Can we balance our children through relaxation? Some teachers have tried it. Knowing that the child’s capacity for listening is closely related to his physical and emotional state and that restlessness grows year by year among the students, these teachers did not hesitate to shorten their class for the benefit of practising a few easy relaxation exercises.

Result: their pupils learn and express much more easily. If your children do not have this opportunity at school, you can teach them to relax at home even without ever having practised these exercises yourself. Only take care to adjust the instructions to the level of the child and do not force his attention for more than ten minutes.

Here are four exercises inspired by yoga. Each exercise has a particular quality.

Concentration before the effort

First is a famous exercise which has been adopted by countless American business men. Elbows are on the table, hands cupped in front of the eyes. Breathe in deeply and slowly breathe out. Practise twelve times. Evoke in the child a landscape or place that he likes. Let him imagine that he is there, one with the trees, mountains, sea or sky.

Attention and imagination

Place an object in front of the child. Eyes are motionless but without tension. Let him look at the object for 30 seconds. Then, with closed eyes, encourage him to see the object clearly. Then for a second time, let him look at the object in detail with open eyes.

Inner peace of mind

This exercise is based on listening to sounds. Lying, or better, sitting with the back straight and eyes closed. Ask the child to breathe six times, repeating mentally at the same time the word ‘peace’ or ‘relaxation’ at the end of each breath. Then, make him listen to the noises first in the distance, in the street, then in the house, in the room, but without trying to interpret them. A different way to practise for smaller children is to produce three different sounds, for example, those of crumpled paper, a click of a ball pen and the sound of a step (when someone walks). Then ask them in which order the sounds were produced.

Relaxation before sleeping

With the child lying down, name the different parts of the body which he has to feel without moving. Start with the thumb of the right hand, move up the arm and then down the right side to the toes. Practise the same way for the left side of the body. Finish with the head. Then suggest visualisation of pleasant pictures to imagine.

(Courtesy : Yoga Magazine, Feb, 1983)

It is not difficult to trace the origin of the other branches of hatha yoga like asanas, pranayama, dhyana etc. to Smritis, Puranas, Tantras and Yoga Upanishads etc., but the same is not discernible with regard to its purificatory processes. No doubt, the word ‘shatkarmas’ occurs in the tantric texts like Yogini Tantra, but there it is purely indicative of tantric practices such as santi, vasikarna, stambhana etc. (*1) having no link at all with yogic kriyas. Great wonder, the sole authority on raja yoga, Patanjali, and even his prominent commentators, nowhere refer to shatkarmas. Though considering vyadhi (*2) as the first and foremost of psycho-physiological disturbances (chitta viksepa), instead of suggesting any purificatory practice for its removal, Patanjali Yoga Darshana (PYD) recommends a purely spiritual-cum-psychological aid – the isvara pranidhana (*3), for this purpose. So much so, the scrupulous cleanliness (sauca) (*4), the strict yogic observance, has the least connection with shatkarmas, albeit later commentators on PYD like Narayana Tirtha (*5) have willfully and intentionally endeavoured to prove so, which effort is farfetched and imposed indeed.

One wonders, why even the works attributed to the father of hatha yoga Goraksha Natha, miss these significant kriyas which, in fact, are part and parcel of hatha yoga. Similarly, an important treatise on Gita, which has greatly been influenced and coloured by hatha yogic thoughts, the Jnanesvari and for that matter even the main Yoga Upanishads, are silent about shatkriyas. Yet, it is true that these practices are quite old. For instance, the technique of ghrit neti, as exists these days, appears to be as old as the buddhistic era. A famous physician of that age, Jivika, employed some practice of the kind to cure the fatal nasal-cum-head disease of a renowned merchant’s wife (*6). At a place in Siva Samhita (SS), (*7) there is a slight passing reference to dhauti prakshalana, though in a derogatory sense. In Siddha-Siddhanta-Paddhati (SSP), (*8) we find mention of shankhaprakshalana but again in a reproaching style. In Yogiyajnavalkya (YY), (*9) as well, a practice somewhat similar to trataka has been enlisted. Hatharatnavali and Hathasamhita, as quoted in Vacaspatyam (*10), refer to a few shatkarmic processes but these works are quite recent. For the first time in hatha yoga history, it is only in the Gheranda Samhita (GS) (*11) and Hatha Yoga Samhita (HYS) (*12) that shatkarmas find their rightful place, i.e. as the first aid to yoga. Hatha Pradipika (HP) (*13) though, recognises the value of shatkarmas but refrains from assigning them any independent position. Shatkarma-Sangraha (*14), no doubt describes a good many purificatory exercises, but the work itself is not very old.

These practices appear in and not before HYP, GS and HYS. Maybe, these existed in the olden times too, but being directly transmittable only in the secret guru/ disciple tradition; or because they were not absolutely obligatory, remained unrecorded in the old texts. Nonetheless, in order to solve this historical riddle, we must not confine ourselves merely to the yogic studies, but should have a peep into the ayurvedic works as well. Impartially speaking, ayurveda (which is as old as Chakra and Susruta) has certainly influenced and consequently contributed a good deal to the hatha yoga school. For instance, in case of bodily imbalances and diseases, hatha yoga has fully accepted the ayurvedic theory of tridosha in principle and practice. To quote a single example, while enumerating the benefits of dhauti-karma (*15), HYP guarantees that this practice cures twenty kapha diseases. But it does not name or elaborate on those diseases, therefore one has to look back to the ayurvedic texts (*16). It is similar with other ailments described at random.

So far as the original source of shatkarmas is concerned, it would be genuine to admit that hatha yoga has picked them from the panchakarmas of ayurveda, since both the systems employ them for the cleansing and purification of internal organs, especially the alimentary canal. The ayurvedic panchakarmas namely vamana (vomiting), virecana (purgative), basti (enema) and nasyam (nasal therapy) (*17) have good parallels in hatha yoga like vamana (dhauti), varisara (*19), basti (*20) and neti kriya (*21). But this similarity cannot be carried further, for we should not forget that in the methods of their performance, both systems vary a great deal from each other. Further, while yogis use only pure water and air for such irrigations, the panchakarmas prescribe medicated solutions instead (*22). Then the other difference, the yogis generally practise them daily for hygienic and preventive purposes, whereas ayurvedic panchakarmas are resorted to only as therapeutic measures when necessary (*23).

To record more contrast, shatkarmas help in the thorough and perfect washing of the internal organs, and impart massage and exercise to the organs, thereby increasing their tenacity and activity. Furthermore, once learned from an expert, they can be independently used without fear.

Nevertheless, shatkarmas, in line with other hatha yogic branches have the spiritual end in view (*24). For example, neti destroys kapha-doshas, and is said to bestow clairvoyance (*25) (divya drishti) and to facilitate khechari, which on perfection would lead to unmani- a higher end equated with raja yoga, advaita or sahajavastha. Karna-dhauti (*26), a physical practice for cleansing the ears, enables the practitioner to hear the mystical internal sounds (nadas) which are produced in sushumna after nadi shuddhi and ultimately culminates in manolaya, leading to emancipation. Trataka (*27), the eliminator of all eye diseases, induces divya drishti and helps towards sambhavi mudra, which on perfection makes the sadhaka one with Brahma. Varisara (*28) is said to transform the body into the divine form, whereas basti (*29) not only cleanses the rectum but invigorates the sense organs thereby bringing serenity of mind. The same is true of other yogic practices. Ayurvedic panchakarmas, on the other hand, do not help in spiritual elevation. Even then, we have to conclude that hatha yogic shatkarmas have their origins in the ayurvedic panchakarmas and not vice-versa, as some scholars think. This conclusion becomes more authentic when we observe the yogic purificatory practices from a historical angle.

* 1. Yogini Tantra, Edt. Kanhaiya Lal Misra, Pub. Laxmi Venkatesvara Press, Bombay, Samuat 2016 – ‘Santivasyastambhnani vidvesoccatane tatha. Mararam paramesani satkarmedam prakirtitam. (1.4.3.)
* 2. Patanjala Yogadarshana (PYD) 1.30.
* 3. Ibid 1.23-29.
* 4. Cf. PYD 2.32; Yogiyajnavalkya (YY), Edt. & Pub. Ramachandra Sarma, Sanatana Dharma Press, Muradabada, 1st Ed. Samvat 1994, 1.68; Trisikhibrahmanopanisad 2.33; Darsanopanisad 1.6, 20-22; Varahopanishad 5.13; Sandilyopanisad 1.14; (in ‘Yoga Upanishads, Edt. Pandit A. Mahadev Sastri, Pub. The Adyar Library, Madras, 1920); The Hatha Yoga Pradipika (HYP), Edt. & Trans. Pancham Singh, Pub. Bhuvanesvari Asrama, Bahadurganj, Allahabad, 2nd Ed. 1932, 1.17.
* 5. Cf. Yoga Siddhanta Candrika (on PYD 2.28), Pub. Chowkhamba Sanskrit Book Depot, Benares, 1911 – ‘Athava yoganganam dhautivastityadi satkarma-nam … anusthanad drdhabhyasajjnana dipti.’
* 6. The Mahavavagga, Edt. Bhikkhu J. Kashyap, Pub. Pali Publication Board, Bihar Govt., Nalanda, 1956- ‘……atha kho jivako komarabhacco tarn pastam saghim janabhesajjehi nippcitva setthibhariyam mancake uttanam nipjjapetva natthuto adasi. Atha kho tam sappim natthuto dinnam mukhto ugganchi. (8.2 Lines 12-14)
* 7. Siva Samhita (SS), Edt. Rai Bahdur Srisa Chandra Vidyarnava, Pub. The Panini Office, Bahadurganj, Allahabad, 1923; 5.5.
* 8. Siddha Siddhanta Paddhati and other works (SSP), Edt. Kalyani Mallik, Pub. Poona Oriental Book House, Poona, 1954; 6.9.
* 9. YY. 6.65
* 10. Vacaspatyam (V.), Vol. VI, Edt. Taranatha Tarkavacaspati, Pub. The Chowkhamba Sanskrit Series Office, Varanasi, 1962; PP. 5401-2.
* 11. Gheranda Samhita (GS), Edt. & Trans. Srisa Chandra Vasu, Pub. Theosophical Publishing House, Adyar, 1933; 1.9-10; also Gheranda Samhita (GS,K), Edt. Swami Digambarji and Dr. M.L. Gharote, Pub. Kaivalyadham, Lona-vala, 1978, 1.9-10.
* 12. Hatha Yoga Samhita, Edt. Vivekananda, Pub. Shri Bharti Dharma Maha Mandal Office, Banaras, (Kashi), 1921; P.3, V.l.
* 13. Hatha Pradipika (HP) of Svatmarama, Edt. & Trans. Swami Digambarji & Pub. Raghunatha Shastri Kokaje, Pub. Kaivalyadhama, Lonavala, 1970; 2.21, 38.
* 14. Satkarmasangrahah (SKS), Edt. R.G. Harshe Pub. Kaivalyadhama, 1970; V. 15-23.
* 15. HP 2.25 – ‘Kasasvasaplihakustam kapharogasca vimsatih, dhautikarmaprabhavena prayantyeva na samsayah.
* 16. The Charaka Samhita of Agnivesa, Edt. Dr. Ganga Sahaya Pandeya, (Part I), Pub. The Chowkhamba Sanskrit Series Office, Varanasi, 1961; 1.20.17- ‘Slesmavikaramsca vimsatimata urdhvam vyakh-yasyamah, tadyathatrptisca, tandra ca, nidra-dhikyam ca, staimityam ca, gurugatrata ca, alasyamca, mukhamadhuryam ca, mukhasravasca……svetamutrane travarcastvam ca iti vimsatih slesma vikarah. Also Cp. Sarangadhara Samhita, Pub. Pandit Pustakalaya, Kashi, 1950; 1.7.119-122.
* 17. Cp. Sarangadhara Samhita 3.8.64 – ‘Vamanam recanam nasyam niruhamanuvasnam, etani pancakarmani kathitani munisvaraih.’ Also Cp. Bhava Prakasa, Edt. Saligrama Vaisya. Sri Venkatesvara Steam Press, Bombay, Samvat 1918 – ‘Prathamam vamanam pascadvirekascanuvasa-nam, etani pancakarmani niruhao navanam tatha. (P. 428) Also for virecana, see Chakra Samhita 1.15f, Susruta Samhita, Edt. Narayana Rama Acarya Kavyatirtha, Publ. Nirnaya Sagar Press, Bombay, 1945; 4.33f; Astangasamgrahah, Edt. Ganesh Shastri Tarte, Bombay, 1888; 1.27; for vamana: Charaka Samhita 1.15f; 7.1.5, 12, 14, 15; Susmta S. 2.34f; Yoga Ratnakar P. 150; Astanga Hrdayam 1.18; for basti- Charaka Samhita 8.1.27f, 8.3.8f; Susruta 2.35-37, 4.35-38; Astanga Hrdayam 1.19; Astanga Samgrahah 1.28, 5.4-6; for nasyam- Charaka Samhita 1.5.56-63; Susruta 2.40.20f, 4.40; Astanga Hrdayam 1.20; Yoga Ratnakar P. 154; Astanga Samgrahah 1.29.
* 18. GS. 1.39; HYS P. 10, V. 29; HP. 2.26; SKS. V. 92-94.
* 19. GS. 1.17-19; HYS. P. 5, V. 6-7; SKS. V. 87-91, 96.
* 20. GS. 1.45-49; HYS. P. 11-12, V. 35-39; SKS. V. 132-147.
* 21. HP. 2.30; GS. 1.50-51; also Cp. Vyutkrama and sitkrama GS. 1.58-59; HYS. P. 12-13, V. 40-41 & PP. 14-15, V. 48-49; SKS. V. 42-48, 55, 67-69.
* 22. Cp. (YH) Yoga Hygiene Simplified by Shri Yogendra, Pub. The Yoga Institute, Santa Cruz, Bombay, 1980.
* 23. Ibid,
* 24. Cp. GS(K), Intr. P. xi; Yoga Mimamsa (YM), Kaivalyadham, Vol. IX.2.PP.6-7.
* 25. GS. 1.51; HYS. P. 13, V. 41; for unmani, raja yoga etc. Cp. PIP. 4.3, 4, 47.
* 26. GS. 1.33; HYS. P. 9, V. 23; for nada also HP. 4.68.
* 27. GS. 1.54; HYS. P. 13, V. 44; for sambhavi also GS. 3.67.
* 28. GS. 1.18; HYS. P. 5, V. 7.
* 29. H.P. 2.29.

(Courtesy : Yoga Magazine, Jan, 1983)

1983 heralds in new dimensions and horizons for Bihar School of Yoga. Building an institution is in itself a mammoth task, but to find suitable successors to uphold the high ideals and standards, is no less important. Right from its inception, Swami Satyananda has played the dual role of Guru and administrator. Two roles diametrically opposite or contradictory to each other, which led him into many difficulties from time to time, and which he survived with unsurpassable skill. Let me explain this further.

We are all familiar with the role of a Guru. He inspires, instructs and is the guiding light to many lives. For those of you who have a Guru, it is unthinkable to live this life without nurturing that relationship. It is tantamount to having no eyes to see or ears to hear. But have you ever stopped to wonder- how a Guru meets the demands of his disciples. How is it that not just one or two or three or five, but thousands and millions of people all over the world are able to draw energy from that one source. It is obvious that he is able to delve into deeper and higher states of consciousness, where no duality exists, where he is able to sift the true from the untrue, the mundane and the gross experience from the pure experience. It is this ability which allows him to deal with the problems of the people with accurate precision.

However, if at the same time, he also has to play the role of an administrator, it is necessary that from time to time he must return or come down to the practical, day to day affairs of life. So on the one hand he must go deep within, and on the other hand he must eternalise that same consciousness. Of course this constant fluctuation, from higher to lower states of mind is not a trifling matter and not easily attainable. For one state of mind is not complementary to the other. Only a Jivanmukta can do it with the utmost ease. Swami Satyananda has been the epitome of such a person. His decisions as administrator have been flawless and his guidance to the people illuminating.

But how much longer must these demands press on him? Swamiji often jokingly says, “My life has been divided into 20 year cycles. I was born in 1923, I joined my Guru’s ashram in 1943, I opened my ashram in 1963, and now in 1983 is the last turning point, I retire.” When he sees the disappointed and disconsolate look on our faces, he always hastens to add, “When I say retire, I mean as an administrator, I shall continue to guide and inspire the people as long as I live.”

Another very relevant point, which Swamiji has often mentioned is that it is always necessary for the founder of an institution, to step down and install his successors during his lifetime, so that the succeeding persons may be able to master the work thoroughly. This is especially relevant to a sannyas institution where nothing really belongs to ‘any particular person.

The inability of many spiritual leaders to do so has been instrumental in the downfall of many institutions. We have seen many jivanmuktas, liberated beings, who function dynamically during their lifetime, but have been unable to leave behind pillars of strength. Obviously, at some time, they must give their responsibility to others. And for the fulfilment of that responsibility, the decision must be taken not too early and not too late, but at the correct time. After all, a flower blossoms only when the soil is right and the seed is ripe. Swamiji, who has always maintained accurate timing to make decisions, has chosen 1983 to nominate his successors.

This decision will bring a host of questions to the minds of the people. Possibly you are among those who wonder about the future of Bihar School of Yoga, after Swamiji retires from the administration. If you are, read on.

As you will see, Swamiji with his meticulous eye for detail, has been thinking not only of the present, but also years into the future. After all, the disciples and devotees all over the world, must have the assurance that the institution which they have worked so hard for, will not dissolve, but will continue to maintain the policies of the organisation.

At present, Bihar School of Yoga has many ashrams, innumerable centres, a vast number of inspired schools, thousands of teachers and a host of sannyasins of different nationalities and religions, spread out all over the world, with the nucleus and headquarters at Munger. For this purpose it is necessary to have adequate teachers, an efficient administration, a proper internal management and inspiring guidance, as a support for the institutions.

The sannyasins who have been trained by Swamiji as teachers are of a very high calibre and have been producing excellent results and response wherever they go. These sannyasins, whose number is always on the increase, will continue to spread the teachings far and wide.

