Tantric Yoga

The following article will take you through the basic concept of tantric yoga and try to dispel the doubts that you might have about this form of yoga. Continue reading for more details.

Tantric yoga is often looked upon as a form of exercise that couples undertake in order to attain increased pleasure in the physical act of making love. But that is exactly what tantric yoga is not. Even though attaining higher, more pleasurable forms of making love is one of the advantages of practicing tantric yoga, it is not the only reason why it is done.

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.

Power Yoga For Modern Living

This power yoga routine is excellent for a total body warm up before you begin your exercise program and, in fact, is a very good workout in itself. It stretches your muscles and works your breathing, as well as strengthens your arms, back, chest and legs. It is important to breathe fully and to do each part of the exercise slowly. Do not hurry through this and concentrate on your breathing throughout.

You start in a standing position with your arms hanging at your side. Slowly breathe in deeply while you look to the ceiling and raise your arms overhead. Try to touch the sky. Slowly bend forward, breathing out, and touch your hands to the floor. Keep your legs as straight as possible but it is important that you stretch down as much as possible. In the beginning, you will probably have to bend your legs. Your head is close to your body and you want to look between your legs. If you are limber, place your palms flat on the floor. Breathe in and, holding the same position, lift your head and look forward. Breathe out and walk your feet backward as you get into a pushup position.

When you become efficient at this routine, you can jump back into position if you like. Breathing in, lower your belly close to the floor, at the same time shift your feet so the top of your feet are flat on the floor and stretch your upper body upward. You stretch your neck muscles as well by looking up at the ceiling. Breathe out and move your body so that the bottom of your feet are now flat on the floor and your butt is as high in the air as possible. Look between your legs. You are in an inverted V position. Breathe in and walk your feet forward until you are back into the position where you are touching the floor with your head close to your body and you are looking forward. Breathe out and lower your head so you are now looking between your legs again. Breathe in and slowly stretch up, standing and reaching for the sky, looking at the ceiling. Now breathe out and return to your starting position, hands at your side. You have just completed one set.

Your goal is to work up to five sets eventually. Remember to concentrate on your breathing. When you breathe in, do it slowly and take in as much breath as possible. When you breathe out, exhale all your breath and try to touch your back with your belly button. Do these before exercising or do them first thing in the morning to get your body ready to face the day.

Tantric Yoga Positions

By Sarah Noelle Williams

The ancestry of the classic Tantra started as early as the Indus Valley civilization. The principal goal is to integrate or unify the male and female perspectives within an individual in order to attain artistic thinking and spiritual conversion. According to the beliefs back then, one way to accomplish that aim is by doing the Tantric Yoga Positions.

By "Tantra", we mean expansion, while "Yoga" is concentration. Thus, the Tantric yoga positions pertain to directing and increasing a person's energy in order to carry out the goals of tantra. The act is more than just a training or an ordinary workout; it is also a principle of life. The practice can be found on different beliefs and ideas, such as Jainism, Buddhism, Hinduism, and even the New Age Movement.

Tantric yoga positions and the practice itself also consider our universe as an expression of either the Cosmic Mother (Shakti), the Spirit, or even the life force, depending on what faith or religion they based it on. Frankly, it is not easy to become an expert on these because it cannot simply be understood through reading books. A yogi who wants to go through this practice must be fully-dedicated to the guru in order to win it out.

This is how typical tantric yoga positions and courses go: With a mind free from obscene or unclean ideas and yearnings, the guru just sits peacefully. The student, on the other hand, assembles his or her own life force with the use of perception and cognition. Then it moves up from the tail bone to the neck, and through the spine, and until it reaches the yogi's forehead. The accumulated results will then eventually be disposed from the forehead to create a frame of light and energy which will unfold until it becomes the size of a human being.

The fictitious frame of light and energy corresponds to the yogi's being and significance. Tantric yoga positions govern love towards it before taking it back to the person's forehead, and back down to the spine. Once the light bounced back inside, the yogi will experience spiritual awakening and enlightenment.

Tantric yoga positions and practices are good resolutions to get away from unfavorable habits like drinking and smoking. Indeed, it is a good way to maintain a good health and live a clean life. Only that, the yogi must have full certainty, purity, boldness, and commitment to the guru.