Tantra: Joining With Cosmic Energy

What is Tantra

Definition of Tantra is given in many scriptures and books of yoga, in various ways and different words. In simple words Tantra is a technique that could generate psychic power in our body. Tantra teaches us certain techniques and principles which enable us to experience the unfathomable potential of the human mind and the psychic power. This power is enables us to experience the ultimate bliss. It also guides how the non-erotic sexual union of man and woman could result in the experience of the universe that is beyond ourself.

Buddha in Sarnath Musium

Drawing on Divine Energy

The seeker of Tantra Yoga believes that universe is the projecting of divine energy. And the whole universe is a stock of cosmic power; and that cosmic energy is within every one of us. In order to feel this cosmic energy, we are required to activate it from its dormant position. Tantra coupled with yoga poses tries to join the limited energy of human with the unlimited cosmic energy of the universe.

Kundalini and Chakra

The seeker of Trantra takes the help of concept of Kundalini that is known as the dormant power embedded into human body in the form of a female serpent. The Kindalini travels through seven Chakras. These Chakras are clusters of glands located in our body parallel to the spinal cord. They are named as Muladhar, Swadhistan, Manipur, Anahat, Visudha, Anja and the last one is Sahastrar. As the Kudalini rises with our yogic efforts, the Chakras get activated one by one.

Mantra

Another devices used by Tantric practitioner is the chanting of Mantras. These are the verses to chant while doing any religious acts or performing yoga. Tantra seeker would also chant specific verses. The above-mentioned chakras are envisioned as lotus having fifty outgoing petals. Each of these petals represents our desires, instincts and longings for worldly things. The words and humming of chanting create effects on each of these petals. This helps in awakening the power of Kundalini. And once the energy awakens and reaches at a particular chakra, the petals are pierced and conscious becomes clear and clearer. The energy flows from downward to upward, starting from the genitals to the head.

Buddhism and Tantra

Buddhism also recognizes the existence of hidden energy in our body. Buddha himself had professed the importance of joining our body with the cosmic energy. The Mandala s devised by Buddhism try to depict correlation of our individual energy and cosmic energy. Both the Vedic scriptures and Buddhism believes that Tantra is union of three forces: the physical energy of human body, the cosmic energy and the ultimate power the Divine energy.

Tantra Yoga

It is believed that the corporeal act have three distinct purposes. To procreate for keeping the human race alive, to feel pleasure while doing the act, and to get the liberation. Tantra Yoga deals with the third object, the liberation of soul by taking the help of physical acts done together by a man and a woman in their intimate moments. By practicing Trantra Yoga one tries to re-integrate with what is beyond our form, the body. The awakened mind and upward going energy of ours would lead us to the universal energy, the life that is larger than ours. This is done by practicing yoga postures, meditation and Tantric practices.

Tantra and Sex

The Shiva and Shakti is worshiped as the God of love. The concept of Shiva and shakti has nothing to do with any religion. It is human nature of man and woman, sometimes depicted as Ardhnariswar, meaning half man and half woman. Tantra uses this concept to make us feeling the hidden energy within our body and enlighten us to a higher stage of being.

Shiva Shakti

Sexual energy is the main source of power in our body. Tantra Yoga includes the concepts wherein it is believed that the sexual act done under specific condition would show us the path to the spiritual enlightenment. Such act done focuses on the concentration of body, mind and spirit with the desire to achieve the ultimate liberation. The sex has the potentiality to lead us to the super consciousness. Our energies are hidden. We can awaken it and use the same energy for the spiritual purposes. If we can awaken the Kundalini, this could be done. The Kundalini is based at Muladhar Chakra, the point that is near to our genitals. The sexual act if done without lust and erotic passion could help awakening of the Kundalini from its base to upward locations. When there is no lust; there is no hurry in the corporeal act. With co-operation of both man and woman the act can be delayed and the energy can be experienced by the man and the woman.

Once the energy starts flowing upward, it enlarges our consciousness and generates many positive signs of spiritual progress. While doing the sexual act as per the Tantric norms we would experience the unknown bliss. Once we start feeling the energy, we would start to believe that the human body and the universe are not two aspects. We are connected with the whole universe by way of the common string of the cosmic energy. [Images courtesy: Top By พระมหาดร.คมสรณ์ คุตตธมฺโม (ผู้ถ่าย-ปล่อยสัญญาอนุญาตภาพให้นำไปใช้ได้เพื่อการศึกษาโดยอยู่ภา่ยใต้ cc-by-sa-3.0) (พระมหาดร.คมสรณ์ คุตตธมฺโม)[see page for license], from Wikimedia Commons , Siva Shakti See page for author [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons]

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How to Do Wheel Pose, Chakrasana

The word ‘Chakra’ means wheel. While doing this posture our body would look like a wheel, so it is called ‘Wheel Pose’, too. This is one of the poses of the yoga system known as Hatha Yoga. This helps in balancing the relationship between our mind and body. The posture given here is known as Supta Chakrasana, too.

Both men and women can do this posture. The women should avoid doing this pose during pregnancy. If a pregnant woman gets advice to practice certain yoga posture as an exercise, she should do it in the presence of a trained teacher only.

How to Do Wheel Pose, Chakrasana

• Arrange your yoga mat properly and lye on your back. Bend you knees in a manner that both the feel remain flat on the floor. The distance between two feet should be as wide as your hip.

• Press the feet firmly on the floor and inhale slowly. Then try to lift the hip portion upward. While doing so you would lift your thighs and buttocks on the up side direction.

• Now use the hands. Put the palms firmly on floor keeping fingers facing your head. In order to lift your shoulder, just try to straighten your arms slowly but steadily. After the shoulders, your head also would be above the floor. When the legs and arms are fully stretched upward, the Wheel Pose is complete.

• Here you can hold yourself in Chakrasana until you feel pain. You can inhale and exhale, but try to keep breath inside for more time. It would give you strength to hold the posture for long.

• While coming back from this posture, do it slowly. Get you head down by bending elbow and then let the shoulders touch the floor. There after let the body rest in flat position or in corpse pose. It would help in decreasing fatigue.

Benefits of Doing Wheel Pose

The Chakrasana, the wheel pose is one of the poses defined in Hatha Yoga system. Due to its posturing of our body, we can name it as Beck-Bend Pose. It would help in making our breathing system balanced. If we breathe following the natural rhythm, we would achieve many benefits or we can avoid many physical illness. The physical side of benefits of such backbend postures is multi-faced.

Those who are suffering from Sciatica Pain, they can arrive benefit by doing wheel pose. But care must be taken if more pain is felt; in this case do this asana in the presence of a trained yoga instructor. A person feeling back pain would find it relieving a little bit. In the beginning this posture should be done in the presence of a trained teacher. You can join a good yoga classes where advanced yoga is practiced and taught.

If this posture is done with wearing proper yoga outfit, it would make you feeling more comfortable. A good yoga suit and a long yoga mat are advisable. While relaxing, you can use a soft yoga cushion. [First Image courtesy By Marcocarvalho [CC-BY-3.0], from Wikimedia Commons , Second Image courtesy By http://theholisticcare.com [null], from Wikimedia Commons]

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