For the administration, Swami Niranjanananda,, heading the Board of Directors, will handle all affairs directly. For a disciple, it is of paramount importance that he should be able to follow every command of his Guru, verbal or otherwise. He should be able to anticipate and remain constantly alert to every need of the Guru, only then can the Guru transmit his knowledge and guidance to the disciple and continue his mission through the disciple. It would not be an exaggeration to say that Swami Niranjanananda has always maintained the high ideals and standards of such a disciple. Although only 23 years of age, his experience, decision making capacity, and judgement can be compared to a person twice his age. He has travelled widely from the age of ten, perhaps little knowing the immense responsibilities that would befall him later. However, judging from his past record one feels that the responsibility rests on very young but very able shoulders.

The management will continue to be headed by Swami Haripremananda, in co-operation with his competent team of workers. Although many of you who have not visited Munger may not know Swami Haripremananda personally, his name will strike you as familiar, because at some time or the other you must have had to deal with him through your letters. He has been one of the stalwarts of the institution, right through its many stages. His steadfast devotion, unswerving loyalty, calm disposition are invaluable assets to Bihar School of Yoga.

Swamiji himself will continue to guide the people spiritually, along with the assistance of Swami Amritananda. Swami Amritananda herself needs little introduction. Most of you have been fortunate to receive her guidance, and are well aware of her ability to make accurate and precise judgements of the problems of the people. She has long been a pillar of strength of the institution, working tirelessly for the mission in India and abroad.

In the Sannyas parampara or tradition, according to the guidelines set down by Adi Shankaracharya, it is the responsibility of a Guru to impart his knowledge to worthy disciples, so that they may continue the work even after the Guru relinquishes his duties. For after all, the work being done is with a definite purpose in mind, and is not the whim of an individual. It has a far greater and wider vision, the benefits and far reaching effects of which should be felt not only in this decade, but also in the decades to come. This culture, this way of life, this philosophy must not become extinct with ravages of time, and neither should it be restricted to only a few people. Rather we must diversify, we must spread the systems of yoga to all corners of the world. We must preserve this fund of knowledge, which can help us in every sphere of our lives, so that not only our children but our grandchildren and great grandchildren may know and be able to judge for themselves the best way of life.

For the continuation and harmonious flow of these resolves, it is not only necessary to set up a strong foundation for the institution, but to eternalise our support. In this respect, we look forward to the enthusiastic support of people from every corner of the world. The history of Bihar School of Yoga shows that the vast number of well-wishers, devotees, and disciples have always extended their help in whichever way possible. Obviously the future depends on the continuation of help provided thus far. The demands and the needs of the people, have caused the institute and work to increase immensely, and most of the requirements are well looked after. However, help in the form of donations of property or any other assets or gifts of money are always welcome.

Now that Swamiji is no longer at the helm of administration, the scope and range which he will be able to cover will increase considerably. In this respect we look forward to seminars and conventions in different countries, cities, towns and villages, which may be arranged, for him to preside over. So that in the words of his Guru, he may take yoga from ‘door to door and shore to shore.’

(Courtesy : Yoga Magazine, March, 1983)

Initiation into a personal mantra by a satguru is considered the foundation stone of spiritual life and serves as the portal or entrance into higher yogic sadhana. Daily practice of mantra repetition (japa yoga) is an indispensable step for psychic and spiritual purification. It is prescribed by teachers in all spiritual traditions as the safest, easiest and best means of systematically overhauling the patterns of consciousness in order to awaken higher experience and to sustain a higher voltage of energy in the human nervous system. Saints and enlightened beings from every spiritual tradition have attested that mantra has carried them to their elevated state.

Mantra is a most effective means of developing a platform of ‘witness awareness’ where the aspirant can watch the different thoughts, feelings, and sensations of the body/mind complex as they occur while remaining partially unidentified with these phenomena. This is the first stage in elevation of the consciousness beyond its habitual state of intoxicated identification with mental ideas and sensual experiences. Practising japa steadfastly and regularly is the best way to come to the realisation that ‘I am not the body or the mind; I am the witness of these phenomena.’ In japa yoga there is a continued rotation of consciousness cantered on the mantra so that the mind slowly and effortlessly enters a state of relaxed and concentrated awareness.

Four stages of mantra awareness

Japa can be practised in many ways. One of the best and simplest is repetition of the mantra using a mala. Hero a fixed number of rounds of the mala are undertaken each day as instructed by the guru. This sadhana is known as japa anushthana, where the aspirant makes a resolve to complete the required number of rounds each day.

Repetition of the mantra can initially be aloud (baikhari). This is especially useful in stabilising the patterns of consciousness when the mind is disturbed or highly distracted. The next stage is upanshu, or whispered repetition. The most powerful and subtle form of mantra repetition is on the mental plane – manasik japa. This is the form which is being widely investigated for its physiological and psychological effects in many laboratories around the world today.

Another form of mantra repetition is synchronisation of the mantra with the inflowing and out flowing breath. Here consciousness, in the form of the mantra, is rotated in one of the psychic-passages, initially between the navel and the throat centres in the front of the body. As the practice is developed, the spinal psychic passage from mooladhara up to ajna is utilised. Perfection of this form of japa is an essential prerequisite for advanced kriya yoga sadhana.

The fruit of extended and faithful japa sadhana is the experience of ajapa japa, the state where the purified consciousness begins to reverberate with the mantra spontaneously throughout waking, sleeping and dreaming states. Then there is no time when mantra awareness is absent from the field of consciousness, not only in meditation but in the midst of daily activities, dreams and also sleep. In that exalted state of awareness, all life activities become meditation, and the conventional barriers between waking, dreaming and deep sleep states dissolve to make way for a unified state of conscious awareness based upon the mantra itself. Such is the power of the mantra!

Obtaining a suitable mantra

According to mantra shastra there are many mantras, each with a different purpose. Specific mantras can be used to bring about all kinds of results, both material and spiritual. For this reason, no mantra should be treated lightly, and mantra sadhana should be undertaken only for a clearly defined purpose under the guidance of a guru.

Some mantras are universal, for example Om (the source of all mantras), Soham (the mantra of the natural breath) and Gayatri mantra. These mantras can be used beneficially by everybody. However, a suitable personal mantra, which unlocks the inner nature and psychic personality and rapidly expands the awareness, may be given by a satguru to a sincere disciple. Such a mantra possesses great power when it comes from a master who has mantra siddhi, or knowledge of mantra science.

That knowledge enables the guru to perceive the overall psychic and psychological characteristics of each aspirant and also the difficulties which he must confront and overcome in spiritual life. Acting upon this inner vision, the guru prescribes a particular mantra to help the aspirant evolve beyond those blockages.

An effective therapy

While mantra has been the vehicle for realisation for thousands of years in the various spiritual and religious traditions of the world, it is only in very recent years that it has been investigated scientifically. Mantra repetition has been found to profoundly alter the type and intensity of the brain waves, and to initiate profound changes in the physiological systems of the body.

Research studies have revealed that daily practice of japa yoga improves cardiac output and respiratory efficiency, lowers blood pressure, enhances alpha brain wave activity, and lowers serum cholesterol levels and levels of stress hormones such as lactate, cortisol and adrenaline in the bloodstream. These effects have led medical researchers to conduct further studies in which patients suffering from various disease conditions have been found to respond very favourably to japa yoga. In addition, psychologists have noted improved scores in parameters of emotional stability; anxiety and neuroticism indices; memory and concentration power; and antisocial, addictive, delinquent and criminal behaviours.

In all respects it would appear that both medicine and psychiatry stand to gain much from japa yoga in the form of a useful therapy for mental and physical diseases. Not surprisingly, research is continuing in an effort to unlock further yogic secrets which will aid and alleviate the myriad psychosomatic diseases developing in epidemic proportions as man accelerates into a modern stress filled lifestyle of increasing material affluence but devoid of spiritual knowledge or purpose.

Demystifying the mantra

Some research workers are now attempting to demystify this healing science of mantra yoga. For example, the studies of Benson and Carrington (*1, *2) have trial to standardise mantra meditation and eliminate the mysterious or ‘cultic’ elements. In Benson’s adapted technique, subjects silently repeat the word ‘one’ while breathing in, ‘one’… out, and so on. Similarly, in Carrington’s clinically standardised meditation practice, a sound is selected from a list and repeated mentally. In this way, the workers hope to replace the mantras received during initiation from the guru, with more pragmatic and quantifiable words and sounds.

Unfortunately these workers, in spite of their eminence in research circles, have a fragmentary knowledge of the structure of the mind as a whole, and of the means of transformation of consciousness. What they interpret as mysterious or ‘cultic’ elements of mantra science, such as the names of the Hindu deities, etc., have to be understood first of all, before they can be dismissed as irrelevant. Is it not always true that we shy away from what we do not understand, interpreting it as needlessly cultic or mystical?

Whether a mantra is a ‘mystic’ Sanskrit formula or the name of a Hindu deity is irrelevant; its real value is that it possesses the correct combination and order of sounds and vibrations to unlock the repressed material from within the brain, much like the correct key opens a lock. Only then can the unconscious mind be exploded and our limitations be known and transcended. Mantra is not a religious practice in the sense that western scientists know and experience religion in their own cultures. Rather, it is a science, realised and formulated by the greatest scientists who ever lived – the rishis and gurus. They constructed the religion on a perfectly scientific basis. That is how the deities and their names, forms and characteristics have evolved in the first place.

The deeper layers of mind are not rational. The vast unexplored labyrinths of the subconscious and unconscious mind cannot be plumbed or exposed by purely intellectual or objective means. It is a world where symbolism, colour and sound vibrations are the matrices, and it can only be unlocked by the correct focusing of awareness into the deeper realms of consciousness. The mantra is the vehicle to short circuit the rational and intellectual processes which act as hindrances on the surface of the mind, when we wish to direct the full force of consciousness inwards towards the source.

In order to dive into the deeper levels of consciousness, it is not sufficient to repeat ‘one, one, one’ or ‘tree, tree, tree’ or some other ‘demystified’ syllable devised by psychologists as suitable replacements for the ‘cultic’ Hindu mantras. Mantra is undoubtedly the best and safest way to systematically unleash the dormant powers underlying individual consciousness. But it must be correctly prescribed, just as a medicine must be correctly prescribed. Atropine will help a sufferer from asthma but is surely poison for a sufferer from tachycardia (accelerated heart rate). All mantras are not the same, just as all individuals are not the same.

Each of us has an individual personality which can only be unlocked by using the correct key. A person who has deep subconscious fears and inadequacies needs one mantra while another who is arrogant, aggressive and angry needs a different mantra altogether. The mantras and the qualities of their deities have specific actions on particular psychological makeup. It is perfectly scientific. The deities have no independent existence except as mediums by which limited individuals can channel their consciousness beyond their own egotistical ideals and notions which constitute the only real barriers to enlightenment and health.

Scientists who are in such a hurry to ‘extract the essence’ of the yogic techniques, which have now been widely shown to cure mental aberrations and physical diseases, and present them in a simplified way, devoid of religious and cultic overtones, are doing a great disservice to mankind. They are showing that they are not scientists in the truest sense of the term, in spite of their qualifications and pre-eminence.

In yogic terms, a scientist is one who possesses a free, open and enquiring mind. He seeks to know the truth and is able to control and direct his awareness both subjectively and objectively without fear. He must have faith in his own capacities to glimpse and extract the essence of truth and separate it from what is essentially meaningless or ineffectual. It is with this spirit that modern scientists should throw themselves heart and soul into a study, investigation and experience of mantra yoga. They must themselves become Sadhakas, surrender their egos and preconceptions and undertake yogic sadhana under a qualified guru.

In this way they will experience the truth directly and emerge with true wisdom and understanding. It is not sufficient to discuss yoga practices intellectually. To understand the power of mantra in overhauling the consciousness, it must be experienced by daily practice. Otherwise these researchers will remain ignorant and will distil a watered-down psychological parody of the liberating science of yoga for those suffering millions who look to them in all good faith for guidance and liberation from physical diseases and mental torment. The choice is theirs alone.

References
*1. H. Benson et al., ‘Stress and hypertension: Interrelations and management’, G. Onesti and A.M. Brest (Eds,), Hypertension: Mechanisms, Diagnosis and Treatment, Davis, 1978, pp. 113-124.
*2. P. Garrington et al., ‘The use of meditation-relaxation techniques for the management of stress in a working population, J. Occup. Med., 22 (4), 1980.

(Courtesy Yoga Magazine, October, 1981)

Hatha yoga is a very important science. In ancient times it was practised for many years as a preparation for higher states of consciousness. Now, however, the real purpose of this great science is being forgotten altogether. The hatha yoga practices which were designed by the rishis and sages of old, for the evolution of mankind are now understood and utilised in a very limited sense. Often we hear people say: ‘Oh, I don’t practise meditation, I only practise physical yoga, hatha yoga.’ But now the time has come to correct this viewpoint.

Ida and pingala

Hatha yoga concerns two important and vital systems in the physical body- the solar and lunar forces. In tantra and in hatha yoga these are known as ida and pingala. Ida represents the mental force, and pingala the pranic force. In the body these pranic and mental forces interact with each other, respectively controlling, guiding and directing the senses of action and of knowledge. Due to them we live, move, think and know.

Pranic and mental force are conducted through ida and pingala nadis within the framework of the spinal passage. From each chakra they branch off via the network of nadis into all the respective organs and parts of the body. The scriptures and tantric texts state that in this physical body there is a complex of 72,000 nadis. I believe this is a conservative estimate. Nadi does not mean nerve. It means a flow, just as electricity, a radio wave or a laser beam is a flow. There are 72,000 channels or flows that carry these two interacting energies of ida and pingala from pore to pore of the human body. There is not one point in this body where you do not have the interaction of these two forces.

In the practices of hatha yoga we are concerned with the balance of ida and pingala; these two interacting forces of prana and mind. When the pranic force predominates and the mental force becomes subservient, there are physical imbalances due, to excess prana in the system. On the other hand, if the mental force is predominant and pranic force subservient, there are diseases related to the mind. This is the definition of somo-psychic and psychosomatic diseases. Diseases do not originate only in the mind, they also originate in the body. Body is part of the mind, and mind is part of the body. Mind and body are not two separate realities. At different stages of manifestation, we know them as body and mind, but in essence they are one.

Science of purification

In order to purify the mind, it is necessary for the body as a whole to undergo a process of absolute purification. Hatha yoga is also known as the science of purification, not one type of purification, but six types. If you take an enema, this is one type of purification; shankhaprakshalana is another. Purification of the whole nervous system is also a part of hatha yoga. Besides purifying the physical body, we have to purify the nadis. The body has to be cleansed in six different ways for six different impurities. When you clear the body of these impurities, the nadis function and the energy blocks are released. Then the energies move like wave frequencies along the physical structure of the channel, and they go right up to the brain.

Therefore, we consider hatha yoga as the preliminary practice of tantra, kundalini yoga and kriya yoga. When the rishis discovered the science of hatha yoga, they did not have yoga therapy in mind. Although yoga has proved to be very effective in the treatment of many impossible and incurable diseases, I consider the therapeutic effect of yoga as a by product and incidental. The main objective of hatha yoga is to create an absolute balance of the interacting activities and processes of the pranic and mental force. When this balance is created, the impulses generated give a call of awakening to sushumna nadi- the central force which is responsible for illumining the higher centres of human consciousness. So the real purpose of hatha yoga is not to build the body or improve the health, but to energise and awaken the higher centres responsible for the evolution of human consciousness. If hatha yoga is not used for this purpose then its true objective is lost.

Basis of transformation

Solar energy represents the sun, prana. Lunar energy represents the moon, mind. These two forces maintain the rhythm of life and consciousness. This is one stage of evolution, but mankind has to evolve. If civilisation is not structured along evolutionary lines, then man has to face disaster, death and absolute extinction. You cannot deny evolution.

Everything in this universe is evolving, even the rocks. If there is metamorphosis in every part of creation, why shouldn’t man’s consciousness undergo this state of metamorphosis? Transformation is a scientific fact. It is not a philosophy, faith or creed. It is the path of evolution and it gives meaning to life. This physical body constantly undergoes various processes of transformation, which affect each and every molecule of its material substance.

Now people have begun to realise that matter in its ultimate form is energy. Therefore, we will have to reanalyse and redefine what the body is and how far this transformation can be effected. Can the body be turned into fight particles? Think about it in terms of science, not in terms of the faith or belief that you have had up until now.

If this body can undergo a state of metamorphosis, then what is the way? The answer is yoga. Through the processes of yoga, the body is rendered so subtle and pure, that it is transformed into a yogic body which is unaffected by old age and disease.

Hatha yoga is practised in order to initiate a process in this physical body, whereby the pranic molecules and the mental forces which interact with each other in the scheme of life and existence, may be transformed. Unless the physical molecules are transformed, it is no use to discuss compassion or unity.

A great challenge is open to us. If matter in its ultimate form is energy, then this physical body can be transformed into solid energy through systematic practice of the six cleansing techniques of hatha yoga: neti, dhauti, basti, nauli, kapalbhati, and trataka. After this, asana and pranayama should be practised.

Dimensions of prana

Hatha yoga is the preparation for pranayama. Most people think of pranayama only as breathing exercises but actually it is far more. In Sanskrit ‘ayama’ literally means dimension, not control. So pranayama is practised in order to extend the dimensions of prana.

Years ago I wanted to know about the dimensions of prana. Has prana many planes of existence? In which planes does prana flow? What happens if prana does not flow? Around that time, I had a dream in which I saw a beautiful city with large roads lined with electricity poles. I went into the buildings and found lights, telephones, televisions, everything, but there was no electricity; the whole city was in complete darkness.

Similarly, within us are planes of existence, areas of consciousness which are in absolute darkness. These planes are much more beautiful and creative than the ones we live on now. But how are we going to penetrate and illumine them? It is useless to talk about the different states of consciousness. You must be able to experience them, even as you experience the state of dream or sleep. When the pranic energy is aroused and awakened through the practice of pranayama, it is circulated to these dark areas of consciousness. Then the inner city is illumined and man is reborn into a new dimension of existence, a new area of experience.

The practical aspect

If you want to achieve this transcendental experience, the practices, of hatha yoga and pranayama should be perfected. Also the rules and recommendations should be observed. This does not mean giving up all the pleasures of life, but, as you well know, ‘You can’t have your cake and eat it too.’ So, once you have decided to step into another dimension of consciousness, you must be ready to sacrifice some of those things which are definitely detrimental to the practice of pranayama and hatha yoga. This is an important point that has to be considered. Therefore, I remind you that the practices of hatha yoga, asanas, and pranayama are ultimately intended for developing the quality of human consciousness- not just the mind. With this knowledge, with this attitude, we can progress through the practices.

