices definitively. The basic
practice, the Hindu worship known as puja may
include any of the elements below. Mantra and yantra As in other Hindu and Buddhist
yoga traditions, mantra plays an important part in Tantra for focusing the
mind. The mantras used often invoke specific Hindu gods such as Shiva and
Kali Ma. Similarly, puja often involves
concentrating on a yantra or mandala
associated with a deity as well. Identification with deities Tantra, being a development of
early Hindu-Vedic thought, embraced the Hindu gods and goddesses, especially
Shiva and Shakti, along with the Advaita philosophy that each represents an aspect of the
ultimate Para Shiva, or Brahman. These deities may be worshipped externally
with flowers, incense, and other offerings; but, more importantly, are used
as objects of Ishta Devata
meditations, the practitioners either visualizing themselves as the deity or
experiencing the darshan (vision) of the deity
visualized as appearing in front of the practitioner. In Buddhist tantra, this process is known as the practice of the Yidam or Deity Yoga. Concentration on the body Tantrikas generally see the body as a microcosm; thus in the Kaulajnana-nirnaya, for example, the practitioner
meditates on the head as the moon, the heart as the sun and the genitals as
fire. As in theyoga tradition, a series of energy centres (chakras - "wheels") may be used as
concentration points, and may be associated with elements, planets or occult
powers (siddhi). Sexual rites Sexual rites may have emerged
from early Hindu Tantra as a practical means of generating transformative
bodily fluids.[10] These constituted a vital
offering to Tantric deities. Sexual rites may also
have evolved from clan intitiation ceremonies
involving the transaction of sexual fluids. Here the male inititate
was inseminated or insanguinated with the sexual
emissions of the female consort, sometimes admixed with the semen of the
guru. He was thus transformed into a son of the clan (kulaputra)
through the grace of his consort. The clan fluid (kuladravya)
or clan nectar (kulamrita) was conceived as flowing
naturally from her womb. Later developments in the rite emphasised
the primacy of bliss and divine union, which replaced the more bodily
connotations of earlier forms. Although popularly equated with Tantra in its
entirety in the west, a minority of sects practised
sexual rites. Most underwent a process of transformation into psychological
symbolism with time. In Tantra one can go beyond the
sexual plane of existence only by its complete acceptance; utilising it and spiritualising
ones innate sexual tendencies towards greater awareness. The tantras recognize several approaches as methods for
conditioning aspirants prior to sexual meditation. The guru takes into
account individual proclivities and spiritual achievement. The guru usually
considers the path appropriate only for certain individuals whose temperament
and self control will enable them to forego sexual indulgence — a necessity,
if the act is to serve as a tool to transcend identification with the mortal
body. As with other tantric practices the presence
of a guru is a paramount and essential condition. When performed as enjoined by
the tantras the ritual culminates in a sublime
experience of infinite awareness, by both participants. The Tantric texts specify that sex has three distinct and
separate purposes — procreation, pleasure and liberation. Those seeking
liberation eschew frictional orgasm for a higher form of ecstasy, as the
couple participating in the ritual, lock in a static embrace. Several sexual
rituals are recommended and practised. These
involve elaborate and meticulous preparatory and purificatory
rites. The act results in a balance of energies coursing within the pranic ida and pingalachannels in the subtle bodies of both
participants. The sushumna nadi
is awakened and kundalini rises upwards within it.
This eventually culminates in samadhi wherein the
respective individualities of each of the participants are completely
dissolved in cosmic consciousness. Tantrics
understand the act on multiple levels. The male and female participants are
joined physically and represent Shiva and Shakti,
the male and female principles. Beyond the physical, a subtle fusion of Shiva
and Shakti energies takes place resulting in an
undivided energy field. On an individual level each participant experiences a
fusion of their own Shiva and Shakti energies. Western views of Tantra Sir John Woodroffe The first Western scholar to
take the study of Tantra seriously was Sir John Woodroffe
(1865–1936), who wrote about Tantra under the pen name Arthur Avalon. He is
commonly regarded as the "founding father of Tantric
studies." Unlike previous Western scholars, Woodroffe
was an apologist for Tantra, defending Tantra against its many critics and
presenting Tantra as an ethical philosophical system greatly in accord with
the Vedas and Vedanta. Woodroffe himself practised Tantra as he saw and understood it and, while trying
to maintain his scholastic objectivity, was considered a student of Hindu Tantric (in particular Shiva-Shakta)
tradition. Further development Following Sir John Woodroffe, a number of scholars began to actively
investigate the Tantric teachings. These included a
number of scholars of comparative religion and Indology,
such as: Agehananda Bharati,
Mircea Eliade, Julius Evola, Carl Jung, Giuseppe Tucci,
and Heinrich Zimmer. According to Hugh Urban,
Zimmer, Evola, and Eliade
viewed Tantra as "the culmination of all Indian thought: the most
radical form of spirituality and the archaic heart of aboriginal In the Tantra, the manner of
approach is not that of Nay but of Yea ... the world attitude is affirmative
... Man must approach through and by means of nature, not by rejection on
nature." Tantra
in the modern world Following these first positive
presentations of Tantra, other more popular authors such as Joseph Campbell
helped to bring Tantra into the popular imagination in the West. Tantra comes
to be viewed as a "cult of ecstasy", combining sexuality and
spirituality in such a way as to act as a corrective force to Western
repressive attitudes about sex. As Tantra has become more
popular in the West it has undergone a major transformation which has made
Western New Age appropriations of Tantra, more properly called Neotantra, very different from the original Tantric traditions of According to Hugh Urban, most
Western scholars criticize Neotantra: Since at least the time of Agehananda Bharati, most
Western scholars have been severely critical of these new forms of pop Tantra
or neo-Tantra. This "California Tantra" as Georg Feuerstein calls
it, is "based on a profound misunderstanding of the Tantric
path. Their main error is to confuse Tantric bliss
... with ordinary orgasmic pleasure." Urban goes on to say that he
himself does not consider neo-Tantra "wrong" or "false"
but rather "simply a different interpretation for a specific historical
situation." Shambhavi Saraswati gives a description of
the difference between real Tantra and Neotantra: "Neo-Tantra ritualizes sex.
