TANTRA LESSON THREE –
Yogic Anatomy
Always begin and end practice with an attitude of prayer that I use in classes –
“With Great Respect and Love, I honor my Heart, my Inner Teacher”.
May God/dess bless and sustain your practice.
As you may have read in my book Structural Yoga Therapy, chapter 6 we are multidimensional beings. The yogic version of anatomy describes five sheaths or veils that hide our true nature. The five are the
1 – physical body – anna maya kosha – literally “body of food” that is an illusion
2 – subtle body – prana maya kosha – “body of prana” – emotions
3 – mental body – mano maya kosha – “body of thoughts”
4 – higher knowledge – Vijnana maya kosha – “wisdom body”
5 – bliss – ananda maya kosha – “body of joy”
Each dimension is a servant of the higher one. The Yoga Vasistha, pg. 372 says “the soul is the vehicle of consciousness, ego sense is the vehicle of the soul, intelligence of egosense, mind of intelligence, prana of the mind, the senses of prana, the body of the senses, and motion is the vehicle of the body.” Such motion is karma. Because prana is the vehicle for the mind, where the prana takes it the mind goes. But when the mind is merged in the spiritual heart, prana does not move. And if the prana does not move, the mind attains a quiescent state. Prana flows through subtle channels called nadis in the second kosha and is stored in the chakras there. My view is that prana takes subtler forms in the third kosha (mental body) and fourth kosha (higher knowledge) and therefore creates the movement and stillness of the mind. When the prana becomes still then the mind also becomes still. As this stillness deepens you move to a deeper place within yourself, to the fourth and fifth koshas. For those who do not know meditation do not know this experience. The Yoga Sutras are clear in the definition give in II,49 “Pranayama naturally follows the perfection of yogasana with a cessation of the movements of inspiration and expiration”. Thus what is deeper or a more interior yoga is very different to those who only know yoga as asana. For those seeking spiritual life it can only be found by experiencing the interior places, the True Self which transcends body awareness. It is knowing as an experience that who you are is independent of the physical, energetic, or even mental body.
Physical health is maintained by the quality of food we eat and the exercise we give to the body. The subtle body is fed by having positive emotions, encouraging natural expression, and self control of the senses. The chakras feed the middle three bodies. The mind is maintained by positive attitudes, praise, uplifting thoughts, and an inward directed consciousness. Wisdom is developed by reading the writings of wise people and cultivating a spiritual attitude about life. Bliss is encouraged by seeking the True Self veiled behind all experiences. From this we allow ourselves to search for the source of pleasure when it arises. By finding that each one serves a higher purpose, we begin to put into perspective the importance of the subtler forms of self. The True Self is not experienced as any of these bodies; yet it is constantly with us. It is best described as pure consciousness and remains the same in all states of body, emotion, mind.
We have a lot to learn from as we open the second body. For it is hidden from view due to the presence of prana. One of the major characteristics of prana is that it loves to hide. In its negative aspect this is fear. We fear what we don’t know. We don’t know it because the truth is veiled by the koshas that prohibit knowledge. In its positive aspect this hidden prana governs all biological and subtle functions without requiring our mental attention. It allows the mind to function freely without interference. And yet when prana helps the mind, then the mind can function more clearly without fear.
Tantrik and Ayurvedic Theory
In Tantrik Yoga anatomy there are three levels to each of the chakras existing in koshas 2-4. “The ethereal body is composed of your materialized thought.” Vasistha’s Yoga, pg. 77. The first level is the second kosha made of prana. This is frequently represented in art forms such as Yantras or mandalas with clear lines depicting the chakras boundaries. Being in this level of awareness produces physical pleasure from your emotional biochemicals, such as endorphins and serotonin. The second level of the chakras is subtler and will take you to a deeper more exquisite form of sensual pleasure. The vision of this level of the chakra is less definite, the lines or boundaries of the chakra field is unclear, as it corresponds to your emotional body kosha. We often have to sit with our emotions until they become more physical then we know what to do about our feelings. This dimension is often characterized by a sense of losing yourself, or having unclear boundaries. The third dimension is in the fourth kosha made of wisdom. This level is even more subtle and hence will tend to spread out into a region that seems even less clear. The higher dimension of this chakra when purified will take you to the source of thought, the precursor to mind. As you open yourself to each of these higher dimensions of self your pleasure will naturally spread outwards to encompass more of yourself and others. Yoga begins to become a naturally arising experience, not merely a practice.