Neti is a simple practice in which warm saline water is poured in through one nostril and out the other. With practice, you will be able to take a tumbler of cold water straight in through both nostrils, and you will feel how cooling and refreshing this is, The practices of dhauti are mainly concerned with cleaning the digestive tract. There are several types of dhauti. Kunjal, the stomach wash, is done by drinking saline water and vomiting it out. Vastra dhauti cleans the mucus out of the oesophagus and stomach by swallowing a long thin strip of cloth and then pulling it out. Shankhaprakshalana gives the entire digestive tract a complete wash and overhaul. It involves drinking sixteen glasses of saline water and performing a series of five asanas in between every two glasses. This removes all the decomposed and foul smelling mucus from the intestines.

Basti is the yogic enema in which water or air is sucked up through the anus and then expelled.

Nauli, the abdominal roll, strengthens the abdomen and removes all kinds of abdominal ailments.

Kapalbhati, the frontal bellows pranayama, purifies the frontal region of the brain and prepares the mind for meditation.

Trataka is a concentration technique in which you control the mind by controlling the pupils. This is practised by fixing a point of concentration, for example, the flame of a candle or a black dot. Gaze at this point for a minute, then close your eyes and visualise the counterpoint at the eyebrow centre.

Hatha yoga and pranayama are the foundation of kundalini yoga and tantra. My tradition is Vedanta, but I realise that philosophy is intellectual and you can never reach the point of evolution through the intellect. Intellect becomes a barrier to spiritual awakening, and we have to find a powerful means of transcending it. I have tried many methods, and have found pranayama most effective.

Pranayama

Much has been written about the science of pranayama. Nadi shodhana pranayama is purification of the energy channels. First you breathe in through the left nostril (which stimulates the right side of the brain). Hold your breath. Then breathe out through the right nostril (which stimulates the left side of the brain). Again hold the breath. Breathing in and out is an automatic process. Kumbhaka, holding the breath, is the actual pranayama, and it takes years of practice to perfect. When you have made some progress in the practice of pranayama, and can hold the breath without any discomfort, you have to add moola bandha (contraction of the perineum), uddiyana bandha (abdominal contraction), and jalandhara bandha (chin lock). These control and balance the increased energy throughout the system.

If you practise pranayama, you do not have to worry about the mind; the wild mind does not exist for you. As you go on practising pranayama, you push the pranic force into the different dark areas of your consciousness, and the mind evaporates. There is no thought process. Thoughts are impressions. You are reading this; it is an impression. You become aware of impressions stage by stage, and so you think that they are moving. But thoughts don’t move – they don’t travel into the past, present and future – they are just there, that’s all.

When you change the structure of the physical material, the mental substance automatically undergoes a change. Mind is a further manifestation of the body, and when you influence the mind you also influence the spirit. So, body, mind and spirit are not ‘the trinity’ – they are the unity, one. This is the understanding behind the practices of pranayama and hatha yoga.

In India the practice of bhoo samadhi (underground samadhi) is well known. The yogi is buried underground and stays there in a state of trance for days at a time, his breathing rate and metabolism slowing down remarkably.

Scientists have calculated that an ordinary man would die after two hours in such a situation. But some yogis can voluntarily reduce the rate of their physical processes, so that the need for oxygen is greatly reduced.

In 1977 Swami Satyamurti, who was 102 years old, was buried underground for nine days. After six days he was declared clinically dead. Machines that were recording his pulse rate indicated that his heart had stopped, which meant that his brain was being deprived of oxygen. On the ninth day he emerged from his ‘grave’ in perfect health, as testified to by the medical doctors and the scientists attending the demonstration.

This is a remarkable feat. It may not be a great spiritual feat, but it is certainly a scientific feat and guideline. Through the practice of pranayama, the involuntary processes of body, brain and mind can be mastered. Control over these processes enables you to direct the major course and destiny of your life, and also of your death.

Hatha yoga is a great science which everyone can practise according to his own capacity. Maybe not all, but at least a few techniques can be practised each day. Hatha yoga techniques, along with asanas and a few pranayamas, are sufficient for most people. I have the greatest respect for meditation, but I believe it is necessary to practise these three preparatory limbs first. Then you may go further if necessary. If the preparation is perfect, there will be no need to learn meditation from anyone. One fine morning while practising pranayama, your mind will be lifted into a new realm of consciousness.

Satsang on Hatha Yoga

Are asanas and pranayama included in hatha yoga?

Academically, no. Hatha yoga principally means neti, dhauti, basti, kapalbhati, nauli and trataka, which are termed the shatkarmas. But asana and pranayama are popularly regarded as part of hatha yoga. Asanas are in raja yoga and so is pranayama. I am telling you the academic difference, but actually there is no difference. Hatha yoga and raja yoga are all the same.

Kapalbhati is a shatkarma, but it is also a pranayama and a kriya. Whereas other pranayamas require a somewhat purified system, kapalbhati does not because it purifies, so it comes under the shatkarmas.

Which is the superior practice for an educated person, hatha yoga or gyana yoga?

If an educated man has a physical problem, he should certainly practise hatha yoga. If an uneducated man has philosophical problems, then he should do gyana yoga. It depends on the problem. If you are sick you will ask, ‘To which doctor should I go- surgeon, ayurvedic, homeopathic, allopathic and so on?’ If you have appendicitis, then you must go to a surgeon. Likewise, if a man has physical or mental disorders, if his nadis are not functioning in complete harmony, then he should first take to the practices of hatha yoga.

What is the actual difference in the practice of kapalbhati and bhastrika pranayama?

In both kapalbhati and bhastrika, the respiration is rapid, but in kapalbhati the emphasis is on exhalation, whereas in bhastrika the inhalation and exhalation are equalised. During bhastrika the practitioner is aware of the movement of the abdomen and gains progressive control over it, while in kapalbhati attention is focused on the frontal region of the brain.

Why are bandhas practised with pranayama?

One gains the maximum benefits from pranayama when the bandhas are practised with kumbhaka (breath retention). Pranayama stimulates the flow of prana, and the bandhas control the flow and direct it to the required areas. When you perform moola bandha (locking the perineum) and jalandhara bandha (chin lock), you are forcing apana (the vital energy in the lower part of the body below the navel), to flow upwards and unite with prana (the vital energy in the region of the body between the larynx and the base of the heart).

When prana and apana unite it is a fantastic experience which generates vitality and helps to awaken kundalini.

Is it true that the rishis and munis in the Himalayas practise pranayama to withstand the cold and ice and live for years without food etc.?

In raja yoga there are eight fundamental stages: yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana and samadhi. The first five stages are intended to gradually remove all external distractions and direct the mind inwards. The purpose of pranayama is to awaken the sushumna nadi, because we know that without awakening sushumna you cannot succeed in concentration (dharana). When sushumna wakes up the mind becomes one-pointed without any effort.

In the Himalayas, and other places of the world, there are many mahatmas, rishis and sannyasins who have a very austere life. They are able to maintain themselves by preserving and increasing the pranashakti, or life force, in their physical body. Through intense practice of raja yoga, hatha yoga and dhyana yoga, they are able to completely change the nature and chemical structure of the body so as to withstand these extreme conditions.

With the practice of pranayama, more oxygen may be inhaled but that is not the important point. If oxygen alone is the purpose, then deep breathing would be sufficient. In pranayama inhalation and exhalation must be practised in the ratio of 1:2, because this ratio is most beneficial for the heart. From the pulse you can observe that with inspiration the heart rate speeds up, whereas with expiration it slows down. Therefore, when the ratio of 1:2 is used, the overall effect is that of relaxation of the coronary muscles, but without a reduction of the supply of oxygen to the brain and body tissues. Whereas if you practise 1:4, for example, the effect of relaxation is cancelled because the brain accelerates the heart rate in reaction to a decreased supply of oxygen in the blood.

When kumbhaka is incorporated into pranayama, certain portions of the brain can be controlled. There are two systems in the body known as the voluntary and involuntary nervous systems. You can move the hands, but not the hypothalamus. But through the practices of pranayama, the brain can be trained to act according to your demands. You can stop its functions or accelerate them. This is how many yogis have been able to stop the heart for a number of days and revive it again. The heart is not an independent organ; it is controlled by a higher centre in the hypothalamus of the brain. With control of the brain, you can automatically control your coronary behaviour, body temperature, and digestive system, etc. If there is something wrong in the brain, the heart will immediately stop. Medicine has been used to treat the heart but actually one should look for the cause of the problem in the brain, and rectify it there, because this is the centre of control.

What are the benefits of neti?

Neti purifies the nasal passages and aids in the cure of colds and sinusitis, as well as various diseases of the brain and is therefore beneficial for epilepsy, hysteria, migraine and depression. It gives a general feeling of lightness and freshness in the head and removes drowsiness. Spiritually, it aids in the awakening of ajna chakra. In jala neti water is used and in sutra neti a special waxed cotton thread or a thin rubber catheter is passed into the nostril and pulled through the mouth.

Tell us something about trataka.

The Sanskrit word ‘trataka’ means to steadily gaze. If someone is staring at you for a long time you call it trataka. There are many ways of practising trataka. Some people do trataka on a candle flame, on a black dot, a crystal, the moon, a picture or a symbol, on the reflections in water or their own image in a mirror.

Trataka is a very important practice and a direct method of influencing the brain. The eye is actually an extension of the brain and the optic nerve is one of the twelve cranial nerves that emerge from the brain, not the spinal cord, so therefore, when we engage the optic system we are influencing the brain. The yogis discovered that making the eyes steady by gazing at a point either at the eyebrow centre, the nose tip, or a point outside of the body, immediately and beneficially affects the brain, and this has a reciprocal effect on the eye movements, the retina and the whole visual apparatus.

If you watch a sleeping person you can know whether he is sleeping deeply or dreaming. You can immediately tell by his eye movements whether he is worried, frightened, anxious, dreaming, thinking, sleeping or in samadhi, in deep sleep the eyes may automatically assume shambhavi mudra. When a person is dreaming, there are fluctuations in the eyeballs which can be seen, felt and also measured by machines. In states of profound meditation the eyeballs are usually centred between the eyebrows or at the nose tip, and when a man dies his eyeballs generally go straight up, they never stay in the centre. An anxious person’s eyes are unsteady and by stilling the eyes we can generally overcome the uncontrolled fluctuations of an anxious brain.

Do you recommend the practices of yama and niyama?

When we begin practising yoga and meditation we try our level best to stop the dissipation of energy. The yamas and niyamas are usually recommended for this, but of course everyone is not able to practise them. I think we have to express everything in our lives and let the yamas and niyamas occur naturally. If we try to develop them by restraint, we are likely to be suppressing and we may be causing more harm than good. Many people try to practise yamas and niyamas and they force themselves into a rather rigorous situation.

It is not bad to be truthful; it is not bad to be non-violent, but sometimes we are not able to handle the psycho-emotional situations arising in our life through the practice of those dharmas. Therefore, in order to handle this situation, we have to first purify the whole body and the whole group of nadis. That is why in hatha yoga we have the system of purification of ida and pingala. When we are able to create harmony and equilibrium between the mental and pranic forces in our system, then these great dharmas, these great observances in the raja yoga of Patanjali, become very natural and spontaneous.

The spade work which we have to do in order to make yama and niyama the natural expression of our being, is the practice of hatha yoga. Purification of the 72,000 nadis which carry the computerised impulses throughout the body, and the six hatha yoga body purification techniques create a psychobiological harmony, and this harmony ultimately creates spontaneity of the positive dharma in us.

I am peaceful within and without, not because I am forcing myself to be, but on account of the great transformation that has taken place in the structure of my psychobiological system. It has become my nature to be non-violent and full of love and understanding. In the same way I do not have to force myself to practise brahmacharya because my body has been purified. My psychological and emotional structure has been properly adjusted by balancing the impulses of ida and pingala. Therefore, I am able to retain the hormones in the higher centres. So brahmacharya has become a spontaneous and natural expression of my consciousness. I don’t have to practise it, it is my nature. This is how a positive dharma has to be developed in the form of yama and niyama.

Why should one practise hatha yoga before tantra?

By the practices of hatha yoga you can harmonise the two great forces in man- prana and mind. They are known as ida and pingala and they emanate from mooladhara chakra and join each other in ajna chakra. Their union takes place in the void behind the eyebrow centre and in yoga this place is known as shoonya. In hatha yoga we call it sushumna. When ida and pingala unite, they activate sushumna and for the purpose of activating sushumna, we practise hatha yoga.

If you have practised hatha yoga and have arrived at shoonya, you must then practise raja yoga to experience the consciousness. So firstly union must take place, then an experience comes, and then you meditate on that point. This is raja yoga. When you meditate on that point what happens? The matter and the consciousness are separated, and you go in completely. That is tantra. So, hatha yoga comes first raja yoga next, and then tantra comes last.

(Courtesy Yoga Magazine, March, 1980)

Swami Satyananda Saraswati
given at the Dublin Convention on Sept. 22nd 1979

Hatha yoga is a very important science. In ancient times it was practised for many years as a preparation for higher states of consciousness. Now, however, the real purpose of this great science is being forgotten altogether. The hatha yoga practices which were designed by the rishis and sages of old, for the evolution of mankind are now understood and utilised in a very limited sense. Often we hear people say: ‘Oh, I don’t practise meditation, I only practise physical yoga, hatha yoga.’ But now the time has come to correct this viewpoint.

Ida and pingala

Hatha yoga concerns two important and vital systems in the physical body- the solar and lunar forces. In tantra and in hatha yoga these are known as ida and pingala. Ida represents the mental force, and pingala the pranic force. In the body these pranic and mental forces interact with each other, respectively controlling, guiding and directing the senses of action and of knowledge. Due to them we live, move, think and know.

Pranic and mental force are conducted through ida and pingala nadis within the framework of the spinal passage. From each chakra they branch off via the network of nadis into all the respective organs and parts of the body. The scriptures and tantric texts state that in this physical body there is a complex of 72,000 nadis. I believe this is a conservative estimate. Nadi does not mean nerve. It means a flow, just as electricity, a radio wave or a laser beam is a flow. There are 72,000 channels or flows that carry these two interacting energies of ida and pingala from pore to pore of the human body. There is not one point in this body where you do not have the interaction of these two forces.

In the practices of hatha yoga we are concerned with the balance of ida and pingala; these two interacting forces of prana and mind. When the pranic force predominates and the mental force becomes subservient, there are physical imbalances due, to excess prana in the system. On the other hand, if the mental force is predominant and pranic force subservient, there are diseases related to the mind. This is the definition of somo-psychic and psychosomatic diseases. Diseases do not originate only in the mind, they also originate in the body. Body is part of the mind, and mind is part of the body. Mind and body are not two separate realities. At different stages of manifestation, we know them as body and mind, but in essence they are one.

Science of purification

In order to purify the mind, it is necessary for the body as a whole to undergo a process of absolute purification. Hatha yoga is also known as the science of purification, not one type of purification, but six types. If you take an enema, this is one type of purification; shankhaprakshalana is another. Purification of the whole nervous system is also a part of hatha yoga. Besides purifying the physical body, we have to purify the nadis. The body has to be cleansed in six different ways for six different impurities. When you clear the body of these impurities, the nadis function and the energy blocks are released. Then the energies move like wave frequencies along the physical structure of the channel, and they go right up to the brain.

Therefore, we consider hatha yoga as the preliminary practice of tantra, kundalini yoga and kriya yoga. When the rishis discovered the science of hatha yoga, they did not have yoga therapy in mind. Although yoga has proved to be very effective in the treatment of many impossible and incurable diseases, I consider the therapeutic effect of yoga as a by product and incidental. The main objective of hatha yoga is to create an absolute balance of the interacting activities and processes of the pranic and mental force. When this balance is created, the impulses generated give a call of awakening to sushumna nadi- the central force which is responsible for illumining the higher centres of human consciousness. So the real purpose of hatha yoga is not to build the body or improve the health, but to energise and awaken the higher centres responsible for the evolution of human consciousness. If hatha yoga is not used for this purpose then its true objective is lost.

Basis of transformation

Solar energy represents the sun, prana. Lunar energy represents the moon, mind. These two forces maintain the rhythm of life and consciousness. This is one stage of evolution, but mankind has to evolve. If civilisation is not structured along evolutionary lines, then man has to face disaster, death and absolute extinction. You cannot deny evolution.

Everything in this universe is evolving, even the rocks. If there is metamorphosis in every part of creation, why shouldn’t man’s consciousness undergo this state of metamorphosis? Transformation is a scientific fact. It is not a philosophy, faith or creed. It is the path of evolution and it gives meaning to life. This physical body constantly undergoes various processes of transformation, which affect each and every molecule of its material substance.

Now people have begun to realise that matter in its ultimate form is energy. Therefore, we will have to reanalyse and redefine what the body is and how far this transformation can be effected. Can the body be turned into fight particles? Think about it in terms of science, not in terms of the faith or belief that you have had up until now.

If this body can undergo a state of metamorphosis, then what is the way? The answer is yoga. Through the processes of yoga, the body is rendered so subtle and pure, that it is transformed into a yogic body which is unaffected by old age and disease.

Hatha yoga is practised in order to initiate a process in this physical body, whereby the pranic molecules and the mental forces which interact with each other in the scheme of life and existence, may be transformed. Unless the physical molecules are transformed, it is no use to discuss compassion or unity.

A great challenge is open to us. If matter in its ultimate form is energy, then this physical body can be transformed into solid energy through systematic practice of the six cleansing techniques of hatha yoga: neti, dhauti, basti, nauli, kapalbhati, and trataka. After this, asana and pranayama should be practised.

Dimensions of prana

Hatha yoga is the preparation for pranayama. Most people think of pranayama only as breathing exercises but actually it is far more. In Sanskrit ‘ayama’ literally means dimension, not control. So pranayama is practised in order to extend the dimensions of prana.

Years ago I wanted to know about the dimensions of prana. Has prana many planes of existence? In which planes does prana flow? What happens if prana does not flow? Around that time, I had a dream in which I saw a beautiful city with large roads lined with electricity poles. I went into the buildings and found lights, telephones, televisions, everything, but there was no electricity; the whole city was in complete darkness.

