To Do or Not to do.
Part 2. Why Tantra?
Today we continue our story of the Do-er. Thank you for staying with it. Your time and comments (if desired) are greatly valued.
Why has Tantra Yoga become my choice when there are so many yoga styles out there? At the beginning of my yoga journey I was introduced to Ashtanga yoga and practiced it for a couple of years. My first yoga certification in India was Hatha Yoga and through my desire to learn more about the chakra system and chanting I came across Kundalini Yoga and did a short training on it as well. And of course I have tried Vinyasa yoga, Rocket yoga, Yin yoga and many other styles in between. However, I was longing for a deep spiritual path based on ancient tradition and most importantly non-dogmatic.
One day…
I was reading one of my favourite books on the chakra system and the word Tantra came up in the text several times. I always stayed away from Tantra due to its stereotypical image of being connected to sexuality and at that point I couldn’t link it to yoga and spirituality.
Yet my spark of curiosity led me to explore further and to find my first authentic teacher training course (which wasn’t easy) and “the rest is history” as they say.
You see, in tantric philosophy we use ancient texts for guidance just like any other tradition. The difference is that you don’t perceive text as an instruction. What you use as your personal instruction is the experience you get while you practice. So your experience is your Guru, your teacher. Your interpretation of the experience is the sacred teaching. Yet you don’t want to cling to that experience either as that's when you can get stuck.
Instead realising that as your consciousness expands, your interpretation will also expand until you realise that you are part of the ever-changing Universe. Everyone interprets their experience based on the level of their understanding which is usually dictated by a summary of their previous experiences and sometimes can limit further exploration. Please note, the levels of understanding do not follow any hierarchy. There are no higher or lower levels but instead they are what they are in the time and space where you are in the moment, and at the depth which you can comprehend and relate to. Letting go of the idea of the “final destination” and instead working with the ever expansive consciousness is the key to become a liberated soul, also known in Sanskrit as Jivamukhti.
Guidance...
While you use the text as guidance, you are not clinging to it as your only source to experience life in this shape and time. You understand if you start paying attention to how you feel in different moment in time, every experience is an opportunity to learn and to expand your consciousness.
“You are the observer, the process of observation and the object of observation ”
Another reason Tantric philosophy speaks to me is its inclusion of the human experience in the physical body. As we know, in many religions and spiritual practices the main aspiration is to become closer to God or to merge with the energy of the Creator, the One. A body is often seen as a burden, or an anchor that holds one down. A practitioner is asked to challenge their commitment and to renounce physical pleasures as it “moves one away from the path”.
The opposite to that is clinging to the physical body/world in many ways and cutting ourselves from any idea of exploring past material World.
In the tantric tradition you embrace the limitations of the physical body as well as you see the gifts it gives us on how to experience life through senses, interpret it through the mind while still being the observer of the process and cultivating a non-attachment attitude. You don’t own anything, including your body. It is your home and your ally for a number of years you choose to spend together. And If you see your body as a burden, drop it. When you have had enough time to play and you feel that it’s time to drop it, there is no point in hanging on to a physical shape if you don’t appreciate all it has to offer.
The Body.
It may be a radical idea but I hope it can be taken here as a way to understand how we don’t have to identify with the finite nature of our body yet appreciate how much it allows us to experience this World.
Once you realise that your body is a beautiful instrument that allows you to experience life and embrace it with all it has to offer including being a tool for spiritual enlightenment, that is pure Joy and you cracked the code! You are a spiritual being willing to have human experiences. By choice, if I may add.
Namaste to you all. May Light be with you.
Let’s meet soon and discuss further. Stay connected to our community and check our upcoming events.