Ayurveda gives Yoginis another perspective on energy balance. The triple energies of this system are composed of five elements existing in the first kosha (physical body): vata (air + ether), pitta (fire + water), and kapha (water + earth). It is only when each of the qualities become balanced that they can be elevated to reveal their subtler nature within the second kosha (subtle body). As they become balanced the energies will move toward their home (still in the physical body, not the subtle body where the chakras are located) and at that site will be more readily recognized. The home of pitta is the small intestine, hence variation one of the Yoni Mudra centered at the navel will help balance pitta (fire). When balance is restored then pitta will become refined to its energetic component as tejas. Tejas is the spiritual light of discernment and as it evolves it creates wisdom. The home organ of vata is the colon, in the region of the pelvic cavity. As vata becomes balanced it will begin to increase prana, the energy that will return you to Source. This is the primary energy we are concerned with as Tantrik Yogis. The home location of kapha is the heart. When it becomes balanced it creates the quality called ojas, a spiritual liquid produced within a secret cavity in the body, and although difficult to discover, it is nectarian in taste (called amrita or Kechari). Tantrik Yogis know these qualities by direct experience; they will not be satisfied with merely conceptual or theoretical understanding.
Chakras in Theory and Experience
In theory the chakras contain the energy of the subtle body composed of prana. Physiological sensations tend to have emotional content while prana is without emotions. . Each of the chakras described in lesson two are the gross material for the mind. But we must remember that we are in the second kosha here while the mind is the third kosha. It is the chakras and their pranic energy that generates positive and negative thoughts. They are the gross fuel for emotional expression. In the next lesson we will focus on how to promote multi-dimensional healing by opening prana to move both more subtly and in the gross body. The overlapping of the energy body makes for confusion in the mind. Therefore it is common for people to misname what is happening when emotions, chakras, or prana are the field of experience. In the same way many yogis cannot accurately tell if the sensations they feel during asana practice is stretch, tone or release. They are different. Most are taught to focus on the stretch when doing yoga but that is misleading. In a similar vein when attention is upon the subtle body one cannot tell if it is opening or closing your expression until you relate to someone else.
The chakras open and close just like heliotropic flowers that follow the pathway of the sun. Only for them the sun is the mind and its emotional field. When the chakras are open so is the mind reaching outward to the external world. At this point the chakras spin in an outward fashion giving energy to our senses. Spin is a relative term here. They seem to spin when desire is blossoming they rotate subtly spinning outward as they blossom and spinning inward as they close. It also varies according to which kosha we are looking. The gross level of chakras is level two pranamaya kosha, this is the level of most common perception related to the desire for pleasure. When the mind is detached from desire then spins go slower and awareness moves to 3rd kosha where the chakras become more subtle and involute. With this thoughts are clearer and consciousness to be perceived through the directing of awareness. By continuing this inward awareness one naturally moves through the cycle Patanjali describes as asana-pranayama-pratyahara in chapter II, 46-55. The chakras become more like a column in kosha four. As with the chakras, prana exists on koshas 2-4 which becomes more subtle as awareness moves from prana to mind and thought to wisdom. The latter feels like it is given to you not coming from you. That is what distinguishes 3rd from 4th kosha.
The main motion of the chakras is like a flower closing at night and blossoming outward during day. At night it wants to withdraw (pratyahara) during day the expand reach outward through the senses. The opening of the chakras indicates sensual enjoyment. Taken to extremes, those who focus on sensuality rather than the deeper opening toward spirituality, are called bhogis. This term means those who languish in pleasure. Yogis are not bhogis, their attention is focused on sattvic state of consciousness. The attainment of contentment in all situations. In this procedure the chakras are being trained to slow down. This training is described in the Yoga Sutras as leading to the stilling not only of the body but of the motions of the breath as well (II, 46-49).
The channels through which the prana flows from the chakras are called nadis. This term literally means a tube, through which consciousness can flow. When the nadis are blocked there is lowered awareness, dullness. Thus a tamasic state of mind. The nadis exist both as physical tubes such as the mouth, eyes, and the ten major openings of the head and pelvis but also as subtler tubes without anatomical correlates. They form minor chakras at each of the joints of the body called bindus. The Joint Freeing Series (Pavanmuktasana) from my Structural Yoga Therapy book can open these energetic structures from subtlest to greater expression – that is from nadis to bindus to chakras.
“Pleasure and painful experiences affect the nadis differently. The nadis expand and blossom in pleasure, not in pain.” Yoga Vasistha, page 438. From this we see that opening the chakras is the path of sensuality and enjoyment. By the practice of careful observation we can see the postural and energetic opposite when pain is experienced. It reveals not merely a posture of depression and sadness by a forward bend with rounded shoulders, it also shows us lowered vitality.