Similarly, within us are planes of existence, areas of consciousness which are in absolute darkness. These planes are much more beautiful and creative than the ones we live on now. But how are we going to penetrate and illumine them? It is useless to talk about the different states of consciousness. You must be able to experience them, even as you experience the state of dream or sleep. When the pranic energy is aroused and awakened through the practice of pranayama, it is circulated to these dark areas of consciousness. Then the inner city is illumined and man is reborn into a new dimension of existence, a new area of experience.

The practical aspect

If you want to achieve this transcendental experience, the practices, of hatha yoga and pranayama should be perfected. Also the rules and recommendations should be observed. This does not mean giving up all the pleasures of life, but, as you well know, ‘You can’t have your cake and eat it too.’ So, once you have decided to step into another dimension of consciousness, you must be ready to sacrifice some of those things which are definitely detrimental to the practice of pranayama and hatha yoga. This is an important point that has to be considered. Therefore, I remind you that the practices of hatha yoga, asanas, and pranayama are ultimately intended for developing the quality of human consciousness- not just the mind. With this knowledge, with this attitude, we can progress through the practices.

Neti is a simple practice in which warm saline water is poured in through one nostril and out the other. With practice, you will be able to take a tumbler of cold water straight in through both nostrils, and you will feel how cooling and refreshing this is, The practices of dhauti are mainly concerned with cleaning the digestive tract. There are several types of dhauti. Kunjal, the stomach wash, is done by drinking saline water and vomiting it out. Vastra dhauti cleans the mucus out of the oesophagus and stomach by swallowing a long thin strip of cloth and then pulling it out. Shankhaprakshalana gives the entire digestive tract a complete wash and overhaul. It involves drinking sixteen glasses of saline water and performing a series of five asanas in between every two glasses. This removes all the decomposed and foul smelling mucus from the intestines.

Basti is the yogic enema in which water or air is sucked up through the anus and then expelled.

Nauli, the abdominal roll, strengthens the abdomen and removes all kinds of abdominal ailments.

Kapalbhati, the frontal bellows pranayama, purifies the frontal region of the brain and prepares the mind for meditation.

Trataka is a concentration technique in which you control the mind by controlling the pupils. This is practised by fixing a point of concentration, for example, the flame of a candle or a black dot. Gaze at this point for a minute, then close your eyes and visualise the counterpoint at the eyebrow centre.

Hatha yoga and pranayama are the foundation of kundalini yoga and tantra. My tradition is Vedanta, but I realise that philosophy is intellectual and you can never reach the point of evolution through the intellect. Intellect becomes a barrier to spiritual awakening, and we have to find a powerful means of transcending it. I have tried many methods, and have found pranayama most effective.

Pranayama

Much has been written about the science of pranayama. Nadi shodhana pranayama is purification of the energy channels. First you breathe in through the left nostril (which stimulates the right side of the brain). Hold your breath. Then breathe out through the right nostril (which stimulates the left side of the brain). Again hold the breath. Breathing in and out is an automatic process. Kumbhaka, holding the breath, is the actual pranayama, and it takes years of practice to perfect. When you have made some progress in the practice of pranayama, and can hold the breath without any discomfort, you have to add moola bandha (contraction of the perineum), uddiyana bandha (abdominal contraction), and jalandhara bandha (chin lock). These control and balance the increased energy throughout the system.

If you practise pranayama, you do not have to worry about the mind; the wild mind does not exist for you. As you go on practising pranayama, you push the pranic force into the different dark areas of your consciousness, and the mind evaporates. There is no thought process. Thoughts are impressions. You are reading this; it is an impression. You become aware of impressions stage by stage, and so you think that they are moving. But thoughts don’t move – they don’t travel into the past, present and future – they are just there, that’s all.

When you change the structure of the physical material, the mental substance automatically undergoes a change. Mind is a further manifestation of the body, and when you influence the mind you also influence the spirit. So, body, mind and spirit are not ‘the trinity’ – they are the unity, one. This is the understanding behind the practices of pranayama and hatha yoga.

In India the practice of bhoo samadhi (underground samadhi) is well known. The yogi is buried underground and stays there in a state of trance for days at a time, his breathing rate and metabolism slowing down remarkably.

Scientists have calculated that an ordinary man would die after two hours in such a situation. But some yogis can voluntarily reduce the rate of their physical processes, so that the need for oxygen is greatly reduced.

In 1977 Swami Satyamurti, who was 102 years old, was buried underground for nine days. After six days he was declared clinically dead. Machines that were recording his pulse rate indicated that his heart had stopped, which meant that his brain was being deprived of oxygen. On the ninth day he emerged from his ‘grave’ in perfect health, as testified to by the medical doctors and the scientists attending the demonstration.

This is a remarkable feat. It may not be a great spiritual feat, but it is certainly a scientific feat and guideline. Through the practice of pranayama, the involuntary processes of body, brain and mind can be mastered. Control over these processes enables you to direct the major course and destiny of your life, and also of your death.

Hatha yoga is a great science which everyone can practise according to his own capacity. Maybe not all, but at least a few techniques can be practised each day. Hatha yoga techniques, along with asanas and a few pranayamas, are sufficient for most people. I have the greatest respect for meditation, but I believe it is necessary to practise these three preparatory limbs first. Then you may go further if necessary. If the preparation is perfect, there will be no need to learn meditation from anyone. One fine morning while practising pranayama, your mind will be lifted into a new realm of consciousness.

Satsang on Hatha Yoga

Are asanas and pranayama included in hatha yoga?

Academically, no. Hatha yoga principally means neti, dhauti, basti, kapalbhati, nauli and trataka, which are termed the shatkarmas. But asana and pranayama are popularly regarded as part of hatha yoga. Asanas are in raja yoga and so is pranayama. I am telling you the academic difference, but actually there is no difference. Hatha yoga and raja yoga are all the same.

Kapalbhati is a shatkarma, but it is also a pranayama and a kriya. Whereas other pranayamas require a somewhat purified system, kapalbhati does not because it purifies, so it comes under the shatkarmas.

Which is the superior practice for an educated person, hatha yoga or gyana yoga?

If an educated man has a physical problem, he should certainly practise hatha yoga. If an uneducated man has philosophical problems, then he should do gyana yoga. It depends on the problem. If you are sick you will ask, ‘To which doctor should I go- surgeon, ayurvedic, homeopathic, allopathic and so on?’ If you have appendicitis, then you must go to a surgeon. Likewise, if a man has physical or mental disorders, if his nadis are not functioning in complete harmony, then he should first take to the practices of hatha yoga.

What is the actual difference in the practice of kapalbhati and bhastrika pranayama?

In both kapalbhati and bhastrika, the respiration is rapid, but in kapalbhati the emphasis is on exhalation, whereas in bhastrika the inhalation and exhalation are equalised. During bhastrika the practitioner is aware of the movement of the abdomen and gains progressive control over it, while in kapalbhati attention is focused on the frontal region of the brain.

Why are bandhas practised with pranayama?

One gains the maximum benefits from pranayama when the bandhas are practised with kumbhaka (breath retention). Pranayama stimulates the flow of prana, and the bandhas control the flow and direct it to the required areas. When you perform moola bandha (locking the perineum) and jalandhara bandha (chin lock), you are forcing apana (the vital energy in the lower part of the body below the navel), to flow upwards and unite with prana (the vital energy in the region of the body between the larynx and the base of the heart).

When prana and apana unite it is a fantastic experience which generates vitality and helps to awaken kundalini.

Is it true that the rishis and munis in the Himalayas practise pranayama to withstand the cold and ice and live for years without food etc.?

In raja yoga there are eight fundamental stages: yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana and samadhi. The first five stages are intended to gradually remove all external distractions and direct the mind inwards. The purpose of pranayama is to awaken the sushumna nadi, because we know that without awakening sushumna you cannot succeed in concentration (dharana). When sushumna wakes up the mind becomes one-pointed without any effort.

In the Himalayas, and other places of the world, there are many mahatmas, rishis and sannyasins who have a very austere life. They are able to maintain themselves by preserving and increasing the pranashakti, or life force, in their physical body. Through intense practice of raja yoga, hatha yoga and dhyana yoga, they are able to completely change the nature and chemical structure of the body so as to withstand these extreme conditions.

With the practice of pranayama, more oxygen may be inhaled but that is not the important point. If oxygen alone is the purpose, then deep breathing would be sufficient. In pranayama inhalation and exhalation must be practised in the ratio of 1:2, because this ratio is most beneficial for the heart. From the pulse you can observe that with inspiration the heart rate speeds up, whereas with expiration it slows down. Therefore, when the ratio of 1:2 is used, the overall effect is that of relaxation of the coronary muscles, but without a reduction of the supply of oxygen to the brain and body tissues. Whereas if you practise 1:4, for example, the effect of relaxation is cancelled because the brain accelerates the heart rate in reaction to a decreased supply of oxygen in the blood.

When kumbhaka is incorporated into pranayama, certain portions of the brain can be controlled. There are two systems in the body known as the voluntary and involuntary nervous systems. You can move the hands, but not the hypothalamus. But through the practices of pranayama, the brain can be trained to act according to your demands. You can stop its functions or accelerate them. This is how many yogis have been able to stop the heart for a number of days and revive it again. The heart is not an independent organ; it is controlled by a higher centre in the hypothalamus of the brain. With control of the brain, you can automatically control your coronary behaviour, body temperature, and digestive system, etc. If there is something wrong in the brain, the heart will immediately stop. Medicine has been used to treat the heart but actually one should look for the cause of the problem in the brain, and rectify it there, because this is the centre of control.

What are the benefits of neti?

Neti purifies the nasal passages and aids in the cure of colds and sinusitis, as well as various diseases of the brain and is therefore beneficial for epilepsy, hysteria, migraine and depression. It gives a general feeling of lightness and freshness in the head and removes drowsiness. Spiritually, it aids in the awakening of ajna chakra. In jala neti water is used and in sutra neti a special waxed cotton thread or a thin rubber catheter is passed into the nostril and pulled through the mouth.

Tell us something about trataka.

The Sanskrit word ‘trataka’ means to steadily gaze. If someone is staring at you for a long time you call it trataka. There are many ways of practising trataka. Some people do trataka on a candle flame, on a black dot, a crystal, the moon, a picture or a symbol, on the reflections in water or their own image in a mirror.

Trataka is a very important practice and a direct method of influencing the brain. The eye is actually an extension of the brain and the optic nerve is one of the twelve cranial nerves that emerge from the brain, not the spinal cord, so therefore, when we engage the optic system we are influencing the brain. The yogis discovered that making the eyes steady by gazing at a point either at the eyebrow centre, the nose tip, or a point outside of the body, immediately and beneficially affects the brain, and this has a reciprocal effect on the eye movements, the retina and the whole visual apparatus.

If you watch a sleeping person you can know whether he is sleeping deeply or dreaming. You can immediately tell by his eye movements whether he is worried, frightened, anxious, dreaming, thinking, sleeping or in samadhi, in deep sleep the eyes may automatically assume shambhavi mudra. When a person is dreaming, there are fluctuations in the eyeballs which can be seen, felt and also measured by machines. In states of profound meditation the eyeballs are usually centred between the eyebrows or at the nose tip, and when a man dies his eyeballs generally go straight up, they never stay in the centre. An anxious person’s eyes are unsteady and by stilling the eyes we can generally overcome the uncontrolled fluctuations of an anxious brain.

Do you recommend the practices of yama and niyama?

When we begin practising yoga and meditation we try our level best to stop the dissipation of energy. The yamas and niyamas are usually recommended for this, but of course everyone is not able to practise them. I think we have to express everything in our lives and let the yamas and niyamas occur naturally. If we try to develop them by restraint, we are likely to be suppressing and we may be causing more harm than good. Many people try to practise yamas and niyamas and they force themselves into a rather rigorous situation.

It is not bad to be truthful; it is not bad to be non-violent, but sometimes we are not able to handle the psycho-emotional situations arising in our life through the practice of those dharmas. Therefore, in order to handle this situation, we have to first purify the whole body and the whole group of nadis. That is why in hatha yoga we have the system of purification of ida and pingala. When we are able to create harmony and equilibrium between the mental and pranic forces in our system, then these great dharmas, these great observances in the raja yoga of Patanjali, become very natural and spontaneous.

The spade work which we have to do in order to make yama and niyama the natural expression of our being, is the practice of hatha yoga. Purification of the 72,000 nadis which carry the computerised impulses throughout the body, and the six hatha yoga body purification techniques create a psychobiological harmony, and this harmony ultimately creates spontaneity of the positive dharma in us.

I am peaceful within and without, not because I am forcing myself to be, but on account of the great transformation that has taken place in the structure of my psychobiological system. It has become my nature to be non-violent and full of love and understanding. In the same way I do not have to force myself to practise brahmacharya because my body has been purified. My psychological and emotional structure has been properly adjusted by balancing the impulses of ida and pingala. Therefore, I am able to retain the hormones in the higher centres. So brahmacharya has become a spontaneous and natural expression of my consciousness. I don’t have to practise it, it is my nature. This is how a positive dharma has to be developed in the form of yama and niyama.

Why should one practise hatha yoga before tantra?

By the practices of hatha yoga you can harmonise the two great forces in man- prana and mind. They are known as ida and pingala and they emanate from mooladhara chakra and join each other in ajna chakra. Their union takes place in the void behind the eyebrow centre and in yoga this place is known as shoonya. In hatha yoga we call it sushumna. When ida and pingala unite, they activate sushumna and for the purpose of activating sushumna, we practise hatha yoga.

If you have practised hatha yoga and have arrived at shoonya, you must then practise raja yoga to experience the consciousness. So firstly union must take place, then an experience comes, and then you meditate on that point. This is raja yoga. When you meditate on that point what happens? The matter and the consciousness are separated, and you go in completely. That is tantra. So, hatha yoga comes first raja yoga next, and then tantra comes last.

(Courtesy Yoga Magazine, March, 1980)

Swami Satyananda Saraswati Given at Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre
in Antwerp, Belgium on 29th Aug.

The modern world is a culture of great variety and diversity. Everywhere we see changes; new developments. On all levels man is broadening his concepts and views, accepting new and more efficient ways of living and achieving his multidimensional goals. The modern mind is completely different to the mind of other cultures and times. It is very practical and aggressive. It works with terrific speed and is always discovering things. The modern mind greatly admires the idealism and the tenets of Christianity, Vedanta and Buddhism, but is unable to assimilate or practise them because they do not fit into its pattern. With this understanding, people today must seek another way of spiritual life which fits the changing patterns of their life and which their minds can accept.

I have pondered this problem for over thirty years, and I have found that the modern mind, the modern society, needs a spiritual way in accordance with its nature. A tiger cannot eat grass; it can only eat meat. It would prefer to die than to graze. The modern mind is a tantric mind. It is not a mind that can assimilate puritanism. It likes flowers, aggressive music, beautiful girls and boys, dance, meat, fish, wine, cigarettes. These are just a few specialities of the modern culture. Many of my disciples are conditioned to this way of life, so I know what happens to them when they cannot get these things. They develop all kinds of physical, emotional and psychic problems.

Therefore, I have come to the conclusion that the way of spiritual life for modern man is not Vedanta or puritanism. Spiritual life has to be taught without creating discord in the life pattern. According to my experience, tantra is the correct system for the people of today. Other yogas may be necessary from time to time, but for spiritual illumination, every man has to follow his own path.

When you suppress the mind, you suppress spiritual advancement. You suppress the mind on account of guilt. This guilt is present in everyone, and it is the greatest barrier in spiritual life. Tantra is the middle way, and its principle is: ‘Do not interfere with the pattern of your life.’

Mending the split

Many people take up yoga and try to become saints overnight. They talk about beautiful ethics, idealism and purity, and denounce everything else. This is criticising life. How can you say that only purity or idealism is life and nothing else? You have to accept the whole life in totality and not in parts, otherwise you are making a religion out of yoga. What is important is spiritual illumination, but have you become spiritually illumined?

The mind is limited by its conditioning, and you have created these conditions for yourself. You have created definitions, but these definitions are not absolute. They are man made definitions, created by socio-political thinkers for the community, for the nation. These things have nothing to do with man’s spiritual progress. If the light is covered by a veil, you have to remove the veil, and that is why I request you to give a thought to this tantric system of yoga.

Now you are slaves of your philosophy and principles. The whole world is making the same mistake. Teachers are behaving like priests or clergymen, preaching something very high. They are asking you to break your minds, to create a split personality. In one corner of the room you practise yoga, and in another corner you read Freud. That is a split; that is a conflict. What spiritual illumination can you expect then? What do you believe in: the puritanism of yoga or the psychology of Freud? You have to put this question to yourself, and I am sure that you will prefer the left corner, because that is your culture and it is more attuned with your patterns of mind.

Traditional Hindus are religious by nature; they believe because that is their culture. In the modern world, however, you have a completely different culture, and therefore spiritual life has to be discovered on the basis of your own culture. Whether it is yoga or Vedanta, Bible or Koran, Gita or Mahabharata, please remember that there should be a uniformity in your life and your spiritual practice. To be very clear, if you drink whisky, your religion should not say it is bad. If you lead a life of sexual interactions, your spiritual faith should not contradict and criticise that. If you take non-vegetarian diet, your spiritual faith should not condemn it. Only when spiritual life is in accord with daily life can you balance your conflicts. This is the path of tantra.

The principle of tantra is very simple. You can practise Christianity, yoga or Vedanta, but please do not criticise your life. In tantra, everything becomes a stepping stone to evolution. The mind stuff, which is constantly evolving, is not clogged or blocked. The mind is like a child. If you pester it constantly saying: ‘Oh, you are bad!’ it soon becomes neurotic and weak. That is why tantra says to treat the mind with respect. Never denigrate the mind, never speak of the mind as bad, evil, devil, full of desires, or the cause of your downfall.

You try to control the mind, but you can never do it. In the name of control, you kill the mind. It is like slapping your child left to right, for everything. If he laughs, you slap; if he weeps, you slap; if he plays games, you slap. What will happen to your child? What is going to happen to your mind? This mind is your best secretary, and it is sick and tired of slapping and control.

Have you ever thought about whom you are controlling, and who is controlling whom? Are you not trying to control yourself? This means that one tendency of the mind is punishing another tendency of the mind. One tendency is the controller and another tendency is the controlled one. Thus you create two divisions in your mind. You are inimical to yourself, you oppose yourself, you are fighting with yourself. Is this the way to spiritual life? This is why you are stranded in spiritual life. In fact, the whole of humanity stands stranded somewhere in between external life and spiritual life, and no one knows which way to go.

