History of Tantra

The Historical Beginning of Tantra

The Vedic religion was slowly transformed in India, culminating in the writing of the Upanisads, in which there is a clear concept of Brahma. The oldest Upanisads are certainly pre-Buddhist and may be more than 3,000 years old. The later Upanisads include Shaiva texts and bear little resemblance to the early Vedic scriptures. The Atharva Veda (around 1000 BC), which was a marginal text having an ambiguous status (that is, not all Vedic orthodoxy accepted it initially) is tantric from beginning to end. It gives us a glimpse of tantric magic (avidya) with the description of mantras for doing such things as empowering a plant or killing one's neighbor out of self-preservation!!! Mystical speculation begins with reflections upon the Vedic ritual of sacrifice, and the drawing of correspondences between elements of the sacrifice and the cosmos. So different parts of a horse, for example, would correspond with different celestial bodies. There is very little evidence of the early Tantrikas and we can only refer to what Sarkar says on the subject. It would appear that there were multiple religious currents in India prior to the common era. For example, the use of vermillion and coconuts in Hindu puja is in no way connected to the Vedic religion and was an indigenous Dravidian practice that survived the Aryan migration. In any event, southern India was aryanized, not by Aryans but by indianized Aryans, so the Aryan culture has already ben transformed by the time it reached southern India. The emergence of the Pashupata cult (at least 2 AD) is important for the development of Tantra as it is a Shaeva cult, having very little Vedic influence upon it. The Pashupata cult, along with Buddhism and Patanjali, are the earliest evidence of non-Vedic yoga.

Preclassical Yoga

Yoga played a more prominent role in the Upanishads (literally "seeking truth at the foot of the guru"), and is referred to as a disciplines path taken to achieve liberation from suffering. (The idea of dividing the path into karma yoga, jñaana yoga, etc., begins only in the Bhagavadgiita) In the Upanisads gurus taught that ego (and not animals or crops as in the Vedas) should be sacrificed in order to attain liberation. Instead of performing animal sacrifices like the Aryans, it was taught that one should burn one's impurities in the fire of sadhana One of the earliest Upanishads to teach specific yoga meditation practices was the Maitrayaniya Upanishad from the second or third century BCE. It focused on breath control and Om repetition. It presented a 6-fold path including pranayama, pratyahara, dhyana, dharana, tarka (contemplation) and samadhi. Elements of this path would surface in the 2^nd century CE in Patanjali's yoga sutra.

Patanjali

Patanjali inherited systems of non-Vedic practice (there is no suggestion of the Vedic religion in Patanjali). His yoga sutras are a testament to theory and not practice. They are a formulation of a philosophy of mind. He did not form a classical system of yoga practice. Patanjali only comments on four sitting postures, and the sole purpose of those asanas is to provide steadiness to the body, so that then mind is not disturbed by imbalances. By folding together the limbs, a yogi achieves a change of mood, becoming inwardly quiet The Yoga Sutra is considered the first systematic presentation of yoga, although no one knows who Pantanjali was. The Yoga Sutras are the quintessence of Raja Yoga and have no connection to the body cultures of modern Hatha Yoga. Baba refutes Patanjali's definition of yoga. Patanjali gives us the earliest record of yama and niyama (the Buddhists may have already done that, however, as Patanjali was influenced by early Buddhism). The Pashupata cult is far more important historically (for Ananda Marga) than Patanjali. The Pashupata cult (which propounds six limbs) is the basis of yoga systems of Shaeva and Buddhist Tantra. Ananda Marga draws upon the Shaeva tradition.

Buddhism

Buddhism can be described as a "religion of protest." (although it is much more than that) Buddhist practitioners were not in favor of vedic ritual, especially the animal sacrificial cult. Moreover, the Buddhists were philosophically against soul, God and creation. The Buddhist period in India began with the rule of Emperor Ashoka, who was the third emperor of the Mauryan dynasty around 5 - 3 BCE. He became disgusted with the horrors of war, and converted to Buddhism, spreading Buddhist values of non-violence and charity throughout his kingdom. People moved a lot in India in those days, and Buddhism spread along the trade routes. It became the dominant political religion along with Jainism and the Vedic religion. At Sarnath, the Emperor Ashoka erected a pillar. The four lions at its crown represent the "lions roar of the dharma" in the four cardinal directions. This symbol has been adopted by India as its national coat of arms, and is reproduced at the center of the Indian flag. Sarkar states that in the Gupta Period in India (3 - 5 CE) there were many elevated Buddhist yogis in society, but they could not influence society to the level of the common person. The Gupta Period was the height of early Indian spirituality.

