SECRETS OF TANTRA

Tantra is composed of two words, i.e. Tan and Tra which implies that through sadhana and puja one can mould nature and God according to one's desires.

Tantra is a sadhana, a method a technique or a path that is available in all religions. Tantras are deeply associated with the mantras.

Without mantras tantra cannot be successful. Both are practiced simultaneously to achieve success in tantra.

Tantra is not a religion but is a sadhana, a shastra, consisting of religion's treatise compiled by Lord Shiv containing mystical formulae for the attainment of supernatural powers.

Mantras are continually whispered by a tantrik while performing the rituals as they help to energise tantras for specific purposes.

The mantras produce appropriate vibrations within a psychic field. Besides mantra the asana is also closely related to tantra.

Asana is actually a step by step dissolution of the body into the subtle elements, a process of gradual involution where by the body is identified with the sense of smell, water with taste, fire with vision, air with touch, ether with sound.

These five elements are merged one by one into their sources with potentials of energies and ultimately ego is dissolved into mahat, the great one. Sahkti or pure consciousness is constantly coming down in a shower on human beings, but on account of cosmic bombardment, it is immediately transformed and diffused throught the body.

In reuniting Shiv shakti, the adept can reach out and enjoy the benefits falling from the sahastara chakra, the centre of communication directly between the individual and infinite consciousness above.

It is also stressed that all the rituals should be performed under the guidance of the Guru. Various kind of initiation by a Guru are mentioned in Tantra sastras. They are sakti, sambhabi, mantri, anabi, kriyabati, barnamoyee, kalatma, bidhanmdya, etc.Despite different kinds of initiation, all produce the same effect and lead to liberation from bondage.

Yog being another technique of transformation is an important part of tantra. Yog used in tantra is based more or less on the haath yog with extra dimension. The bodily attitudes, contractions and pressures which make hath Yog are designed to specifically work upon the inner mechanism of the human body.

To perform haath yoga without doing inner work on the subtle body is a pointless execise from the tantra point of view, though it may help the outer body's health and stamina. A person practicing haath yog will easily recognize the relations between it's pulls, twists, contractions, pressures and various centers of the subtle body.