Expansion of consciousness

In the history of mankind, spiritual life began with tantra. The cosmic nature taught man to live in a particular way and thereby evolve. Tantra literally means the expansion of mind and liberation of energy, and all the practices of tantra are aimed at this.

The idea of expansion is very important. The human mind functions in limited situations and is dependent on the sensory channels. The senses supply information and then the mind knows. It has a limited field. It is important for the spiritual aspirant to understand how to expand the mind. This process occurs when the mind is able to know without the sensory channels. When you sit for meditation, the mind expands, it is able to experience things without the medium of the senses.

Tantra has a different definition of meditation. Unconsciousness is not meditation. In the state of meditation, both the internal and external dimension of consciousness are combined. In the beginning we try to become aware of the internal consciousness. When you have become a master of inner consciousness, then you should try to combine the inner and the outer consciousness at the same time. For example, if you are inside, you can see the room very well, but you are unable to see outside. If you stand at the threshold, you can see both inside and outside. Then there is no ‘outside’ and ‘inside’; both are the same.

You must remember that in order to have an experience, you need the help of the senses, but you can also have an experience without the senses. This means that there are two kinds of awareness: one is through the senses, the other is without the senses. When you are able to experience through the senses, that is called the worldly experience. But when you are able to be aware without the senses, that is called the inner experience, the transcendental experience. Who is experiencing both of these? One and the same self; the seer is one and not two. This is an important point that you have to remember in tantra. External experience is one type of spiritual experience and inner experience is another type of spiritual experience. The right hand is inner experience and the left hand is outer experience. If you have one hand, you are limited. You need both. Similarly, you should have both awarenesses functioning at the same time, which is the total, homogeneous, complete experience.

Most people think that in the states of dhyana and samadhi, the external experience is finished. In fact it is not. This is one mistake that we have to correct. In meditation and samadhi you are able to have both internal and external experience at the same time, because you are the seer. When you are able to experience inner and outer awareness at the same time, this is known as the expansion of consciousness. When the expansion of consciousness takes place, the energy is automatically liberated.

The middle path

In tantra we have the two eternal realities known as Shiva and Shakti. Shiva is consciousness and Shakti is energy. When the union between consciousness and energy takes place, kundalini wakes up. Similarly, mankind must combine material life with spiritual life, for evolution to take place. Usually, however, this does not happen. People do not try to synthesise them. Instead, they create two separate compartments, the material and the spiritual. When you only care for the material compartment, you become psychotic, neurotic, frustrated. But if you ignore the material and only take an interest in the spiritual compartment, then your spiritual life will be blocked. Therefore you should practise spiritual life in accordance with your nature and your external life.

The science of tantra is very broad. It has accepted the wholeness of life, and this is the future direction of spiritual life in modern society. Otherwise people will become very unnatural, creating extremes in society. You can see that when the emphasis is on puritanism, the other extreme- pornography, arises. There must be a middle path, and that will improve the condition of society and the family as well.

Tantra should be practised on the level of family life. In tantra, the sexual interaction between Shiva and Shakti is considered necessary for spiritual growth. Up to now you have been involved in sexual interactions, but you have always felt guilty about it. You have had a very low opinion of it. Yet this is a natural part of life. Everybody is doing it. Your mother and father have done it; your grandfather and grandmother have done it; yet you feel so bad about it.

According to tantra, the sexual drive is one of mankind’s most powerful urges and no man is able to abstain. It is in his body, mind and subconscious. It is expressed in his behaviour, and if not in his behaviour, then in his dreams; if not in his dreams, then in abnormal psychotic behaviour. It is always there; you can’t get rid of it, whether you are a sannyasi, saint, devotee, bishop, clergyman, boy, girl, man or woman.

So how are you going to manage this indispensable element of your life? It will take some time for you to learn to respect your own urges. You are compelled by your urges, yet you don’t respect them. You don’t believe that there is any way to fulfil them and still progress in the spiritual life. For centuries it has been taught that sexual life is bad, it is dirty, you must give it up. But tantra tells you it is perfect, and for spiritual life it is most important. You don’t have to give it up; you have to continue it. Most people say that sexual life is for progeny and pleasure, but tantra says that the purpose of sexual life is samadhi.

Practical tantra

Tantra helps to sublimate the sexual process so that what you are already doing can be used for higher spiritual evolution. In hatha yoga there are certain practices which should be learned for this purpose from a qualified teacher who knows the science and can tell you how to practise it. These include vajroli, sahajoli, amaroli, uddiyana, kumbhaka and concentration at bhrumadhya (eyebrow centre).

With this system, you don’t have to abandon your family life. Your married life becomes spiritual life; you don’t have to abstain from it or consider it un-yogic or un-spiritual. Then from the time you start to live with your partner, every day is a yogic day. This is one of the most important aspects of tantra.

Mantra

In tantra, mantra is as important as the sexual sacrifice. Sound has three different stages, but we only hear the middle one. When sound vibrates above or below a certain range, it is imperceptible, and when it vibrates within a certain range, it is perceptible. Mantra is the imperceptible sound.

Go to a quiet lake, take a small pebble in your hand and throw it into the water. What happens? Circular motions keep on expanding. Take a bigger pebble and throw it; the circles will be more expanded. Throw a still bigger pebble and you can see the ripples travelling far and wide. That is the effect of mantra on the homogeneity of consciousness.

Mind is like an ocean. Thoughts and memories are not the mind; they are formations of the mind. Waves and bubbles are not the ocean; the totality of water is the ocean. In the same way, the totality of consciousness is the mind. What you know about the mind is very little. You know you have a mind because you think and feel, but to see the mind in its totality is a fantastic experience.

Through mantra, this homogeneity of the mind is affected; when you practise mantra, the sound waves are internalised. They pierce through the conscious mind to the subconscious mind, up to the unconscious mind. The purpose of the mantra is to pierce the totality of the mind, and that is the concept of mantra in tantra yoga. Many people think that mantra is the name of a particular deity. As such it has become a symbol of polytheism, but actually mantra has nothing to do with any religion or sect. It is just a sound, a form of mental energy, which has the capacity to influence and restructure the totality of the mind.

Yantra

Yantras are wonderful figures which symbolise the structure of your psychic body. These yantras have evolved from a point in tantra called bindu. According to tantra, the whole of creation has evolved from bindu, the ultimate point. From this first point you get a triangle; this is one manifestation. Then from the triangle you get a quadrangle; this is another manifestation. Then you get a circle. The point manifests further and further. This is the symbol of external consciousness, of all that you perceive with your senses. Yantra is the symbol of creation, and when you withdraw your mind to that point, you are going back to the point of creativity. The point is a mandala. In tantra the most important thing to concentrate on is the point at the eyebrow centre. When you concentrate on this point, it enlarges and manifests itself in so many forms. That is the process which we know as the expansion of consciousness.

Stepping stones to spiritual life

In order to progress in spiritual life, the practices that you do must not create any further conflicts in your external life, rather they should clear up all the existing conflicts and doubts. Therefore, you must practise in such a way that the movement is smooth. Once you have made a thorough study of tantra you will agree that this is your way, because it is practical. You don’t need to do very much intellectually, but it is important to know how to prepare yourself, what to practise and how to practise it.

Whether one is young or old, the path of tantra is for all. It is not only for those who have control over themselves, but also for those who have terribly restless minds, due to passion, ambition, desire, anger, jealousy, fear, anxiety, frustration, disappointment. All these become stepping stones for those who want spiritual illumination. You don’t have to try to eliminate them, but catch hold of them and go further.

The way is so simple, yet nobody understands it. This is the reason why millions of people are practising spiritual life, but they can’t get anywhere. Everybody’s spiritual life remains stranded, because they do not know the right way to progress. When you sit in an asana you should be able to switch off your mind without any effort. The mind should become your friend, and there should be total uniformity, unity and understanding between one part of yourself and the other part.

Satsang on Tantra and Married Life

Can I accelerate my evolution while living an active family life?

In tantra they talk about acceptance, about living life fully as it should be lived, without negating or rejecting anything.

If a person is destined or determined to reach the highest point of life, whatever he does is a part of yoga. A person who does not want to discover the essence of soul, to experience self-realization or to know the truth, does not progress, even if he goes to the temple or church regularly and lives an ethical and moral life. It is the purpose or aim of life which is important. If I go from here to Rome, the road I take, what I eat or who I talk to on the way matters little, as long as my aim is to get there. The old scriptures talk about the background and birth of some of the great rishis. What made them great? It was not the moral, ethical or social situation in which they were born, but the purpose for which they lived.

One must have an aim, a way, and the courage to follow it consistently. With this, you can evolve wherever you are, whether you live in an ashram or with your family and children.

What happens when the practice of yoga reveals that marriage is just a social institution?

It is because we have forgotten the spiritual purpose of this union that the relationship between man and woman has become socialised into the marital roles of husband and wife. In yoga and in tantra, man and woman are brought together for the fulfilment of something very great.

In the creation of nature, man and woman are complimentary to each other’s spiritual evolution. Anything that transpires between them is a necessary corollary to spiritual life. The process of coming together, living together, working together, sexually interacting together and meditating together, is so important for the evolution of human life. Therefore, the sooner you replace the terms ‘husband’ and ‘wife’ the better, because these words merely represent a legal situation. You may continue to use them if you like, but the spiritual situation is far more important.

Where does a man stand in relation to a woman? The relationship is purely spiritual, not for progeny or pleasure alone. Progeny is the by product of an accident, and you can avoid that accident if you like. Pleasure is a very limited aspect of their coming together. The awakening of kundalini and the higher vision which results from this awakening, is the ultimate purpose for man and woman coming, living, working and striving together. You use the word ‘couple’. The exact translation for this in Sanskrit is maithuna. When two are together, it is called maithuna. From the word maithuna the word maithuna has been derived.

Often jealousy of yoga arises in the case of married couples when one partner practises and the other does not. What is the most practical solution to this problem?

In order to realise the vision of yoga, one does not have to step out of the threshold of married life. If the two partners are not able to understand each other, there is still a way. In the path of tantra, the husband and wife are considered as Shiva and Shakti. Therefore, keeping this relationship in view, the two partners can definitely continue their spiritual life while living at home.

In our modern culture, there is a peculiar tendency. If the husband is yoga-minded, he wants his wife also to be yoga-minded, and vice versa. But if one of them practises and the other one is not able to participate, then they have problems. In family life, the’ relationship between the two partners is paramount. If it is not possible for the wife to convince her husband in terms of hatha yoga or raja yoga, then it is much better that she finds another way of practising yoga with him. It is mainly for this purpose that the science of tantra was founded.

Tantra is not new or difficult. Ultimately you will find it is a part of your culture. It is only tantra that accepts all aspects of life as a part of your great pilgrimage. Tantra alone sees a spiritual purpose and a great meaning in all these things. Therefore it is very suitable for people of the modern age. You have been living the life of a tantric without knowing it. You just have to realise it, accept it, and perhaps give it a little bit of cutting, pruning and modifying. You don’t have to destroy the present structure of your life, you can build up your spiritual life around it.

How can I carry out my family duties with detachment?

The answer lies in the path of tantra, which accepts man’s most natural urge, the sexual action, as a way to spiritual illumination. In tantra, the two partners are known as Shiva and Shakti. Shiva means consciousness, purusha; Shakti means energy, prakriti. In the scheme of creation, Shakti is the main executive; Shiva is detached. He is a silent witness to the whole game of creation. In the same manner, in the interaction between Shiva and Shakti, it is much wiser and more scientific that Shakti becomes the active participant. Then Shiva remains a silent witness and spectator of the whole game. If Shiva becomes active in this game, then he is the loser; and likewise, if Shakti is suppressed and becomes passive, then both are at a loss. Therefore, in maithuna, Shakti is the active partner and Shiva is the passive partner.

In the path of progeny, man, the male member, is the active participant, and woman is only the tool. In the path of pleasure, Shiva is the enjoyer and Shakti is the tool. In both of these, Shakti takes the inferior position and Shiva becomes superior. However, this is an unnatural way, because the whole creation is a miracle of Shakti, not of Shiva. Shiva never participates in creation. Shakti holds the superior position in the scheme of creation. Similarly, in the path of tantra, Shakti should hold the superior position and Shiva should only participate. That is the natural way. If this tantra is properly practised, family life will improve and the rate of separation will come down.

What are the tantric practices for married couples?

Vajroli and sahajoli are practised by householders to improve and spiritualize the marital relationship. Vajroli is the practice for males which gives control over vajra nadi, the nerve centre responsible for sexual passion. Vajra nadi is the conductor of semen. It is comprised of two nerves which pass from the genital organ, down both sides of the groin into the testicles, where they stimulate production of testosterone. Testosterone maintains male sexual function and also stimulates the heart. So, by controlling the vajra nadi, you can control the semen and the heart also.

Vajroli is practised in padmasana or siddhasana. While retaining the breath in jalandhara bandha, you contract the genital area, including the testicles, genital organ and vajra nadi. During this practice the bladder and kidneys are also contracted.

When ejaculation takes place during the normal sexual act, the vajra nadi is filled with blood and vajroli mudra takes place spontaneously, just for a few moments, even if you are not aware of it. But those who have mastered vajroli can control the ejaculation so that it only occurs when they choose, or does not occur at all.

After ejaculation there is a drop in the energy level and depression in the nervous system. But if there is no ejaculation, the energy level remains high, nervous depression does not occur, and the blood pressure level remains steady. At the same time, you will be free from the sense of loss, depression, frustration and guilt. Sexual life is not a cause of weakness. If practised correctly, it brings about a great awakening of energy.

In the tantric process, the experience of energy explosion at the sexual peak has to be controlled. As long as the experience continues, you can direct it to the higher centres. In vajroli the experience takes place in the brain, not in the lower organs. The purpose of vajroli is to maintain this experience for as long as possible without ejaculation. At the peak of sexual interaction, kundalini is awakened.

Sahajoli is the parallel practice for females. Sahajoli is performed in siddha yoni asana. While retaining the breath, the vaginal muscles and urethra are contracted and drawn up. The contraction is the same as when you are trying to hold back from urinating. At this time the uterus, bladder and kidneys are also contracted.

It is most important for those who utilise these practices to maintain the correct attitude towards them. In yoga, sexual life is not practised for any other purpose except samadhi. If that purpose is kept in mind, then samadhi becomes the goal, sexual life the act, and yoga the technique.

Are any preparatory practices necessary?

In my opinion, vajroli and sahajoli should not be practised directly. First you must master kumbhaka, uddiyana bandha and siddhasana. A few asanas like vajrasana, supta vajrasana, shalabhasana and paschimottanasana should also be practised, because they place an automatic contraction on the genital region. When you practise paschimottanasana and hold it for several minutes, you prepare the body for uddiyana bandha. In siddhasana you press the perineum with the heel so that a slight contraction of mooladhara and vajra nadi takes place automatically. Sirshasana is most important because it circulates the blood in the brain.

Please remember that all these practices take time to develop and perfect. You cannot expect results for several years.

How can we overcome feelings of guilt?

You cannot get rid of guilt just through self-analysis. Unless your mind has undergone a change, freedom from guilt is not possible. Guilt is at the root of most human beings. Our behaviour, relationships and ambitions, are guided by the sense of guilt in us. Just because you practise yoga does not mean that you will become free from guilt. When you come to yoga, you still have the notion of good and bad, pure and impure. Those who come to yoga with a free mind, without any notion of duality, of good and evil, perhaps they may be able to eliminate this guilt.

According to tradition, how does the yogi combine family life with spiritual life?

I can give you some examples in history, of yogis who have combined both these aspects, and of others who have renounced.

Lord Krishna, who is supposed to be the Lord of Yoga, was married, not only once, but eight times. Rama, the great disciplinarian, was also married and had children. Lord Shiva, who presides over the yogic consciousness in the east and west today, was married. Tantra itself is the offshoot of Lord Shiva’s true story. There have been many great yogis who led a complete married life. In India today, many householders with a wife and children live the life of a yogi in their own homes.

But there are also many examples of people like Lord Buddha, who renounced his wife, family and kingdom to become a yogi. There is one well known story about Shankaracharya, who renounced and became a sannyasin at the age of seven. He never married. Once during his discussions with a great scholar and exponent of Vedanta philosophy in India, he was confronted with some questions concerning the science of sexual life. Shankaracharya was able to reply to all questions, and the great scholar was not able to match him.

So Bharati, the wife of this great scholar, came and said to Shankaracharya: ‘You have defeated my husband, now you have to tackle the problem with me.’ She put some questions to him about sexual life which he did not seem to know about. So Shankaracharya asked her for a little time to prepare himself.

The story goes that he went to his disciples and through his yogic powers left his body and entered the body of a dead king. On the same day, the ‘king’ came back to life and they brought him from the cremation ground to the palace where he lived a perfect life with his wife. Soon however, the people noticed that his behaviour was different. After all, he was really a saint and a yogi.

The body of Shankaracharya was lying all this time in a cave with his disciples, but Shankaracharya became so engrossed in his life with the queen that he forgot to return to his own body. Ultimately, the soldiers of that state came so close to discovering the dead body that his disciples invoked the mantra which he had taught them in case of any delay, and brought him back to life.

After this he held discussions with Bharati and defeated her also on all matters relating to sexual topics. Both Bharati and her husband became two of the four chief disciples of Shankaracharya.

From the lives of yogis in the past and those who are living in the present, we can conclude that sexual life, or a life of sexual abstention, should be decided only by an overwhelming desire for an experience of higher consciousness. Otherwise it is no use talking about either abstaining or indulging. If you indulge in sex like an ordinary man, then there will be no difference between yourself and him in relation to spiritual progress. At the same time, if you refrain, it is like pulling the tail of an elephant.

You need a great passion to divert your mind from the lesser one. For example, suppose you are fighting a great battle, with guns and cannons shooting forth. In the midst of the fray, you meet a lady. Will you take an interest in her, or will you ignore her and go on fighting? At this historic and overwhelming moment when the passions are high in battle, you are not going to take an interest in anything except the fight. Likewise, there must come a time in your life when you experience passions higher than sex, and only then should you try for abstention- otherwise don’t do it. Instead, finish it off, transcend it, and become a good swami.

Unless you have a greater passion, how can you transcend this lower passion? Until you have realised and discovered this greater energy or passion within you and within everyone, don’t talk about it; it is better to lead a normal married life.

