The word tantra literally means "expansion." A tantra yogi concentrates on expanding all levels of his or her consciousness to unveil and realize the Supreme Reality. Tantra focuses on the dynamic aspect of divinity called Shakti, or "the Cosmic Mother."
The tantric devotee strives to attune with the spiritual dynamic energy in order to transform personal limitations and release subconscious blockages.
True tantra yoga is a pure path, but it has been abused by some self-proclaimed adherents. Tantra yoga is not concerned with sexuality, but with the creative force and transmuting this energy into higher channels. Sometimes self-styled teachers have misconstrued the symbolism of tantra yoga into sex practices for men and women.
Rather, the goal of tantra yoga is to awaken and harmonize the male and female aspects within each person in order to spiritually awaken and realize the whole universe as an expression of the Cosmic Mother, the divine life force, or Spirit.
Tantra yoga meditation is often practiced this way: A tantra devotee sits calmly and purifies mind and heart of wayward thoughts and desires. The devotee then senses the life force within his or her being and gradually, through imagination and feeling, directs the life force to rise up the spine, from the tailbone into the neck and then into the forehead.
When considerable life force is gathered in the forehead, the tantra yogi, through practice, directs that the life force move out from the forehead and form a body of light and energy three to six feet before him or her. The body of light in front of the devotee is encouraged to become dense and expand until it is as large as a human form.
The tantric yogi then directs love and devotion toward the dynamic body of light which is a profound representation of his or her soul and essence. Usually, after fifteen to thirty minutes of this meditation, the yogi invites the light and energy to slowly return into his forehead and down through the body to the base of the spine.
Through practice, amazing renewal is felt through tantric meditation and spiritual awakening is accelerated. The tantric becomes aware that the life force and essence within each person is truly divine; it is from the Lord. The spirit in each one is from God.
Another interesting aspect of tantra yoga is its dedication to transmutation of negative habits or obsessions-smoking, drinking, and overeating, for example. Of course, the tantric would urge you give up any bad habits you can by simply dropping them. However, if you can't give up a self-destructive behavior, no matter how hard you've tried, why not use a tantric approach to it?
The beginning tantric realizes he has failed in giving up his self-destructive habits because they were so strongly established over long periods of time. Often, before taking up tantra yoga, he tried to stop hurting himself through smoking, drinking, and overeating, but failed miserably after many struggles. Now, through tantra he tries to expand his consciousness as he transforms old habits.
If drinking is his problem, for example, he thinks of God as he drinks! Rather than ignoring God or feeling rebellious, he strives to sense God's love, joy, and blessings. The tantric strives to feel God's joy or love filling him, as well as the intoxication of the alcohol. In a short time, the tantric beginner does not need to drink. The thought of God fills him with joy instead.
Similarly, the smoker strives to sense God's presence in the satisfaction of smoking. In time, provided deep love of God is cultivated, the cigarette or pipe is not needed in order to feel pleasure and contentment.
Overeaters use similar principles. Gradually, their satisfaction is in God - not food. Overeaters also do these tantric practices:
1 As they eat, they strive to realize the food is an expression of the infinite spirit; that they are spiritual beings partaking of spirit. This awareness of the food liberates them from a desperate animal approach to mealtimes and snacks.
2 Sometimes they mix all the foods on their plate into one homogeneous mass which doesn't look so appealing to the eyes and the mind. Freed of visual allure, the food is simply conceived as energy, a few hours fuel.
True tantric yogis think of God all their waking hours. In this devotion they are freed from destructive habits and enter enlightenment.
