|
|
 |
|
| Author |
 Topic  |
|
|
tantrala
USA
8 Posts |
 Posted - Sep 20 2013 : 02:35:55 AM
|
Hi Yogani,
I recently finished a 40 day sadhana with Tattva Shuddhi (taught to me by one of my local teachers). I am now planning a 40 day Sadhana for your Spinal Breathing techniques - advancing where natural. I was thinking these would be good complementary practices - doing 20 minutes of breathing, followed by a 60 minute Tattva Shuddhi meditation.
What are your thoughts on this for an intermediate-advanced practitioner? |
|
|
mathurs
United Kingdom
197 Posts |
Posted - Sep 20 2013 : 07:37:21 AM
|
Hi Tantrala,
What does Tattva Shuddhi entail?
|
 |
|
|
bewell
1275 Posts |
Posted - Sep 20 2013 : 11:24:14 AM
|
Hi tantrala,
In an AYP approach, the core practice that we start with is Deep Meditation. Spinal breathing is added on after a stable twice daily DM practice is in place. The goal is ongoing balanced practice leading to smooth functioning in daily life. What you are considering sounds quite different from an AYP approach.
Bewell
|
|
|
|
kami
USA
920 Posts |
Posted - Sep 20 2013 : 2:19:42 PM
|
Hi tantrala,
I have been practicing tattwa shuddhi (Bihar school of yoga technique) on a daily basis, separate from the AYP sitting session. I find the two to be complimentary, with no overload. However, the TS practice is short, 15-20 minutes at most.
Hope this helps.
 |
|
|
|
Akasha
421 Posts |
Posted - Sep 21 2013 : 10:58:08 AM
|
Hi tantrala,
I've been exploring and practicing the tantric practice of Tattwa Shuddhi for about a year now. But I'm trying to compliment it with the kundalini kriyas as taught by Swami Satyananda as they've been referred to as an adjunct to their kundalin kriya yoga practice (Bihar School of Yoga).
Amazing to hear there are people out there also practicing it.
http://www.yogamag.net/archives/198...bhuta1.shtml
I am thinking that the Yogananda variety of Kriya as taught here ( aka SRF or AYP etc) with or without the emphasis on chakras is probably not altogether dissimilar from the Satyananda version, in as much as core techniques appear shared.
In my gut I would say that whatever get's the job done, i.e works for you and takes you home is what I would say, along with the guidance of maturing & growing inner guru.The results should speak for themselves.
AYP and Satyananda kriya systems are probably not that different. The main difference I see is the emphahsis on chakras and the inclusion of a passage up the front of the body,where the kshetram's lie ( possibly also taught in tao yoga where they posit another important nadi/chi line, ; also where the chakras themselves extend out to),once you ,more or less,begin on the actual kriya's themselves.
I have ruminated on this myself also.
I owe alot to AYP and Yogani which was really my introduction to advanced yoga techniques.I still do the deep meditation but i use a different mantra from the one prescribed here - Om Namah Sivaya. About a year and a half.The inclusion of the Om possibly makes it a little more powerful as I was a little undersensitive and had a bit of a run-away kuindalini syndrome.I also sometimes meditate on the meaning of of the mantra ,Siva(paying homage.. to Siva) which is witness consciousness to me, or the silent witness,
as that was suggested too.Heard Tattwa Shuddhi described as a tantric upasana -I can only describe it as stirring up the kundalini shakti. So silent japa should help balance shiva with shakti - the internal marriage.
