!Tantric Alchemy-

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i came across this informative article while surfing on the web... i

am presenting an 'edited' version here...

 

Mercury, or parada in Sanskrit, has a long and detailed history of

use. To the practitioner of the Tantras (and the medieval

alchemists), it was the key to the ultimate sacrament.

 

Parada traditionally has many different names, most of which are

obscure synonyms in the Sandhya Bhasya (Skt.), or Twilight Language.

The Twilight Language is an intentional language, intentionally

designed to thwart the misuse of certain formulae. The use of these

formulae were only intended for those who had experiential access to

twilight states of consciousness, and were familiar with the unique

symbolism of such dimensions. In the Natha lineage where the

Alchemical teachings are preserved, these states where obtained

through a thorough training in yoga or union, and its main method,

samadhi, or mystical union.

 

Some of the common words used to symbolize parada are: rasa

(essence), rasendra (because it is the most important of metals),

suta (because of its ability to transmute gold), capala (on account

of its volatility), rasa raja (ruler of metals)--and many others.

Most of these words are synomynous with Shiva, indeed one of the most

common synonyms refers to parada as the "semen of Shiva".

 

Shiva, in the Tantric literature, symbolizes infinite time (Skt.:

Mahakala). This explains the esoteric symbolism embedded in Shiva's

traditional iconography: a yogin crowned by the eclipsing moon: the

sun and the moon conjoined. Karmic prana is withdrawn from the solar

and lunar channels to become jnanic (transcendental) lifeforce.

There, Shiva and Shakti lie, beyond time, in the central channel

(sushumna). In order for creation to come into being Shiva enters

into "play" with his opposite, Shakti. Thus the concept of time, and

limited experience becomes possible. In the process of making parada

consumable, parada is mixed with this opposite; the only substance

which can control Shiva's incredible potential, purified sulfur: the

`menses' or blood of Parvati (Shakti).

 

Technically speaking, Shakti is Ahamkara (Skt.) or literally `the I-

maker', the power behind `I-ness', the kundalini shakti herself. A

human only exists based on the fact that Ahamkara deceives herself

into believing that she is mated to the limited physical body and its

resident personality. When the kundalini shakti is completely

`uncoiled', she recognizes that she is Shiva's `power'.

Unfortunately, for the uninitiated or inexperienced person, once this

shakti is `awake to itself,' it forgets the limited body-mind, and

remembers Shiva. She sacrifices her limited individuality to him and

obtains instant enlightenment. The problem for the uninitiated is

quite simple; those who have not trained in meditation and the total

transcendence of limitations, both of time and of body-mind, will at

worse lose the ability to identify with the body, i.e. physical

death. At best, the huge influx of kundalini will overwhelm the

limited energy/immune functions of the body like millions of volts of

electricity running through low voltage wire. There is a misguided

conception among new age-magical circles that the "fastest" way to

enlightenment is to simply awaken the kundalini shakti. What they

won't tell you is what to do with the incredible amounts of energy

released. Most of the people I have talked to have no idea what to do

with it! Remember always, that Shiva is also the Lord of death.

 

Ahamkara, as the energy behind our essential egos, is the basis of

all addiction. It is Ahamkara that addicts us even to the food we

need to sustain life. The only real way to relieve this problem is to

transmute Ahamkara's binding limitation by wedding her to her

opposite: Shiva. The limitations of the `I-maker' are then

transformed by expansion into a balanced cosmic personality.

Addiction to the God/Goddess, to a higher power, is the only

permanent cure. It is interesting that even the twelve step groups

seem to understand this important idea.

