Saturday, May 9, 2009

Tantra Yoga - Facts You Never Knew

By Abhishek Agarwal

In Tantra Yoga the physical well being of the person who practices it gets boosted. In Tantra yoga a person needs to be totally committed and it is this commitment which forms the basis of the yoga. People who practice this kind of yoga are called tantriks. These people not only worship their own body but will go to any lengths to attain occult powers.

This form of yoga is not in practice among most people in India today though it was widely practiced by some adepts living in certain parts of the country and those living in the high mountains of the Himalayas.

The origins of Tantra yoga still remains a mystery to many people. Researchers believe that it was the Pre-Aryans who were the founders of this system of yoga but still others are of the opinion that the origins of this yoga are attributed to the early men. This yoga is said to have been in existence around the same time as Buddhism. It is because of this that some of the Tantrik symbols and signs have been used by the Buddhists.

It was much later that this yoga actually became a separate group. Tantras are similar to the Vedas and are a collection of poetic verses. Here there is elaborate description of the various methods on proper worship and love of the divine.

Most of the verses are vague and difficult to understand y the layman so most people find it rather spiritual and think they are meant only for those who practice the tanrtik rituals. The people who practice Tantra yoga are known as Sadhaks and they normally lead a life of utter simplicity. For them their very practice is prayer. These people are found meditating in lonely and secluded places far away from the reaches of society. They can be distinguished and recognized only through the robes they wear and the begging bowl that they carry. Sometimes they are also found selling medicinal herbs, shells, and trinkets.

There is another facet to Tantra yoga also where the yogi or sadhak performs a number of difficult austerities using his body. In Tantra Yoga sex and love making are given importance and is widely practiced by those following this system of yoga.

Many who practice this yoga believe that to achieve siddhi or supernatural powers one has to awaken the dormant Kundalini or serpent power. Practice of a certain type of meditation can awaken this serpent power. It is believed that constant and arduous practice of this particular meditation causes the serpent to gradually uncoil and rise very slowly. The uncoiled serpent energy then slowly begins to rise through the spin. Once awakened it is believed that tremendous energy is released which causes the skin to feel hot and sweat begins to flow profusely till the person experiences a stinging feeling. This practice is extremely dangerous as it can also destroy the person totally if this meditation is not performed with caution and under strict supervision. The sadhak experiences sensational pleasure when the energy touches its peak. The person becomes a sage or Sadhu on achieving this state. Tantra also involves the debauched means of acquiring of mystical powers.

Tantra yoga is believed to help a person to be more sexually active as it improves both their general and sexual health. There are different exercises that can be performed at sunrise and bedtime which helps to stimulate the whole body making the person feel energetic.