Tattwa Shuddhi appears a very powerful practice from what I've experienced so far..It's helped me alot past year.And combining it with other yogas should amplify it.It requires deep concentration ,even more so that silent japa which now seems relatively easy in comparison, and one should notice one's capacity and powers to visualise increases.I heard it said that one creates the experience of that tattwas until one can actually feel -experience them.I've usually been been doing it without the bija mantras.And where I thought the mandal visualisation could of been auxiliary as well as the exoteric rituals I've realised they help amplify as well as enact and demonstrate the improved ability to visualise in the chidakasha ( visual field in front of the third-eye).More light colours and shapes becomes possible.I've been focusing on the respective body parts and their respective tattwa yantras from creation-recreation and reconstruction.Essentially I believe it helps towards re-wiring the nervous and endocrine systems as well as integrating the subtle energies and flow of currents.And it is extremely subtle and done with the mind and the chidakasha .If you're doing it intensively say least once a day they say controlling one's diet or even fasting is recommended.
I've tried to find a source text for this in the hindu shastras- one of them is the 'Srimad Bhagavatum' I think it's called but it may not be yet translated into English from Sanskrit I guess. The Bihar publication suggests Satyananda could have taken longer versions that were not accessible to anyone less than a devoted yogi and condensed them somewhat so what he taught could be possible for the average aspirant.These were the words in the Bihar publication.I learnt it abroad a couple of years ago by a teacher of that ttradition but I did'nt feel it was taught that well.I suspect my ego may have clashed with that particular teacher.
When re-create and look for the tattwa yantras in the chidakasha I just observe them ,bear witness, no straining necessary involved and then I focus on the respective body part that the mind and the sense is communicating simultaneously.Like I say I've found that enough with or without the inclusion of the bija mantras.Although I have been practice silent japa now also using the 5 syllable ( universal?)mantra mentioned.
It says in that link I refer to that the months of July-August and also Oct-Nov may well be an auspicious time in the Hindu calendar for practicing Tattwa Shuddhi.
I find the whole extended practice can take up to an hour depending on how fast you go.And it requires deep realxed concentration at least until you get the hang of and a feel for it.Some preliminary little nadi shodhana and a cycle or two of spinal breathing beforehand as suggested in the Bihar publication of that title can help to centre the energetic flow within sushumna nadi as well as help induce introversion of the senses and the dropping of mind. |
Edited by - Akasha on Sep 21 2013 2:16:40 PM |
|
|
|
kami
USA
920 Posts |
Posted - Sep 21 2013 : 2:06:50 PM
|
Hi Akasha,
The logic behind Tattwa Shuddhi and its practice in detail can be found in the Mahanirvana Tantra, which, like most tantric texts, is a conversation between Siva and Shakti. In this one, Shiva gives Devi the secrets of this practice. The Bihar school of yoga method (the one I use) is based on this tantra. In the short time I've been practicing it, I've found that all other practices are somewhat deeper and more effective. Hence, the statement that it complements AYP practices well..
There is a fantastic book by BSY called "Dharana Darshan", in which further elucidation of the tattwas on conscious, subconscious and unconscious levels can be found and which aids TS practice even further IMO.
|
|
|
|
Akasha
421 Posts |
Posted - Sep 21 2013 : 5:57:40 PM
|
Hi kami,
I found your supplemntary contribution to this thread immensely helpful and am currently looking into the two texts you mention.
Everything I am currently reading about in those texts rings true.The 'Dharana Darshan' talks about how the powers of concentration can be developed with training and meditation and how the mind and senses are ordinarily constantly distracted and the ability to concentrate dissipated and scattered with most people.It discourses on alot of other stuff including obstacles etc but it's good to do proper research on it and continue with the practice of course.It is a great supplement to their 'Tattwa Shuddhi' title.There is a veritable minefield of useful guidance in that book to aid Tattwa Shuddhi practice.And the 'Mahanirvana Tantra' has a lot of interesting insights too.
This is a great help for me.Thank you.
It is great to discuss this with like-minded people who share same interests. It's also the first thread specifically about Tattwa Shuddhi in the AYP archives (I had previously looked for before,done a search ,though there were just a few references only but no-one saying they actually practiced it or much expansion beyond that) which I was thinking was too obscure to find others (online or offline) that practice it also.