Tantrik Practice
Creating a Sacred Space
Up until now our practice has concerned itself with the body as the space for transformation. Let us consider making a container for the energy created that is bigger than the Yoni Mudra. In many ways the physical body is a microcosm for the universal macrocosm. What is needed is a connection to a deeper truth than the physical reality. For this we need to create a sacred space not only within ourselves but also a space to surround ourselves with. A space that contains us. Rabbi Zalman Schacter-Shalomi encourages everyone to have at least a “God corner”. A place that you can put your reverence. A space for sacred objects. A place that can symbolize humility and Presence. With time it will also serve to spread that experience to the rest of your home and indeed to all your life.
Let us consider how the altar can be at home. While it is ideal to devote a special room to your spiritual practice with the altar being the central component; it may not be possible at this time of life. For myself I never had a private room for spiritual practice until recently. I have a separate room for asana practice. They are different. The ideal is for the room or corner to be used only for your spiritual practices (sadhana) such as chanting, devotional readings, and meditation.
The altar’s central focus should be the teacher or teachings that are most inspirational to you. Its placement is at heart level on a low table. To the right and left can be symbols of duality – such as a masculine and feminine statue, pictures of male and female influential teachers, or a lingam and yoni. Above the central image can be the source of that inspiration. Below goes what spiritual gifts you might have received from your practice or teacher. For elements place a sacred stone for earth, a bowl of holy or blessed water, a candle for fire, incense for air, and a flower for ether. Each of these can be offered in turn to your central image. By waving them clockwise in front of your chosen deity you can surrender them and the element that it represents to God/dess. I learned Puja, the art of worship, from my guru who would make a clockwise circle of the deity with the offering then a semi circle below the deity with the completion of each circle. This was repeated three times or multiples of nine for more complete surrender.
Children will want to participate in all the activities that are inspirational to us. They should be encouraged to do what is natural for them without being forced to participate. The same for your partner. When it is clear that your actions increase your capacity others will want to join you. When children experience their parents meditating they will want to do this too. We are models for all those that experience us. The mother is the most important role. The mother is the first guru or spiritual teacher. How a mother relates to life is carried no only in her womb but in all of her attitudes and interactions with others. Every woman is especially generating the sacred space. As I mentioned the word yoni not only means source, it also means womb, uterus, and sacred space. Every woman embodies that sacredness. By deepening these Tantrik Lessons into generating spiritual experiences you can share with many people your body as a walking altar. The sacred space is a depiction of the elements and of the chakras. By consciously placing something representational of each it may feel more complete.
Recently I went to India for the fifth time and rediscovered the power of the temple. It is essentially a home for God in one of Her or His forms to come and live in. One of the most moving temples was to the Goddess Bhadra Kali in the village of Ganeshpuri, a few miles north of Mumbai (Bombay). My guru, Swami Muktananda, had his ashram a half mile away from the village. In the village itself was his guru’s ashram. Nityananda was a huge Indian well over 6 feet tall and deep dark in color being from Kerala in south India. He claimed that when he came from south India, Bhadra Kali had followed him. And since he was respecting Her presence, he had the devotees make Her a temple. That temple was quite small but had three rooms. The outer room was for public to come and observe Her. The other outer room was for the priests to prepare the offerings that were given for donation to the Goddess. Some of the offerings were not acceptable, being old, worn, or faded. These outer rooms were always open. But the most interior room was often closed. For within this space was the Goddess Herself. She was treated as alive, not as a symbolic representation of The Divine Presence. The inner most room, the sanctum sanctorum, was where She lived.
Similarly in our body we have an outer body that is material that receives guests. Then we have an inner body we call the subtle body that receives gifts and discerns what is beneficial to be kept and what isn’t to be tossed. Then within that we have a secret heart that contains all that is precious. This is not to be shown to everyone who passes by but is only shared with those who have a reverential attitude. Those who have discipline and regularity in their lives get to see what is publicly hidden. This is the way Yogis and Tantriks are. For those who persist in the lessons who show regularity and discipline lasting gifts are freely given. For others a gentle encouragement is given. Transformation requires a bigger commitment than merely wanting your desires to be fulfilled.
If you have comments on your practice or questions for me send them via email, I will send the response personal and a copy of it to the group with the questioner being anonymous. When you feel complete with this lesson send me email to request the next one covering
Healing with Prana & Emotional Energy Expression
Tantrik Practices –
Pranic Breathing
Opening Energy Blocks
Polarity Therapy
Manifesting your Intentions - Continuous Tantrik Pranayama
Always begin and end practice with an attitude of prayer that I use in classes –
“With Great Respect and Love, I honor my Heart, my Inner Teacher”.
May God/dess bless and sustain your practice.
