Tantra Yoga

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The Sanskrit word TANTRA literally means " warp (on a loom) " ,

or " extension " . It proceeds from the verbal roots TAN - " to stretch,

expound " , and TRA - " to save " , which give further hints upon the

other meanings of the word TANTRA.

 

This name is applied both for a certain category of texts of the

Oriental spirituality, and for the doctrine, and teachings which they

contain. However, the Tantric texts, the TANTRA-s - and there are

several hundreds of them: proper TANTRA-s, SHIVA AGAMA-s, VISHNU

SAMHITA-s, SHAKTA NIGAMA-s, etc. - are written in a kind of " code

language " , so that without an oral explanation from a competent GURU,

a lot of passages are bound to remain unclear. Moreover, there are

still many untranslated, and secret Tantric texts under the dust of

forgotten, or private libraries. All these, plus the extremely

varied, and complicated nature of Tantrism renders the manipulation

of a single definition almost impossible. That is why, it has been

found useful to sketch some of the main features of the Tantric

system in a detailed manner.

 

CHARACTERISTICS OF TANTRISM

 

1. TANTRA YOGA offers an alternative, and practical individual road

to salvation, called a SADHANA, beside the Vedic one which is often

deemed to be antiquated. It is important to remark here that the true

Tantric SADHANA is accessible to people of any caste, social status,

age, women as well as men, householders as well as ascetics.

 

2. The TANTRA-s are presented as the most fit form of teaching for

the men of KALI YUGA, that is for the people of the " dark age " , in

which we live today. KALI YUGA is often connected with the " iron age "

of the Greek mythology, and with the " age of the wolf " , of the

Northern Edda, deemed to have exactly the same meaning. Therefore,

nowadays, when the spirituality is declining while man is desperately

trying to reintegrate himself in a spiritual reality, it is stated

that TANTRA is the last, and best way of salvation.

 

3. TANTRA has a rigorous metaphysical basis, of a very non-dualist

nature. However, according to its opinion an intellectual knowledge

is not enough, but there is need of direct, personal experience,

which becomes possible only through the agency of SHAKTI, the power,

the intense energy. The concept of SHAKTI, the feminine energy is the

specific colour of the entire Tantric system.

 

4. TANTRA recognizes, and expounds mundane aims besides spiritual

emancipation, as a lawful goal for a practiser. Its aim is to

transform the adept in a kind of super-man, who not only has

liberated himself of the Universe, reaching Enlightment, but also -

alike the Supreme Lord Himself - is able to rule over it, and control

its secret forces. This involves that Tantric methods are applicable

for various sorts of practical accomplishments, including astrology,

medicine, parapsychology, alchemy, and magic. Many written sources

are pre-occupied with the description of supernatural abilities

(SIDDHI-s), and the ways to attain them. There remains however,

always a connecting thread between the magical, and the spiritual.

 

5. The eminent place given to the energy entails a brilliant

revalorisation of the body. This is not meant with the sense of

object of idolatry, like in the contemporary world, but as necessary

instrument, unavoidable premises of the spiritual realization. This

is due to the perpetually reminded analogy between the macrocosm, and

the microcosm, which is the human body: " What is here is everywhere,

what is not here is nowhere " . A consequence of this fact is the

appearance of the HATHA YOGA system in the Tantric schools; system

which has as goal neither the " health " , nor the " well-being " , as it

is commonly believed.

 

6. TANTRA teaches the practice of a special variety of YOGA, destined

to transform the animal instincts and functions, by creating an

upward movement in the body, along the energy- channels, NADI-s, and

through the centre-s of force, CHAKRA-s. The process is most commonly

expressed as " raising the KUNDALINI " . Connected with this YOGA is the

elaboration of a subtle physiology, in which the microcosm of the

body is homologized with the macrocosm, and the world of the gods.

 

7. TANTRA emphasizes the metaphysical, and operative importance of

the feminine principle. The Woman, the Goddess, SHAKTI represents for

the TANTRIKA-s the universal Power, the energy of bondage and

Liberation, who veils and reveals, blinds and illuminates; the world

is her toy, and her mirror. Therefore we encounter here a genuine

revalorisation of the woman, and perhaps the only spiritual path that

acknowledges a total equality between the two sexes, at all levels.

The importance of the female manifestations extends on all the levels

of the experience, from daily life, till metaphysics.

 

8. Important are also the speculations upon the mystic nature of

speech, and its constituents; the existence is assumed of a phonic

creation, parallel to the material phenomena. These revelations are

connected with the sounds of the Sanskrit alphabet.

 

9. This has been developed concretely in the very frequent use of

generally short, unintelligible formulas, called MANTRA-s and BIJA-s,

correlated with various supernormal powers, and levels of

consciousness by means of definite Yogic procedures, and which make

the object of cosmic symbolism. Actually, the MANTRA-s are the most

efficient instruments, according to TANTRA, and therefore the

overwhelming majority of the Tantric texts deals to some extent upon

this topic, and its secrets.

 

10. The general use of other concrete devices, like geometrical

designs (YANTRA-s), symbolical representations (MANDALA-s), gestures

(MUDRA-s), for the practical accomplishment or expression of

metaphysical principles. The supernatural worlds are approached by

specific methods of meditation (DHYANA), visualization, worship, etc.

 

11. The Tantric teachings are structured on several levels, depending

on those to whom they address; the traditional texts assert the

existence of three different human types: the " divine " one (DIVYA),

that practically doesn't exist any more in our age, the " heroic " one

(VIRA), which is the best for the Tantric initiation, though rare,

and PASHU, " the herd of the Gods " , the " animal " , that swarms in our

dark age. Only the VIRA-s, say the tantric texts, the heros liberated

of fear, hate, and absurd shame are qualified for receiving the full

of the Tantric revelations, while the others receive an adequate

SADHANA, which will first gradually bring them to the heroical

condition.

 

12. Addressing to heroic beings, TANTRA is not so very concerned with

theology, or common moral. It is not a trite anarchism that we are

talking about, but the need for transcending some of the appearances

of the illusory world, for reaching the strongest awakening. Very

often the Tantric texts themselves over-emphasize this side, for

banishing the narrow-minded aspirants, by the use of a symbolical

language: " to pet the breasts of your sister " means to arouse the

SHAKTI in ANAHATA CHAKRA, " to put the LINGAM (penis) in the maternal

cavity " means to pierce the root-CHAKRA, and so on.

 

13. Most of the Tantric lines are SHIVA-ite, because of the

exceptional aspects of SHIVA: Benefactor, and Terrible, Healer and

Destroyer of the evil, Supreme Androgyne.

 

14. TANTRA emphasizes the absolute necessity of initiation by a

qualified spiritual guide, or teacher (GURU), and on constantly

following his (or her) directions for spiritual practice. That is

why, the Tantric texts use a special set of terminology, inaccessible

for the outsiders, and whose " key " is handed over orally by the GURU.

 

15. In TANTRA there often appears an ambivalence of the divine and

human existence, as complementary aspects of the same awesome,

grandiose reality.

 

16. There is also a far-fetched categorization of the reality,

especially in the symbolism of the numbers, and speech, which leads

to the mysterious science of the breath, and TATTVA-s, and to

connections with the ancient alchemical processes of the SIDDHA-s,

and the body culture of the HATHA YOGIN-s.