What if you have a higher passion, but you still have an animal body?

If you have higher passions, you will never think about the body. It is like a man who is occupied with a greater mission. He may take some bread and butter or chapatti, but he doesn’t even think about it. He is not aware of what clothes he puts on in the morning or where he sleeps at night. A man with a mission, or a higher passion is not at all aware of the lower fulfilments. It is only this man who can think about abstention. Otherwise, all yoga practitioners should lead a life according to the laws of nature, without resistance. If you have to live in a river, don’t create enmity with the crocodile.

(Courtesy Yoga Magazine, April, 1980)

Swami Satyananda Saraswati
given at Caxton Hall, London on Sept. 18th 1979

The system of tantra is a very controversial and misinterpreted subject, and I do not agree with the way it is being presented in the world today. There are beautiful illustrated books, but they do not represent the tantric science truly and accurately. Therefore, I want to explain what I have been taught about tantra from my guru and my teachers, and how it brought about a metamorphosis in the entire structure of my own thinking.

Tantra is the most ancient spiritual heritage of mankind. It has faced open challenge many times but has always emerged victorious, surviving the tests of time and history. It survives because it is not an institution or a philosophy, but a system whereby man can improve the structure and quality of his body and mind, and transform his ailing personality.

Not only in this century, but for eons past, man has been exploring the possibility of expanding the frontiers of his consciousness. This doesn’t mean that everybody has been aware of the terrible limitations of the mind. Even today there are millions of people who are not at all aware. But we also have a growing population which seeks to experience the expansion of consciousness into the unlimited mind. That aim, that process, and that experience, is tantra, and it has always been with man.

Tantra versus other systems

For those who have practised various meditation systems, the question often arises: ‘What is the difference between tantra and other systems of meditation?’ In other systems of meditation emphasis is laid on concentration of mind and control of the breath and the sensual perceptions, whereas in tantra, we bypass the behaviour of mind. We don’t come into confrontation with the nature of the mind. This is the basic difference.

Etymologically speaking, tantra is a combination of two ideas – the expansion of mind and the liberation of energy. The meaning of tantra, therefore, is a process by which we expand our consciousness and liberate energy. What is expansion of consciousness? We know that our mind has limitations. The mind receives information through the sensory channels, and depending on the information they supply, it acquires knowledge by means of cognition and perception. If you have no eyes, you won’t be able to see, and if you have no ears, you won’t be able to hear. The senses provide stimuli and the mind is able to function on the basis of those stimuli. This is the limitation of ordinary human consciousness. The perceptions are dependent on the quality, the quantity and the procedure of the sensory activities.

Is it possible then, if these sensory channels are dissociated, so that the seat of consciousness, the brain, is isolated, to nevertheless have cognition, perception and knowledge? Is cognition a quality of the mind, or is it dependent on the stimuli that are sent to the brain? In tantra, the consciousness is considered a homogeneous entity. Even without the association of the senses, it is possible to have knowledge, cognition and perception. We don’t have it simply because our consciousness is not given the chance to experience its homogeneous nature.

The mind, the consciousness, is homogeneous, but the whole consciousness is not functioning. In this relative world of the senses, one aspect of consciousness is in operation, but the other areas of consciousness are silent. They are dormant, inactive.

If we know how to activate the silent areas of consciousness, then we can experience the homogeneity of consciousness. This homogeneity of mind is the subject matter of consciousness. Through the practice of meditation, we can isolate the consciousness and achieve total awareness of the entire mind.

In tantra, the science of kundalini yoga is very important because it is a system of awakening the higher energies in man and thereby illumining the entire consciousness. At the base of the spine is a centre which is known as mooladhara chakra, the seat of kundalini. Mooladhara is the switch for another centre at the top of the spine known as ajna chakra, the monitoring centre. In between these two are four more centres lying parallel to the given areas: swadhisthana – pubic bone, manipura – navel, anahata – sternum, and vishuddhi- throat pit. These six centres are situated along an important channel or nadi in the spinal cord known as sushumna. When the consciousness is isolated, when it is disconnected from the sensory associations, the vibrations of mooladhara chakra begin to resonate. Then the energy rises in sushumna, awakening the chakras, and also switching on the higher centres in the brain.

Tantra is a dynamic process’ of meditation, but in other systems we find a passive process. The practitioner simply sits with his eyes closed and tries to face his mental perceptions. But more often he finds himself fighting with them. We hate some of our mental perceptions, and this sometimes brings on psychological tragedy, even if we are unaware of it. Today, meditation has come to mean a state of mind which is unconscious. As such, meditation is not a dynamic process of life, but a process of total elimination of mind and consciousness. In tantra this is totally unacceptable.

What is the purpose of eliminating the mental structure, of hypnotising the processes of mind? What, after all, are we going to gain by that? Our meditation should be aimed at creating a process of activity and dynamism. In the language of tantra, the purpose of meditation is to awaken, not to obliterate, the consciousness. The present state of your mind must follow a process of awakening, not hypnotism. This is the fundamental difference between tantric meditation and other meditations.

I do not believe it is possible to awaken the mind by suppressing it. Withdrawing the perceptions of the mind will never awaken it. Mind is a hub of continuous activity, a continuous flow of events and experiences. Every experience that arises in the mind is a resonant wave of energy manifesting in the form of energy patterns.

A thought is not psychological stuff, or a biological reaction. It is a resonant wave of energy. What is cognition, what is knowledge? Resonant waves of energy. Most people sit in meditation and try to eliminate them all, but this is not the way. Unless an awakening takes place, it is never possible to reach the stage of meditation.

The consciousness has to expand, to keep on flowing through and through all the networks of the mind. You do not have to come into confrontation with the mind, with the area of perception. When you practise tantric meditation and awakening takes place in mooladhara chakra, it does not matter what is happening in your mind. It does not matter what you are thinking, what nature of fantastic imaginings are going on in your mind. It also does not matter if your mind is thinking terrible things.

Thinking about ail kinds of things is the nature of the mind because mind is composed of different principles. Mind is not composed of purity alone. That’s the mistake our religious mentors have made. Total purity cannot be the sole component of the mind, just as total evil cannot be. Mind is a composition of sattva (equilibrium), rajas (activity and dynamism) and tamas (inertia). These three qualities frame the nature and the structure of the mind. As such it will never be possible to extinguish the thoughts and tendencies of the mind; we have to find a different path altogether.

Practices for awakening

In tantric meditation the objective is to activate the silent areas of consciousness. For this, it is not sufficient to just close your eyes. Something more is needed. Therefore, in the practice of tantra the techniques of kriya yoga are of the utmost importance. These practices bring about a change in the energy levels in the whole psycho-physiological structure.

People in both the eastern and western countries have to know the real objective, the ultimate purpose of meditation. There are, of course, people who need meditation for tranquillity, soothing tensions, calming the nervous system, lowering the blood pressure, and creating a state of relaxation. For them, it is not necessary to go into meditation; pratyahara alone is sufficient. When you isolate the consciousness from sense experience, a state called pratyahara is attained, where there is absolute tranquillity and physical and mental relaxation. For many people this is enough and any practice will do very well. That is why many forms of meditation are being practised by people all over the world. But for those sincere aspirants who have become aware that this body is not only made up of flesh and bone, but is a composition of energy, and that this energy can be awakened, for them there is the practice of kriya yoga.

The practices of kriya yoga form the main spiritual techniques in tantra. Kriya yoga is not a system in which you just close your eyes; it is a method in which you activate each and every system, organ, and aspect of your existence. Shakti is the most ancient and the most primal power. During the course of evolution, the energy has been manifesting itself in different states and dimensions. Now we have evolved to the state of human life, and this energy is trying to find a way out, a way up.

In the spinal column there are three important channels. In the centre is sushumna, on the right is pingala, and on the left is ida. These nadis or channels are clearly defined in tantra. Ida is the carrier of the mental energy, and pingala the carrier of pranic energy. These two flow all throughout the day and night. When you stop the flow of these two types of energy, then sushumna, the spiritual channel, begins to flow.

Ida flows through the left nostril, and pingala flows through the right. When you stop both these flows, mooladhara chakra becomes active. Therefore, the practice of pranayama, breath retention or kumbhaka, is of great importance in the awakening process.

Yoga, as we know it, is not an independent system. It is the practical aspect of tantra. When you practise your asanas, pranayama, or any other hatha yoga technique, you are practising tantra. All these practices have a direct bearing on the awakening of sushumna nadi. Unless sushumna nadi wakes up, actual meditation will not take place no matter what method you have employed. Even though the mind is active, if you have a technique by which you can send energy waves through sushumna, the mind will automatically be transcended. You don’t have to control the mind; you have to transcend the mind. That is the key.

People who do not understand this make a mistake with their meditation practices every time they sit down to meditate. They close their eyes and they try to close their mind. Why is it necessary to stop the mind when you can liberate energy by keeping the mental activities intact? The mind has to be made homogeneous; you have to expand it. At the same time, wherever you are, you have to develop the awareness of another existence, another dimension. Then meditation becomes an ongoing process which occurs spontaneously throughout daily life.

Meditation Practice

Please be seated in a comfortable cross legged pose. Close your eyes and chant Om with me 3 times.

Now focus your attention on the tip of your nose. When you try to look at the nose tip with your eyes closed, this is known as nose tip gazing. By fixing the mind on the nose tip you are also steadying the eyes, and when the eyeballs are still, concentration and meditation can occur more easily.

It does not matter if your mind wanders from its concentration point every now and then, but the eyes should remain steady. When your mind and your eyes are fixed on the nose tip, you don’t have to make strenuous efforts to concentrate. Just bring your awareness to the nose tip from time to time. Maintaining awareness of the nose tip, follow the natural movement of the breath.

Witness each inhalation and exhalation.

Without moving your awareness from the breath or the nose tip, listen carefully to the instructions.

The natural breath is usually even, but sometimes it becomes deeper, shorter or longer. It does not matter, the important thing is to maintain awareness of the nose tip and the breath at the same time.

Breathing generally continues involuntarily, but at times you have to voluntarily breathe in and out. If the breath becomes shorter or longer it does not matter. Don’t try to control the breath, merely witness it.

In synchronisation with the breath, begin to mentally repeat your personal mantra, or, if you do not have one, repeat the mantra so-ham. As you inhale use so, as you exhale use ham.

You have to maintain simultaneous awareness of the nose tip, the breath and the mantra. Nose tip gazing helps to stabilise eye movement, and breath awareness makes the mind open and free, so that the mantra penetrates the deeper layers of your consciousness.

Continue mantra repetition with the breath for 10 to 15 minutes.

The breath will become finer and finer, at times it will be deeper and at other times it will be shorter. If you are able to maintain constant awareness of the breath, it will become deeper, but if you lose contact with the breath, due to the fluctuations of the mind, then the breath will become shorter.

The nose tip is a very important centre. If you are able to keep your mind fixed on the nose tip, and at the same time follow the breath, you can influence mooladhara chakra.

If you feel tension when you concentrate on the nose tip, it means you are making too much effort and are not sufficiently relaxed.

Nose tip gazing, breath awareness and mantra repetition should be practised simultaneously. Threefold perception at one instance- this is one way of practising mantra meditation.

Now, for a few moments only, relax your mind – not the body, only the mind.

No nose tip awareness, no breath awareness, and no mantra awareness. Relax the mind completely. Let it go where it chooses, let it think what it wants.

This relaxation of the mind is important if you practise your mantra for a long time. But if you are only practising your mantra meditation for 10 minutes, then it is not necessary.

If you can pause for a minute or two at the end of each 15 minutes of practice, or for 5 minutes at the end, it will be very good.

The nose is shaped like a triangle, you can imagine it. When you concentrate on the nose tip you are fixing your mind on the lower middle point of the base of the triangle.

The right side and the left side are the channels where you feel the inspiration and the expiration. Again, for just a few minutes, witness the breath. Focus your attention on the nose tip and the ingoing and outgoing breath.

Keep going and centrally establish the nose tip as a point. When you are aware of the breath in the proximity of the nose tip, you get a better idea of the breath and also of the nose tip.

Begin to repeat the mantra in synchronisation with the breath, so with inhalation, ham with exhalation. Nose tip awareness, breath awareness and repetition of the mantra.

Now chant Om with me 3 times. Hari Om Tat Sat. You may open your eyes.

This is how mantra meditation should be practised.

(Courtesy Yoga Magazine, March, 1980)

Swami Satyananda Saraswati
given at the Dublin Convention on Sept. 22nd 1979

For thousands of years, you and your ancestors have been working on mind control, and most have either failed or slipped into a state of hypnosis. The mental process is an involuntary process and you cannot cut through it at any point you like. Even if you can stop the thoughts, you can’t stop the process. Mind, thought and consciousness maintain their level. You only have the satisfaction of knowing that you have created a vacuum in your mind-shoonya, void, a thought free mental area. But that’s all delusion; man can never be free from the thought process.

You not only think on the conscious plane – you think even though you are unconscious. When you are extrovert and preoccupied, an unseen, eternal, unbroken and protracted process of thought movement continues behind the mental curtain. You don’t see anything but there is constant movement.

Mind is not a homogeneous substance- mind is a replica of proto-matter, universal mind. You talk about controlling the mind, but what are you talking about? You can definitely streamline and channelize your emotions, the pattern of your thinking and the structure of your ambition- the social mind. But the real mind is invincible and is completely indomitable. Therefore, intelligent people must realise that in order to understand and control the thought process you have to go into the deeper spheres of your mind. That is the science of mantra.

The process

Mantra is not the name of a god or goddess or of a person. It is not a holy word or part of a hymn.

Mantra is not sacred, nor is it a tool for concentration. It is a vehicle for expansion of mind and liberation of energy.

The sounds which you receive and the sounds you make, create resonant waves in the depths and surface of the mind. These sound waves have various forms known as mandalas which go deep and hit the depths of the mind. If you take a pebble and throw it into a pool- circles, waves or ripples are generated. Deep freeze the whole pool immediately and then look at it- follow the ripples and find the point where the pebble hit the water.

The process of mantra is very similar. First of all fix your mind on the nose tip or one of the centres. This is very important, because when the eyeballs move, the rhythms of the brain are affected and shadows move- the level of consciousness does not become steady. For that reason the eyes have to be absolutely steady. In order to create steadiness, you have to find one centre, the nose tip, close the eyes, and fix your mind there. That is point one. Secondly, the nose is directly connected with the perineum, which is the seat of the most important centre in the body- mooladhara chakra. When you concentrate on the nose tip the impulses keep moving from the nose tip right down to the perineum.

After you have been concentrating on the nose tip, become aware of the breath, the natural breath which moves at the speed of fifteen rounds per minute. The breath has to be felt at the nose tip, flowing through both the nasal orifices. Then synchronise your mantra with the natural stream of the breath, either one mantra with inspiration and one with expiration, or more than one mantra with inspiration. That all depends upon the length of your mantra and on your personal choice.

Unlocking Pandora’s box

What happens when you are practising mantra ? More and more thoughts express themselves. Mind becomes wild. As long as you are occupied, you are quiet; your mind is peaceful. But when you begin to concentrate on the mantra, everything comes out from the depths. Does this mean that you are not progressing? Is it a negative symptom? No- during the period when you practise mantra, the wilder the mind becomes, the better it is for you. It is not clarity, tranquillity or passivity of mind that is required. The most important thing is to face the mind- to see the entire process.

Thinking is not a process- it is a panorama. Mind does not move, mind does not walk, mind does not run. It is just a thing. But you see the mind in parts, therefore you think it is moving, just as you see the sun moving but the earth not. This is one of the most important things that all of us must understand. This idea is very important in yoga. It influences the whole mental condition, the state of being. You feel thoughts moving, emotions running wild, passions assailing you. But that’s your experience, your feeling- that’s not a fact. You see the whole thing, part by part, and therefore you feel that the mind is moving from past into present and from present into future, from future into past and from past into future. But it is not like that. Universal mind is a homogeneity; it cannot be separated by time and space. Time and space are in its womb.

Therefore, when you are practising mantra, you should be happy when your mind is developing the areas concerning the past, present and future. When evil and criminal thoughts are awakened in your mind, or when you have thoughts of God and compassion-it is all the same. If you want to crush the evil idea, you must crush the good idea as well. This is a very important point, and it is here that the whole process of life, of evolution, is stuck. Those people who have been able to transcend the barriers of life, have done it only after realising this.

You expect the mind to be calm like a moonlit night, free from clouds and thunder. That’s not expecting something which is possible. When you practise your mantra, please remember that you are not practising it to stop this eternal process; to crush the basis of your faculties, your knowledge, your enlightenment. To crush the mind is to kill life. To suppress an emotion is to destroy the very base of your ambition and desire. Man cannot be anything unless he has the whole mind to work from. The greatest discoveries in history, the greatest victories, the greatest paintings, compositions, and realizations-what are they, but products of the mind.

Therefore, when you practise mantra, please be aware of whatever comes to your mind. Do not put things into categories and compartments: ‘Very nice thoughts I had today, thank God.’ Or, ‘Today my meditation was very bad; throughout the practice I have been having horrible thoughts.’ No, this is where we are making a great mistake. When you fix your mind on the nose tip, on the breath, and on the mantra – the deeper you go the greater will be the manifestation of the whole mind.

Forget about control

The mind has infinite experiences, pictures, realisations and ideas. Therefore, I cannot agree with those people who say: ‘Close your eyes, control your mind and practise mantra. You will come to the light.’ I have practised not for one or two years, but for a whole lifetime, and I know this is not the way.

By trying to control the mind, you are creating a split in your personality. Who are you and whom are you trying to control? As you practise mantra, every time a bad thought comes, you set it aside. Who is doing this, and with whom? Who is the controller, who is controlled and who controls the controlling process? It’s all you – one mind, myself, and two perceptions. You are creating a conflict between the two perceptions that have arisen in you. That’s why the whole civilisation has become schizophrenic and neurotic. For that, you are responsible; your religion, your system of spiritual life, is responsible.

Man does not live by faith or belief. Man lives by an absolutely cruel sense of discovery, and great things have come out of it. Faith and belief have their limitations, but discovery has no limitations. You can explore into eternity, into infinity and keep on going as far as you will. That’s discovery, that’s adventure. But once you stop and say, ‘I have found it’, that is faith or belief, and that is setting limitations to your capacity, to your potentialities.