 

Mercury, as the semen of Lord Shiva, is the physical embodiment of

the fire of transformation (tejas). It can provide incredible amounts

of tejas to an organism, and can make them capable of digesting

almost anything. This means digestion of physical substances as well

as `digestion' of the sense objects of the five senses, the digestion

of experience itself. Parada can also provide unlimited amounts of

prana. Thus with prana and tejas, fire and water, parada can provide

unlimited ojas, the Quintessence. Because it controls these three, it

can also control the three doshas, or bodily humors. Yet, by itself,

mercury forms an insoluble salt which lodges in the brain and causes

insanity or death. Ingesting mercury by itself is like raising

kundalini through an imbalanced path. What mercury needs is something

to balance it, to control its energy. That something is the element

sulfur.

 

Sulfur is the elemental embodiment of blood, that which the body uses

to create everything else (from an Ayurvedic perspective), and the

only thing capable of controlling mercury. Sulfur is the womb which

creates the child Kajjali, the black sulfide of mercury.

 

Kajjali is the alchemical child from which most of the other

alchemical substances are created. The most famous of the mercury-

based compounds is the rasayana (rejeuvanative) Makaradwaja.

Makaradwaja consists (primarily) of mercury, sulfur, and gold. This

compound is capable of providing endurance, energy, increased immune

function and longevity to its taker. Makaradwaja seems to work by

allowing prana, tejas and ojas to flow into parts of the subtle

physiology where it would not normally be able to flow, clearing many

of the blockages which may be present. If taken prior to meditation

or even sleep, it can even be seen to permeate the nadis (subtle

energy-channels). Mercury allows the body to digest the otherwise

only partly digestible element of gold. This allows the

concentrated "solidified sunlight," gold, to gild the bodies immune

system and aura. On a subtle level it actually has the appearance of

a volatile mercury, streaming through the bodies channels. It is

excellent for diseases such as A.I.D.S. and different forms of

cancer. The average treatment routine, repeated on a yearly basis,

should last for about a month, depending on the individual, usually

in the coldest months of the year.

 

Members of the Bhairavi cult, worshippers of a particularly wrathful

form of Lord Shiva, have been known to live hundreds of years through

the alchemical use of such mercury-based compounds. Indeed some are

said to have obtained immortality (by overcoming their innate

addiction to time). Statues of the Bhairavi cult display some of the

characteristics of this incredible life extension; beings so mutated

from alchemical sadhana as to resemble other dimensional Bhairavis

more than humans. This is their actual appearance, yet they may

appear as any age to the observer, and do not usually display their

true appearance to the uninitiated.

 

In Rasa Shastra, the Art of Tantric alchemy, Mercury is considered as

a living substance--a living being. In the process of preparation it

goes through all of the same processes as the sadhaka who seeks

liberation, and the child or soul who seeks incarnation. First the

mercury is `awakened', made `hungry', it is `fed', made to `swoon',

and lastly `killed'. `Killing' refers to incineration in the

symbolism of the Twilight Language. More than mere symbolism, the

preparation of Mercury is the preparation for enlightenment itself,

the true Gold of the Wise.

 

Nothing summarizes the goal of Tantric alchemy better than the

following quote from the Rasahridaya Tantra (9th cent. A.D.) by the

great sage Govinda Bhagavatpada, the Guru of Shankaracharya:

 

"It is only in the virtuous ones, the flame full of consciousness

appears between the two eye brows which has the appearance of fire,

lightening, or a sun. It is difficult to describe the nature of this

excellent flame. It endows the person with eternal bliss and makes

him free of all miseries. It is observable. It is peaceful and its

attributes can be appreciated by the individual. The individual

should concentrate his mind on this flame and the entire universe

will appear before them like eternally vibrating conscious-

ness...Those individuals who have attained this state of unity which

is like amrita are the truly blessed ones." (Rasahridaya Tantra I:21-

26)

 

 

by S.A. Feite

 

comments to: safeite

 

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thus, in the sandhya bhasha (twilight langyuage)of tantra , fire does

not mean 'agni' but the 'fire' of consciousness...

 

shiva does not mean Lord SHIVA but the state of unity with one's

higher self.

 

shakti does not mean 'a 'woman' but the 'raising of kundalini.'

 

enjoy and celebrate!