With Love,
Feel free to share how long you have practiced it. And I it take you have got good results from it.I had been doing my best to hunt down any additional info. this past year since practicing I could find on it.I've been getting this impression that much of the deeper yogic wisdom is actually hard to find outside of India because that's where the hard-core or truly spiritually dedicated yogis can be found and where the real gurus live and because much of it is tied in with hindu culture and ancient eastern scripture.The Indians are full of such deep wisdom ( such a rich country,culture and people and a font of learning; well-educated) and that fact that it's foreign to the west unfortunately may make it less accessible to a westerner. |
Edited by - Akasha on Sep 21 2013 8:01:18 PM |
|
|
|
Akasha
421 Posts |
Posted - Sep 22 2013 : 9:10:01 PM
|
Hi kami,
I am curious.
1) How did you find out the 'Mahanirvana Tantra' was related to the BSY method of Tattwa Shuddhi? (as I don't remember it mentioned in their title- 'Tattwa Shuddhi')
2)Also-- Did you teach yourself (through their book) or did someone else teach you or offer some guidance (or inspiration) ?
Or are you steeped in Vedic,hindu
&/or Indian literary culture.
Thanks.
|
Edited by - Akasha on Sep 22 2013 9:48:16 PM |
|
|
|
kami
USA
920 Posts |
Posted - Sep 23 2013 : 1:12:12 PM
|
quote:
Originally posted by Akasha
Hi kami,
I am curious.
1) How did you find out the 'Mahanirvana Tantra' was related to the BSY method of Tattwa Shuddhi? (as I don't remember it mentioned in their title- 'Tattwa Shuddhi')
2)Also-- Did you teach yourself (through their book) or did someone else teach you or offer some guidance (or inspiration) ?
Or are you steeped in Vedic,hindu
&/or Indian literary culture.
Thanks.
Hi Akasha,
The Mahanirvana Tantra is what I was led to while researching sources of some mantras I have been practicing. Two days after I started reading the Mahanirvana Tantra, I purchased the BSY tattwa shuddhi book on a whim and to my surprise, it refers to the MT as a source for the practice (page 15 in this edition).
I picked up the TS practice from the book (and this is the exact practice described in MT). The instructions are pretty clear in the book, and the dharana practices from the other BSY book help with deepening of the visualizations IMO.
Yes, one could say I'm deeply rooted in Vedic culture and Hindu dharma.
quote:
Originally posted by Akasha
I've been getting this impression that much of the deeper yogic wisdom is actually hard to find outside of India because that's where the hard-core or truly spiritually dedicated yogis can be found and where the real gurus live and because much of it is tied in with hindu culture and ancient eastern scripture.The Indians are full of such deep wisdom ( such a rich country,culture and people and a font of learning; well-educated) and that fact that it's foreign to the west unfortunately may make it less accessible to a westerner.
Actually, my experience of this is a bit different - I grew up in India as a Hindu; yet, it was only in the last 10 years (living outside India) that I've come to understand Hindu dharma for what it truly is. The majority of Hindus do not get the deep symbolism of our teachings, and practices have been corrupted by superficial emphasis on rites and rituals - until been drawn to discover the deeper meaning of Hinduism, I was similarly confused and misled. While there seems to be a revival of sorts of Hindu dharma in certain circles in and outside of India, that is not universal. While there are many revered and true gurus, there are also many who lead others astray, as seen periodically in the news..
The living teachers and yogis in my own path have hailed from all over the world. If you have not read "Secrets of Wilder", please do; for in that book one gets a glimpse of what yoga really is, and how it transcends faith and religion. I have had many laughs when someone asks me about my path and I tell them I'm a Hindu yogini from India with a guru who is an anonymous Christian spiritual scientist from Florida.
Much love to you.
|
|
|
| |
Topic |
|
|
|
| AYP Public Forum |
© Contributing Authors (opinions and advice belong to the respective authors) |
|
|
|
|
Tattva Shuddhi + AYP Spinal Breathing?