So when you practise mantra, the deeper you go, the greater areas of the mind you explore. You will not only see the passions, ambitions, dreams, and compassions; you will see horrible fears, thoughts which you could never think on the mental, psychic or para-psychological planes. There is not one moment in the life of a practitioner when the mind is totally vacant.

People come to me every day saying, ‘Swamiji, my mind is very restless and I am not able to concentrate. Kindly give me a mantra.’ I have to tell them, ‘This is not possible. I don’t teach mantra for this purpose. But if you want your unconscious to be exploded, if you want the great treasure to reveal itself, then, I can give you a mantra.’

The science of mantra is not a branch of hatha yoga; it is a part of tantra. In tantra it is said that mantras can influence the totality of human consciousness and destiny. Therefore, when we set out to practise mantra, we should forget one point, control of mind.

Mantra can be practised at any part of the body, not only the nose tip. You can practise mantra awareness at the navel, the centre of the heart, the eyebrow centre, or even sahasrara chakra – the crown lotus on top of the head.

There are four ways in which mantra can be practised: (i) baikhari – aloud, with the mouth; (ii) upanshu – whispering, with movement of the lips; (iii) manasik – silently in the mind, with no movement of the lips or tongue, no stir in the throat; (iv) ajapa japa – spontaneously with the breath.

When the sound is produced in these four different forms, it has different types of waves. When you chant Om aloud or in a whisper, it creates a standing wave. When you repeat it silently in the mind, it produces a resonant wave. Spontaneous mantra synchronised with the breath creates a continuous, rhythmic wave which has a long range of vibration. When you chant the mantra with your mouth or lips, it has a short range of vibration, a very quick rest period.

This doesn’t mean to say that you should not chant aloud, but this is the lower form. Feeling the mantra spontaneously is the higher form. For the best results, mantra should be practised in the following sequence: First chant aloud, producing the sound with your mouth. After a few months, just whisper it on the lips, without producing any vibration. Then later, after a year or so, fix a point at the eyebrow centre, nose tip, or in the heart, and repeat your mantra silently there, synchronising it with the pulse beat. Finally, practise spontaneous awareness of the mantra with the rhythm of the breath. This is the most important form. If the mantra is to penetrate the inner consciousness, to reach the point where thoughts originate, where consciousness emanates and evolution begins, then this last form of spontaneous mantra awareness, ajapa japa, must be practised.

Acceptance of the mind is a very important attitude, especially during the practice of mantra. To live with our own thoughts and feelings is very difficult. People suffer from inferiority and guilt due to their own mind, their own mental behaviour. If you can come out of this by understanding and accepting the mind, many people will want to receive guidance from you. It doesn’t matter how long you can sit in the lotus position. You can hold your mala for fifteen years and still be wrestling with the mind. What matters is that you learn to live with the mind, to understand the mind, and to utilise the perceptions that it is projecting before you. Whenever the mind is disturbed, you must find out what is the cause of the disturbance – the sound, the individual, the situation. Try to become a witness of all that is happening- this is the attitude that must be developed in the practice of mantra. Finally, when you have finished the practice, put your mala down and stop the mantra. Fix your mind on one point, for example, the nose tip or eyebrow centre, for five minutes and visualise the symbol of your mantra there.

If you continue this practice regularly you will treat your own mental problems, and correct your abnormal mental behaviour. You will be your own mental doctor. As well as this, you will develop an intimate friendship with the mind, and all of its fantastic faculties will open up to you. This mind is telepathic, clairvoyant, psycho-telekinetic This mind has infinite qualities- it can create a poem and make you a Milton. It can decide your future and make you a warrior, a soldier, a statesman or a saint. But we must know how to make use of this mind.

Tranquillity is not necessary when you practise mantra, nor is it the aim. If you want to get rid of hypertension, blood pressure or coronary stress, and you are trying to make the mind tranquil, you can expect another heart attack. Tranquillity is an ideal. Man has to learn to live with reality. Nature is living with stress. The universe is living with stress. How long do you want to be like soft butter? Learn to live with stress. That is the ultimate aim. Stress is struggle; struggle is life, and life is progress.

The tantric approach

Why did the tantric tradition give us mantra? In the tantric texts it says that even a person who can’t walk, talk, see, or hear, who is absolutely destitute, with everybody against him, can practise mantra and become enlightened.

Mantra eliminates sickness and madness, not by controlling the mind but by letting the mind open itself. The more you practise mantra, the more you see on the beautiful television before you. You will have endless thoughts, dreams and visions. The practice of mantra lets all the wild animals out of the cage. You may think this is not at all necessary, but I have found that before you can get peace of mind, before you can transcend the mind, you must be able to face all the disturbances of the mind.

If I have a problem and am unable to sleep for three days, I don’t care that my mind is agitated. I believe that the mind must face truth honestly. If I am up against the agony of death, I must face it and experience it. If I am feeling the turbulence of passion, I must face it and experience it.

The purpose of mantra is not to make the brain inactive to these things, but to increase its sensitivity and awareness. This is the tantric system and it teaches you to face facts, with your eyes open. We don’t want people to be like ostriches. Are you ready to unlock the mind and face its manifestations, or do you still want to put a cover over them? If you want to put a cover over them, then you have the hypnotic aspect of mantra meditation. But if you are willing to face them and work them out, then you have the tantric aspect, and mantra is the way.

Satsang on Mantra

I have tried many mantras and have become confused. How do I know which one I should persist with?

Well, the question could be put in a different way, ‘I have married so many times and nothing has succeeded.’ You see, the first thing is to stay with one mantra and continue it. Don’t go on changing the mantra. Don’t go on jumping from guru to guru. There is only one secret of success- stick to something. Even if you are stuck to a very ineffective system it does not matter. Maybe you will reach the goal a little later, but you will reach it. Don’t get fed up with the practice. If you are practising my system stick to it, and if you are practising some other system stick to that. One guru, one mantra – that is called spiritual chastity.

Remember the words ‘spiritual chastity’. Don’t go on with your old habits of flirting, or at least don’t project them into your spiritual life. In material life you may go from this husband to that husband, from this wife to that wife, from this job to that job, from this flat to that flat, from this country to another, and it may all work out all right. But in spiritual life only one thing will work- one-pointed chastity of spiritual purpose.

What is the difference between a personal mantra and a general mantra?

Up to the point of initiation, you can practise any general mantra, but once you have been initiated into a mantra, this becomes your personal mantra and it should not be changed.

There are also special mantras which can be utilised for specific purposes such as influencing your destiny, or to overcome a specific problem. These mantras are discontinued as soon as they have fulfilled their purpose, and are then classified along with the general mantras.

If you already have a guru, is it possible to receive a mantra from another guru?

According to my understanding, the guru has to be properly defined. If you have learned yoga from someone, he is your yoga guru. If you have learned the Gita or the Bible, he is your Gita or Bible guru. If you have been going to him for a long time and learning about spiritual life, then he is your spiritual guru. If he is a spiritually illumined person and you have great respect for him, he is also your guru. Accordingly, one can have many gurus, and the person who gives you a mantra is your mantra guru. So if you have a spiritual master, a Gita or Bible master, a raja yoga or tantra yoga master, you can also have a mantra master. Guru has two aspects i) he teaches you; (ii) he can help you to illumine your consciousness. So you can have these two aspects in one person or in many persons.

What is the benefit of receiving a mantra directly from the guru?

When the mantra is heard from the guru, it is registered by your atman. Then it becomes the seed which grows as you practise your sadhana.

What is the difference between a tantric mantra and a vedic mantra?

Tantric mantras are those which influence the deeper nature of the universe. They are also intended to fulfil certain desires of man. Tantric mantras are very powerful and when you practise them, they create a great force in the atmosphere.

Vedic mantras are intended for worship of the divine and for self-realization. They change the nature of a person and make him more devotional.

Is it necessary to pronounce the mantra correctly?

If you make a mistake in pronouncing the vedic mantras there is no harm. For example, if you are repeating the mantra Om Namah Shivaya and you say Om Nomoh Shivaya, it won’t make much difference. But the tantric mantras must be pronounced absolutely precisely and correctly.

I have found that anyone who listens with awareness can produce the correct sound of the mantra. At first you may not be able to repeat the correct sound aloud, but you can perceive it. After hearing a melody several times, you can think it in your mind, even though you may not be able to sing it. In the same way, if you listen to the pronunciation of the mantra, even if you do not repeat it aloud, you will conceive the correct sound in your mind, and this is enough.

Is the intellectual meaning of mantra important?

The mantra is a combination or assembly of powerful sound waves. As such, the intellectual understanding of the mantra is not at all necessary. It is not the meaning, but the sound waves created by the mantra which influence the cosmos in the brain and outside. There are some mantras which don’t even have a meaning.

The mantra has two basic aspects: sound and form. For example, when you chant Om, it is a sound; when you write Om in script, it is a form. So every mantra has a sound and a form, but the most powerful aspect is the sound. All educated people have a concept of script in their mind. If you are not educated and have no concept of script in your mind, then you will conceive Om as sound only. The problem is- you are not able to separate the sound from the script. If you repeat the sound Om, it is not only the sound, but also the script which follows it. When you are practising a mantra, gradually try to leave the idea of script and follow the sound.

How should the practice of mantra be integrated into the daily routine?

Practise for ten minutes early in the morning before everyone gets up, and again at night just before you go to bed. Also try to remember the mantra and repeat it mentally throughout the day, when you are at work or just sitting.

How important is regularity?

Mantra is so powerful that it can change your destiny, economic situation, physical structure, etc. If you want the mantra to change the whole structure of your life, you must practise it regularly, every morning and evening.

Why is it recommended to chant mantra aloud in the beginning?

Unless your mind is steady and one-pointed, mental repetition of mantra can bring more dissipation.

What is the purpose of chanting Om in groups?

Om chanting is done in groups to raise everyone at the same time. There are two types of Om chanting used for this purpose. One practice is where everybody chants aloud together O-o-m-m-m-m- The other is where everybody chants silently Om, Om, Om. The latter is a relaxed way of chanting used for chakra work. It allows you to be independent. When the group is chanting Om aloud together, they have to keep their minds on each other, but when you are practising silently, you can chant freely in your own rhythm. Om is a combination of three sounds ‘A’, ‘U’ and ‘M’. These three can be pronounced in different ways according to grammatical rules. Generally, however, the combination of ‘A’ and ‘U’ becomes ‘O’. Thus the pronunciation is really O-o-m-m-m-m’

How does a mantra act scientifically?

Every sound and form has a different archetype inside the brain. The process of knowledge takes place through these archetypes. As I am talking to you, knowledge simultaneously takes place inside you, but this process is not based on the actual sounds I am pronouncing. As soon as the sound goes into the brain, it changes its waves and assumes various geometrical patterns. These patterns are the archetypes. Now, in science, the principle is that perception and cognition take place inside through the intermediary archetypes, and what we perceive is not exactly as it was outside.

There are infinite archetypal patterns. In yoga they are known as mandalas and yantras. Scientists have found that by producing certain sounds, certain flower-like shapes were formed. When certain mantras were chanted, they found that they created the archetype of a lotus flower. That is why the lotus is so common in spiritual literature. In the same way, different forms can be created by different mantras.

Sound is a force, and this force affects a certain part of the universe and creates ripples in the vast ocean of the cosmos, just as the electromagnetic or radio waves can’t be heard even though they pass through the atmosphere. In the same way, a mantra has its own field by which it travels. In this universe which we see around us, there are thousands of channels of waves. We call them layers or zones. In one layer radioactivity travels, in another layer electromagnetic waves, in the third layer thought waves.

When you produce a sound it attains a certain frequency. If your mind is dissipated then the frequency is low. If your mind is one-pointed, then the frequency is high. Your mind is a part of the cosmic mind. When you are in concentration, you are a part of the cosmic mind, but when your mind is not concentrated, then you are not in communication with the cosmic mind.

Are the vedic gods created by the archetype of mantra?

Yes, in fact the gods and goddesses that we hear about in religion are only archetypes. Gods and goddesses like Shiva and Parvati are divine archetypes. In Sanskrit, these vedic deities are known as deva, meaning illumination. When your mind is illumined, you can see so many things inside. Within this cosmos there are infinite forms. The human brain is a miniature universe, and whatever you see in the whole cosmos is contained inside. If you can illumine the inside then you can know all about the outside.

What is anusthana and how is it practised?

Anusthana is a traditional practice in which a particular mantra is chanted. There are many kinds of anusthana but the two most important are sadharana anusthana and purashcharana anusthana. Sadharana anusthana is done on all nine days of Navaratri. During this time, simple, bland food is taken and no work is done. Purascharana is a long anusthana in which the mantra is repeated as many hundreds of thousands of times as the number of matras or letters it contains. For example, if the mantra is Om Namah Shivaya, it must be repeated 500,000 times- this means 5000 malas. This can be completed in a short period of time or over a long period at your convenience. If you do not want to undertake the full number, then you can do only half or one quarter. Anusthana is initiated on an auspicious day, for example, the day of an eclipse, when the number of mantras, and perhaps the duration of time, is fixed and a sankalpa or vow is made to complete them. After many years of practice, the sound waves awaken the causal body. We call this mantra siddhi, the perfection of the power of mantra.

(Courtesy Yoga Magazine, March, 1980)

Swami Satyananda Saraswati, Given at Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre in Antwerp, Belgium on 29th Aug.

The modern world is a culture of great variety and diversity. Everywhere we see changes; new developments. On all levels man is broadening his concepts and views, accepting new and more efficient ways of living and achieving his multidimensional goals. The modern mind is completely different to the mind of other cultures and times. It is very practical and aggressive. It works with terrific speed and is always discovering things. The modern mind greatly admires the idealism and the tenets of Christianity, Vedanta and Buddhism, but is unable to assimilate or practise them because they do not fit into its pattern. With this understanding, people today must seek another way of spiritual life which fits the changing patterns of their life and which their minds can accept.

I have pondered this problem for over thirty years, and I have found that the modern mind, the modern society, needs a spiritual way in accordance with its nature. A tiger cannot eat grass; it can only eat meat. It would prefer to die than to graze. The modern mind is a tantric mind. It is not a mind that can assimilate puritanism. It likes flowers, aggressive music, beautiful girls and boys, dance, meat, fish, wine, cigarettes. These are just a few specialities of the modern culture. Many of my disciples are conditioned to this way of life, so I know what happens to them when they cannot get these things. They develop all kinds of physical, emotional and psychic problems.

Therefore, I have come to the conclusion that the way of spiritual life for modern man is not Vedanta or puritanism. Spiritual life has to be taught without creating discord in the life pattern. According to my experience, tantra is the correct system for the people of today. Other yogas may be necessary from time to time, but for spiritual illumination, every man has to follow his own path.

When you suppress the mind, you suppress spiritual advancement. You suppress the mind on account of guilt. This guilt is present in everyone, and it is the greatest barrier in spiritual life. Tantra is the middle way, and its principle is: ‘Do not interfere with the pattern of your life.’

Mending the split

Many people take up yoga and try to become saints overnight. They talk about beautiful ethics, idealism and purity, and denounce everything else. This is criticising life. How can you say that only purity or idealism is life and nothing else? You have to accept the whole life in totality and not in parts, otherwise you are making a religion out of yoga. What is important is spiritual illumination, but have you become spiritually illumined?

The mind is limited by its conditioning, and you have created these conditions for yourself. You have created definitions, but these definitions are not absolute. They are man made definitions, created by socio-political thinkers for the community, for the nation. These things have nothing to do with man’s spiritual progress. If the light is covered by a veil, you have to remove the veil, and that is why I request you to give a thought to this tantric system of yoga.

Now you are slaves of your philosophy and principles. The whole world is making the same mistake. Teachers are behaving like priests or clergymen, preaching something very high. They are asking you to break your minds, to create a split personality. In one corner of the room you practise yoga, and in another corner you read Freud. That is a split; that is a conflict. What spiritual illumination can you expect then? What do you believe in: the puritanism of yoga or the psychology of Freud? You have to put this question to yourself, and I am sure that you will prefer the left corner, because that is your culture and it is more attuned with your patterns of mind.

Traditional Hindus are religious by nature; they believe because that is their culture. In the modern world, however, you have a completely different culture, and therefore spiritual life has to be discovered on the basis of your own culture. Whether it is yoga or Vedanta, Bible or Koran, Gita or Mahabharata, please remember that there should be a uniformity in your life and your spiritual practice. To be very clear, if you drink whisky, your religion should not say it is bad. If you lead a life of sexual interactions, your spiritual faith should not contradict and criticise that. If you take non-vegetarian diet, your spiritual faith should not condemn it. Only when spiritual life is in accord with daily life can you balance your conflicts. This is the path of tantra.

The principle of tantra is very simple. You can practise Christianity, yoga or Vedanta, but please do not criticise your life. In tantra, everything becomes a stepping stone to evolution. The mind stuff, which is constantly evolving, is not clogged or blocked. The mind is like a child. If you pester it constantly saying: ‘Oh, you are bad!’ it soon becomes neurotic and weak. That is why tantra says to treat the mind with respect. Never denigrate the mind, never speak of the mind as bad, evil, devil, full of desires, or the cause of your downfall.

You try to control the mind, but you can never do it. In the name of control, you kill the mind. It is like slapping your child left to right, for everything. If he laughs, you slap; if he weeps, you slap; if he plays games, you slap. What will happen to your child? What is going to happen to your mind? This mind is your best secretary, and it is sick and tired of slapping and control.

Have you ever thought about whom you are controlling, and who is controlling whom? Are you not trying to control yourself? This means that one tendency of the mind is punishing another tendency of the mind. One tendency is the controller and another tendency is the controlled one. Thus you create two divisions in your mind. You are inimical to yourself, you oppose yourself, you are fighting with yourself. Is this the way to spiritual life? This is why you are stranded in spiritual life. In fact, the whole of humanity stands stranded somewhere in between external life and spiritual life, and no one knows which way to go.

Expansion of consciousness

In the history of mankind, spiritual life began with tantra. The cosmic nature taught man to live in a particular way and thereby evolve. Tantra literally means the expansion of mind and liberation of energy, and all the practices of tantra are aimed at this.

The idea of expansion is very important. The human mind functions in limited situations and is dependent on the sensory channels. The senses supply information and then the mind knows. It has a limited field. It is important for the spiritual aspirant to understand how to expand the mind. This process occurs when the mind is able to know without the sensory channels. When you sit for meditation, the mind expands, it is able to experience things without the medium of the senses.