Authentic Tantra sexualizes ritual." For three Tantric
practitioners (two well-known and one lesser-known), see the Dalai Lama
(Buddhist), Shri Ramakrishna (Hindu) and Shri Gurudev Mahendranath (Hindu). |
The Seven
basic chakras
Note from Suzy- there are variations in the way this is taught.
Some combine the concepts of the bottom two and top two chakras so that there
are 5 not seven in all. Then the fifth chakra combines the third eye and
crown and is all about intuition and its connections to the greater
consciousness outside ourselves. The combining of the first two chakras
means that all base emotions and instincts including security and sexuality are
together in the first.
Sahasrara
Sahasrara or the
crown chakra is said to be the chakra of consciousness, the master chakra that
controls all the others. Its role would be very similar to that of the
pituitary gland, which secretes hormones to control the rest of the endocrine
system, and also connects to the central nervous system via the hypothalamus.
The thalamus is thought to have a key role in the physical basis of
consciousness. Symbolised by a lotus with a thousand
petals. Color violet. It is located above the head outside the body.
Ajna
Ajna or the
third eye is linked to the pineal gland. Ajna is the
chakra of time and awareness and of light. The pineal gland is a light
sensitive gland, that produces the hormone melatonin, which regulates the
instincts of going to sleep and awakening. It has been conjectured that it also
produces trace amounts of the psychedelic chemical dimethyltryptamine.
Symbolised by a lotus with two petals. Color- indigo
(Note: some argue that the pineal and
pituitary glands should be exchanged in their relationship to the Crown and
Brow chakras, based on the description in Arthur Avalon's book on kundalini called Serpent Power or empirical research.)
Vishuddha
Vishuddha or the
throat chakra is said to be related to communication and growth, growth being a
form of expression. This chakra is paralleled to the thyroid, a gland that is
also in the throat, and which produces thyroid hormone, responsible for growth
and maturation. Symbolised by a lotus with sixteen
petals. Color- blue
Anahata
Anahata or the
heart chakra is related to higher emotion, compassion, love, equilibrium, and
well-being. It is related to the thymus, located in the chest. This organ is
part of the immune system, as well as being part of the endocrine system. It
produces T cells responsible for fighting off disease, and is adversely
affected by stress. Symbolised by a lotus with twelve
petals. Color- Green
Manipura
Manipura or the
solar plexus chakra is related to the transition from base to higher emotion,
energy, assimilation and digestion, and is said to correspond to the roles played
by the pancreas and the outer adrenal glands, the adrenal cortex. These play a
valuable role in digestion, the conversion of food matter into energy for the
body. Symbolised by a lotus with ten petals. Color-
yellow
(From Suzy- this is the chakra that gets out of whack when you have power
struggles in your life and/or are sublimating your own needs. I became horrifically ill in this area and
needed my gallbladder removed in the last year of my marriage!)
Swadhisthana
Swadhisthana or the
sacral chakra is located in the groin, and is related to base emotion,
sexuality and creativity. This chakra is said to correspond to the testicles or
the ovaries, that produce the various sex hormones involved in the reproductive
cycle, which can cause dramatic mood swings. Symbolised
by a lotus with six petals. Color- Orange
Muladhara
Muladhara or the
base or root chakra is related to instinct, security, survival and also to
basic human potentiality. This centre is located in the region between the
genitals and the anus. Although no endocrine organ is placed here, it is said
to relate to the inner adrenal glands, the adrenal medulla, responsible for the
fight and flight response when survival is under threat. In this region is
located a muscle that controls ejaculation in the sexual act. A parallel is
drawn between the sperm cell and the ovum, where the genetic code lies coiled,
and the kundalini. Symbolised
by a lotus with four petals. Color - Red
The following table
sets forth some of the properties associated with each chakra:
|
Chakra |
Color |
Primary Functions |
Associated Element |
Symbol |
||||||
|
sahasrāra Crown (just above the head) |
white or violet; may assume color of dominant
chakra |
connection to the divine |
space / thought |
|
||||||
|
ājñā Third eye |
indigo |
intuition, Extra-sensory perception |
time / light |
|
||||||
|
viśuddha Throat |
azure blue |
speech, self-expression |
life / sound |
|
||||||
|
anāhata |
green |
devotion, love, compassion, healing |
air |
|
||||||
|
maṇipūra |
yellow |
mental functioning, power, control, freedom to be oneself, career |
fire |
|
||||||
|
svādhiṣṭhāna Sacrum |
orange |
emotion, sexual energy, creativity |
water |
|
||||||
|
mūlādhāra Root |
red or coral red (shown) |
instinct, survival, security |
earth |
|
||||||
