What does tantra have to do with yoga?
Very often we get the question, “What is Tantra Yoga?” Some may know it as “sex yoga” or “sexy yoga” and think of it primarily as a way to achieve better orgasms.
And then there is the form of Yoga that we have become so familiar with in the West, that it has a studio on almost every corner of our modern cities. We show up at a yoga studio, lay out our mat, and practice our poses. That’s yoga, right? Yes, but that’s just a form of yoga called “Hatha” yoga.
Hatha yoga is the practice of the physical body. Tantra yoga is the practice of the energy body.
What is the “energy body”? You can look at it this way: all matter is made up of frequency energy, as Quantum Physics now demonstrates. This includes our body. Life force energy passes through us human beings at all times, from the moment we are conceived to the moment we die. Life force energy is known by different names in different cultures, such as Chi in Chinese, Kundalini in Sanskrit, Reiki in Japanese, or The Force as in Star Wars. Life force and sexual energy are the same. It is the energy that brought us into this world. Most of the time, sexual life force energy appears in subtle states and sometimes in excited states. Tantric yoga allows us to develop awareness of our life force energy and how it manifests in us on a physical, emotional and mental level.
To access energy awareness we rely on the chakra system of the seven main energy centers of the body. Each Chakra is associated with a different way of feeling, feeling and reflecting. For example, the Heart Chakra, located in the middle of the chest between the breasts, is associated with love and compassion, and the ability to connect with other people. This is seen when a person expresses love for something or someone and places his hand on her heart. We all know this experience. If the Heart Chakra is out of balance and contracted, we can feel closed off from ourselves or from others. Other Chakras have other effects and they are all equally important.
By connecting with our energy centers we can begin to clear blockages of an emotional, physical or spiritual nature so that we can live life to the fullest. These blocks do not only exist in the mind, they are maintained in the body. We look at the Chakras to see where we are out of balance. Through breathwork, movement, meditation, and emotional and physical release processes, a person can clear these blockages and experience greater joy and vitality in their life. What also ends up happening is that the body begins to “function” better, energy begins to flow more easily and we feel more awake and physically well.
This is also the main purpose of Hatha yoga: to allow one’s energy to flow more easily. Alignment is the main focus of any Hatha yoga class. The poses (also known as “Asanas”) were designed to bring a person’s body into optimal alignment. And not just for the sake of better posture; each pose has an energetic component behind it. For example, Virabhadrasana I (Warrior I) is great physically for strengthening the quadriceps and glutes, but also energetically cultivates more courage and strength to face life’s challenges.
Tantra and Hatha yoga therefore begin to feed each other. For example, if a person is practicing a lot of Tantra, he may find that his asana practice improves considerably. This is because as his energy works better, his body naturally moves into optimal alignment. Conversely, if a person is primarily a Hatha yoga practitioner, his body will begin to release emotional blockages as he works on his alignment. That is why not everyone feels at peace or happy during a yoga class. As we begin to breathe and stretch in our bodies, old emotions begin to surface.
You can see Yoga comes in many shapes and forms. Tantra is a practice that leads to deeper contentment and joy in one’s life. When practiced in association with Hatha yoga, a practitioner can experience strength and vitality in both their physical and energetic bodies.