Tantra has a different definition of meditation. Unconsciousness is not meditation. In the state of meditation, both the internal and external dimension of consciousness are combined. In the beginning we try to become aware of the internal consciousness. When you have become a master of inner consciousness, then you should try to combine the inner and the outer consciousness at the same time. For example, if you are inside, you can see the room very well, but you are unable to see outside. If you stand at the threshold, you can see both inside and outside. Then there is no ‘outside’ and ‘inside’; both are the same.

You must remember that in order to have an experience, you need the help of the senses, but you can also have an experience without the senses. This means that there are two kinds of awareness: one is through the senses, the other is without the senses. When you are able to experience through the senses, that is called the worldly experience. But when you are able to be aware without the senses, that is called the inner experience, the transcendental experience. Who is experiencing both of these? One and the same self; the seer is one and not two. This is an important point that you have to remember in tantra. External experience is one type of spiritual experience and inner experience is another type of spiritual experience. The right hand is inner experience and the left hand is outer experience. If you have one hand, you are limited. You need both. Similarly, you should have both awarenesses functioning at the same time, which is the total, homogeneous, complete experience.

Most people think that in the states of dhyana and samadhi, the external experience is finished. In fact it is not. This is one mistake that we have to correct. In meditation and samadhi you are able to have both internal and external experience at the same time, because you are the seer. When you are able to experience inner and outer awareness at the same time, this is known as the expansion of consciousness. When the expansion of consciousness takes place, the energy is automatically liberated.

The middle path

In tantra we have the two eternal realities known as Shiva and Shakti. Shiva is consciousness and Shakti is energy. When the union between consciousness and energy takes place, kundalini wakes up. Similarly, mankind must combine material life with spiritual life, for evolution to take place. Usually, however, this does not happen. People do not try to synthesise them. Instead, they create two separate compartments, the material and the spiritual. When you only care for the material compartment, you become psychotic, neurotic, frustrated. But if you ignore the material and only take an interest in the spiritual compartment, then your spiritual life will be blocked. Therefore you should practise spiritual life in accordance with your nature and your external life.

The science of tantra is very broad. It has accepted the wholeness of life, and this is the future direction of spiritual life in modern society. Otherwise people will become very unnatural, creating extremes in society. You can see that when the emphasis is on puritanism, the other extreme- pornography, arises. There must be a middle path, and that will improve the condition of society and the family as well.

Tantra should be practised on the level of family life. In tantra, the sexual interaction between Shiva and Shakti is considered necessary for spiritual growth. Up to now you have been involved in sexual interactions, but you have always felt guilty about it. You have had a very low opinion of it. Yet this is a natural part of life. Everybody is doing it. Your mother and father have done it; your grandfather and grandmother have done it; yet you feel so bad about it.

According to tantra, the sexual drive is one of mankind’s most powerful urges and no man is able to abstain. It is in his body, mind and subconscious. It is expressed in his behaviour, and if not in his behaviour, then in his dreams; if not in his dreams, then in abnormal psychotic behaviour. It is always there; you can’t get rid of it, whether you are a sannyasi, saint, devotee, bishop, clergyman, boy, girl, man or woman.

So how are you going to manage this indispensable element of your life? It will take some time for you to learn to respect your own urges. You are compelled by your urges, yet you don’t respect them. You don’t believe that there is any way to fulfil them and still progress in the spiritual life. For centuries it has been taught that sexual life is bad, it is dirty, you must give it up. But tantra tells you it is perfect, and for spiritual life it is most important. You don’t have to give it up; you have to continue it. Most people say that sexual life is for progeny and pleasure, but tantra says that the purpose of sexual life is samadhi.

Practical tantra

Tantra helps to sublimate the sexual process so that what you are already doing can be used for higher spiritual evolution. In hatha yoga there are certain practices which should be learned for this purpose from a qualified teacher who knows the science and can tell you how to practise it. These include vajroli, sahajoli, amaroli, uddiyana, kumbhaka and concentration at bhrumadhya (eyebrow centre).

With this system, you don’t have to abandon your family life. Your married life becomes spiritual life; you don’t have to abstain from it or consider it un-yogic or un-spiritual. Then from the time you start to live with your partner, every day is a yogic day. This is one of the most important aspects of tantra.

Mantra

In tantra, mantra is as important as the sexual sacrifice. Sound has three different stages, but we only hear the middle one. When sound vibrates above or below a certain range, it is imperceptible, and when it vibrates within a certain range, it is perceptible. Mantra is the imperceptible sound.

Go to a quiet lake, take a small pebble in your hand and throw it into the water. What happens? Circular motions keep on expanding. Take a bigger pebble and throw it; the circles will be more expanded. Throw a still bigger pebble and you can see the ripples travelling far and wide. That is the effect of mantra on the homogeneity of consciousness.

Mind is like an ocean. Thoughts and memories are not the mind; they are formations of the mind. Waves and bubbles are not the ocean; the totality of water is the ocean. In the same way, the totality of consciousness is the mind. What you know about the mind is very little. You know you have a mind because you think and feel, but to see the mind in its totality is a fantastic experience.

Through mantra, this homogeneity of the mind is affected; when you practise mantra, the sound waves are internalised. They pierce through the conscious mind to the subconscious mind, up to the unconscious mind. The purpose of the mantra is to pierce the totality of the mind, and that is the concept of mantra in tantra yoga. Many people think that mantra is the name of a particular deity. As such it has become a symbol of polytheism, but actually mantra has nothing to do with any religion or sect. It is just a sound, a form of mental energy, which has the capacity to influence and restructure the totality of the mind.

Yantra

Yantras are wonderful figures which symbolise the structure of your psychic body. These yantras have evolved from a point in tantra called bindu. According to tantra, the whole of creation has evolved from bindu, the ultimate point. From this first point you get a triangle; this is one manifestation. Then from the triangle you get a quadrangle; this is another manifestation. Then you get a circle. The point manifests further and further. This is the symbol of external consciousness, of all that you perceive with your senses. Yantra is the symbol of creation, and when you withdraw your mind to that point, you are going back to the point of creativity. The point is a mandala. In tantra the most important thing to concentrate on is the point at the eyebrow centre. When you concentrate on this point, it enlarges and manifests itself in so many forms. That is the process which we know as the expansion of consciousness.

Stepping stones to spiritual life

In order to progress in spiritual life, the practices that you do must not create any further conflicts in your external life, rather they should clear up all the existing conflicts and doubts. Therefore, you must practise in such a way that the movement is smooth. Once you have made a thorough study of tantra you will agree that this is your way, because it is practical. You don’t need to do very much intellectually, but it is important to know how to prepare yourself, what to practise and how to practise it.

Whether one is young or old, the path of tantra is for all. It is not only for those who have control over themselves, but also for those who have terribly restless minds, due to passion, ambition, desire, anger, jealousy, fear, anxiety, frustration, disappointment. All these become stepping stones for those who want spiritual illumination. You don’t have to try to eliminate them, but catch hold of them and go further.

The way is so simple, yet nobody understands it. This is the reason why millions of people are practising spiritual life, but they can’t get anywhere. Everybody’s spiritual life remains stranded, because they do not know the right way to progress. When you sit in an asana you should be able to switch off your mind without any effort. The mind should become your friend, and there should be total uniformity, unity and understanding between one part of yourself and the other part.

Satsang on Tantra and Married Life

Can I accelerate my evolution while living an active family life?

In tantra they talk about acceptance, about living life fully as it should be lived, without negating or rejecting anything.

If a person is destined or determined to reach the highest point of life, whatever he does is a part of yoga. A person who does not want to discover the essence of soul, to experience self-realization or to know the truth, does not progress, even if he goes to the temple or church regularly and lives an ethical and moral life. It is the purpose or aim of life which is important. If I go from here to Rome, the road I take, what I eat or who I talk to on the way matters little, as long as my aim is to get there. The old scriptures talk about the background and birth of some of the great rishis. What made them great? It was not the moral, ethical or social situation in which they were born, but the purpose for which they lived.

One must have an aim, a way, and the courage to follow it consistently. With this, you can evolve wherever you are, whether you live in an ashram or with your family and children.

What happens when the practice of yoga reveals that marriage is just a social institution?

It is because we have forgotten the spiritual purpose of this union that the relationship between man and woman has become socialised into the marital roles of husband and wife. In yoga and in tantra, man and woman are brought together for the fulfilment of something very great.

In the creation of nature, man and woman are complimentary to each other’s spiritual evolution. Anything that transpires between them is a necessary corollary to spiritual life. The process of coming together, living together, working together, sexually interacting together and meditating together, is so important for the evolution of human life. Therefore, the sooner you replace the terms ‘husband’ and ‘wife’ the better, because these words merely represent a legal situation. You may continue to use them if you like, but the spiritual situation is far more important.

Where does a man stand in relation to a woman? The relationship is purely spiritual, not for progeny or pleasure alone. Progeny is the by product of an accident, and you can avoid that accident if you like. Pleasure is a very limited aspect of their coming together. The awakening of kundalini and the higher vision which results from this awakening, is the ultimate purpose for man and woman coming, living, working and striving together. You use the word ‘couple’. The exact translation for this in Sanskrit is maithuna. When two are together, it is called maithuna. From the word maithuna the word maithuna has been derived.

Often jealousy of yoga arises in the case of married couples when one partner practises and the other does not. What is the most practical solution to this problem?

In order to realise the vision of yoga, one does not have to step out of the threshold of married life. If the two partners are not able to understand each other, there is still a way. In the path of tantra, the husband and wife are considered as Shiva and Shakti. Therefore, keeping this relationship in view, the two partners can definitely continue their spiritual life while living at home.

In our modern culture, there is a peculiar tendency. If the husband is yoga-minded, he wants his wife also to be yoga-minded, and vice versa. But if one of them practises and the other one is not able to participate, then they have problems. In family life, the’ relationship between the two partners is paramount. If it is not possible for the wife to convince her husband in terms of hatha yoga or raja yoga, then it is much better that she finds another way of practising yoga with him. It is mainly for this purpose that the science of tantra was founded.

Tantra is not new or difficult. Ultimately you will find it is a part of your culture. It is only tantra that accepts all aspects of life as a part of your great pilgrimage. Tantra alone sees a spiritual purpose and a great meaning in all these things. Therefore it is very suitable for people of the modern age. You have been living the life of a tantric without knowing it. You just have to realise it, accept it, and perhaps give it a little bit of cutting, pruning and modifying. You don’t have to destroy the present structure of your life, you can build up your spiritual life around it.

How can I carry out my family duties with detachment?

The answer lies in the path of tantra, which accepts man’s most natural urge, the sexual action, as a way to spiritual illumination. In tantra, the two partners are known as Shiva and Shakti. Shiva means consciousness, purusha; Shakti means energy, prakriti. In the scheme of creation, Shakti is the main executive; Shiva is detached. He is a silent witness to the whole game of creation. In the same manner, in the interaction between Shiva and Shakti, it is much wiser and more scientific that Shakti becomes the active participant. Then Shiva remains a silent witness and spectator of the whole game. If Shiva becomes active in this game, then he is the loser; and likewise, if Shakti is suppressed and becomes passive, then both are at a loss. Therefore, in maithuna, Shakti is the active partner and Shiva is the passive partner.

In the path of progeny, man, the male member, is the active participant, and woman is only the tool. In the path of pleasure, Shiva is the enjoyer and Shakti is the tool. In both of these, Shakti takes the inferior position and Shiva becomes superior. However, this is an unnatural way, because the whole creation is a miracle of Shakti, not of Shiva. Shiva never participates in creation. Shakti holds the superior position in the scheme of creation. Similarly, in the path of tantra, Shakti should hold the superior position and Shiva should only participate. That is the natural way. If this tantra is properly practised, family life will improve and the rate of separation will come down.

What are the tantric practices for married couples?

Vajroli and sahajoli are practised by householders to improve and spiritualize the marital relationship. Vajroli is the practice for males which gives control over vajra nadi, the nerve centre responsible for sexual passion. Vajra nadi is the conductor of semen. It is comprised of two nerves which pass from the genital organ, down both sides of the groin into the testicles, where they stimulate production of testosterone. Testosterone maintains male sexual function and also stimulates the heart. So, by controlling the vajra nadi, you can control the semen and the heart also.

Vajroli is practised in padmasana or siddhasana. While retaining the breath in jalandhara bandha, you contract the genital area, including the testicles, genital organ and vajra nadi. During this practice the bladder and kidneys are also contracted.

When ejaculation takes place during the normal sexual act, the vajra nadi is filled with blood and vajroli mudra takes place spontaneously, just for a few moments, even if you are not aware of it. But those who have mastered vajroli can control the ejaculation so that it only occurs when they choose, or does not occur at all.

After ejaculation there is a drop in the energy level and depression in the nervous system. But if there is no ejaculation, the energy level remains high, nervous depression does not occur, and the blood pressure level remains steady. At the same time, you will be free from the sense of loss, depression, frustration and guilt. Sexual life is not a cause of weakness. If practised correctly, it brings about a great awakening of energy.

In the tantric process, the experience of energy explosion at the sexual peak has to be controlled. As long as the experience continues, you can direct it to the higher centres. In vajroli the experience takes place in the brain, not in the lower organs. The purpose of vajroli is to maintain this experience for as long as possible without ejaculation. At the peak of sexual interaction, kundalini is awakened.

Sahajoli is the parallel practice for females. Sahajoli is performed in siddha yoni asana. While retaining the breath, the vaginal muscles and urethra are contracted and drawn up. The contraction is the same as when you are trying to hold back from urinating. At this time the uterus, bladder and kidneys are also contracted.

It is most important for those who utilise these practices to maintain the correct attitude towards them. In yoga, sexual life is not practised for any other purpose except samadhi. If that purpose is kept in mind, then samadhi becomes the goal, sexual life the act, and yoga the technique.

Are any preparatory practices necessary?

In my opinion, vajroli and sahajoli should not be practised directly. First you must master kumbhaka, uddiyana bandha and siddhasana. A few asanas like vajrasana, supta vajrasana, shalabhasana and paschimottanasana should also be practised, because they place an automatic contraction on the genital region. When you practise paschimottanasana and hold it for several minutes, you prepare the body for uddiyana bandha. In siddhasana you press the perineum with the heel so that a slight contraction of mooladhara and vajra nadi takes place automatically. Sirshasana is most important because it circulates the blood in the brain.

Please remember that all these practices take time to develop and perfect. You cannot expect results for several years.

How can we overcome feelings of guilt?

You cannot get rid of guilt just through self-analysis. Unless your mind has undergone a change, freedom from guilt is not possible. Guilt is at the root of most human beings. Our behaviour, relationships and ambitions, are guided by the sense of guilt in us. Just because you practise yoga does not mean that you will become free from guilt. When you come to yoga, you still have the notion of good and bad, pure and impure. Those who come to yoga with a free mind, without any notion of duality, of good and evil, perhaps they may be able to eliminate this guilt.

According to tradition, how does the yogi combine family life with spiritual life?

I can give you some examples in history, of yogis who have combined both these aspects, and of others who have renounced.

Lord Krishna, who is supposed to be the Lord of Yoga, was married, not only once, but eight times. Rama, the great disciplinarian, was also married and had children. Lord Shiva, who presides over the yogic consciousness in the east and west today, was married. Tantra itself is the offshoot of Lord Shiva’s true story. There have been many great yogis who led a complete married life. In India today, many householders with a wife and children live the life of a yogi in their own homes.

But there are also many examples of people like Lord Buddha, who renounced his wife, family and kingdom to become a yogi. There is one well known story about Shankaracharya, who renounced and became a sannyasin at the age of seven. He never married. Once during his discussions with a great scholar and exponent of Vedanta philosophy in India, he was confronted with some questions concerning the science of sexual life. Shankaracharya was able to reply to all questions, and the great scholar was not able to match him.

So Bharati, the wife of this great scholar, came and said to Shankaracharya: ‘You have defeated my husband, now you have to tackle the problem with me.’ She put some questions to him about sexual life which he did not seem to know about. So Shankaracharya asked her for a little time to prepare himself.

The story goes that he went to his disciples and through his yogic powers left his body and entered the body of a dead king. On the same day, the ‘king’ came back to life and they brought him from the cremation ground to the palace where he lived a perfect life with his wife. Soon however, the people noticed that his behaviour was different. After all, he was really a saint and a yogi.

The body of Shankaracharya was lying all this time in a cave with his disciples, but Shankaracharya became so engrossed in his life with the queen that he forgot to return to his own body. Ultimately, the soldiers of that state came so close to discovering the dead body that his disciples invoked the mantra which he had taught them in case of any delay, and brought him back to life.

After this he held discussions with Bharati and defeated her also on all matters relating to sexual topics. Both Bharati and her husband became two of the four chief disciples of Shankaracharya.

From the lives of yogis in the past and those who are living in the present, we can conclude that sexual life, or a life of sexual abstention, should be decided only by an overwhelming desire for an experience of higher consciousness. Otherwise it is no use talking about either abstaining or indulging. If you indulge in sex like an ordinary man, then there will be no difference between yourself and him in relation to spiritual progress. At the same time, if you refrain, it is like pulling the tail of an elephant.

You need a great passion to divert your mind from the lesser one. For example, suppose you are fighting a great battle, with guns and cannons shooting forth. In the midst of the fray, you meet a lady. Will you take an interest in her, or will you ignore her and go on fighting? At this historic and overwhelming moment when the passions are high in battle, you are not going to take an interest in anything except the fight. Likewise, there must come a time in your life when you experience passions higher than sex, and only then should you try for abstention- otherwise don’t do it. Instead, finish it off, transcend it, and become a good swami.

Unless you have a greater passion, how can you transcend this lower passion? Until you have realised and discovered this greater energy or passion within you and within everyone, don’t talk about it; it is better to lead a normal married life.

What if you have a higher passion, but you still have an animal body?

If you have higher passions, you will never think about the body. It is like a man who is occupied with a greater mission. He may take some bread and butter or chapatti, but he doesn’t even think about it. He is not aware of what clothes he puts on in the morning or where he sleeps at night. A man with a mission, or a higher passion is not at all aware of the lower fulfilments. It is only this man who can think about abstention. Otherwise, all yoga practitioners should lead a life according to the laws of nature, without resistance. If you have to live in a river, don’t create enmity with the crocodile.

(Courtesy Yoga Magazine, April. 1980 )