  

Tantra's Golden Age

The term tantra means simply a system of ritual or essential instruction; but when it is applied in this special context (Shaevism) it serves to differentiate itself from the authority of the Vedas. The followers of tantra should not be seen as rebels who rejected a ritualized social order for a liberated cult of ecstacy. A person who underwent a tantric initiation was less an anti-ritualist than a super-ritualist. Tantra came to pervade almost all areas of Indian religion. Tantra continued to be the tradition of a minority; but what was called Vedic was essentially Tantric in its range of deities and liturgical forms. It differed from the Tantric in its mantras, using the Vedic mantras drawn from the Rgveda and Yajurveda, rather than the hetrerodox mantras of the Tantras. Properly Tantric worship was more or less exclusive, being emphatically centered on a certain deity. Vedic worship was inclusive, however, primarily taking the form of the worship of the five shrines in which offerings are made to the five principal deities: Siva, Visnu, Surya, Ganapati and the Goddess (Devi). By 800 CE a large body of tantric scripture had developed within the Shaiva, Buddhist and Vaesnava traditions (although there were fewer Vaesnava texts). Shaeva tantra was divided between two great branches: Atimarga (for mukti) and Mantramarga (primarily for siddhi)

The Atimarga Branch of Tantra

The principal cult was the Pashupata cult that developed around 2 AD. It was a path that allowed the renunciate to achieve liberation. The goal was the assimilation of Rudra's qualities of omniscience, omnipotence, etc. This liberation was achieved through 4 stages of discipline:

1. Living in a Shiva temple.
2. Moving about in public pretending to be crippled, deranged or indecent. The Pashupata provoked an exchange in which his demerits passed to his detractors and their merits to him. This is a purification through karma exchange.
3. Live in a cave to practice constant meditation using the 5 mantras (later personified as the 5 faces of Shiva).
4. When he perfected stage 3, that is when he had achieved an uninterrupted awareness of Rudra without the need for mantra, he moved to a cremation ground and awaited death.

This is also called the cult of Sadashiva. The temple cult, that of royal patronage, in the Sadashiva Cult is the mainstream Shaivism which had more influence on public Hinduism. The mainstream Shaiva cult of Sadashiva became central to the public temple cult. The acaryas of the Sadashiva cult would often be temple priests, as they are today in South India.

The Mantramarga Branch of Tantra

This path is primarily concerned with the quest for supernatural experience (although it does promote salvation, too). It includes siddhi as well as supernatural experience and power, such as rebirth as an Indra in heaven, or the idea of attracting gandharva maidens to come under one's control. Generally these can be described as avidya practices. It is distinguished by its association with the feminine power (Shakti). Evidence of the Atimarga is sparse, yet the Mantramarga can be studied in an enormous body of Sanskrit texts. One of the reasons why Baerava tantras are so large in number, is that the practices for siddhi were far more complex, and could be inflected in infinite varieties. They provided more scope for innovation. The focus on siddhi is probably misleading, however, as more people trod the moksa path. Bhaerava tantras come within the Mantramarga Bhaerava Tantra.

Mantramarga Bhaerava Tantra

This tantra is focused on extreme kapalik practices, and radical ritual involving evoking goddesses (yoginiis), which could also be called intermediate microvita, both positive and negative. These practices are very radical, involving all kinds of impure products, such as the by products of human sexuality. One uses these body fluids to make the deities (negative microvita) present and then using mantras to bring them under one's control.

Baba talks about seven categories of microvita, which could be synonymous with yoginiis, women who would fly down from the sky. They appear at a place where there is an element of danger, a place where the mundane and supernatural worlds meet. This could be a crossroads, a deserted temple, cremation ground, the sea shore.

The Bhaerava cult has a dominant influence on the evolution of Tantra sadhana. The Shakta cult, the cult of goddesses which emerges from Bhaerava cult, becomes the cutting edge in terms of the development of tantric sadhana, both internal and external ritual. There was widespread knowledge throughout India that people, both Shaeva and Buddhist, were doing strange things in the cemeteries. This tradition was pan-Indian. The early practices were most likely initiated in north and east India and then spread to the Deccan plateau, and further south. This is shown by the content of a play in the earth 8^th century called Malatiimadhava. The fifth act opens with Madhav, the play's respectable hero, walking out to the cremation ground at midnight to sell human flesh to goblins.

Tantra is a cultural fixture by this time. One of the distinctive characteristics of the Mantra Marga, the tantric cult of both the Shaivas and the Buddhists, is that it can give one both bhukti and mukti. It is the path to both siddhi and liberation. This is something that tantikas emphasize themselves more than everything. Other traditions claim to be able to grant someone Moksa. Mahayana Buddhism does grant one the possibility to achieve Moksa, but over eons. One has to be reborn as a Boddhisattva, and perform terrible forms of penance, such as tearing out one's eyes to heal a blind person, and ripping off one's arm to feed a tiger. It is a terrible path that can take millions of lives. Tantra gives liberation in one lifetime. One could think of Bhaerava gurus as both spiritualists and used car salesman! They are trying to sell their practices, to attract others to their paths. There were all kinds of self-professed gurus and they are constantly innovating, with new practices and new goddesses developing. It was a very fertile period for tantric practices, innovating more quickly than at any other time in the history of mantra, visualization, etc. There were plenty of male deities too, but in the Bhairava cult, more and more goddesses develop. There is an association in the tradition between shakti, goddesses, and siddhi. The practitioners were large in number, but it was still a minority of Shaivas and Buddhists who engaged in Tantric practices. In the period on which the Buddhist tantrik scriptures became accepted in the major monastic centers on India, probably most monks were initiated into the tantric practice.

Buddhist Tantra

Alongside the cult of Sadashiva, Buddhist tantras were developing. They are primarily centered on the deity of Mahavairocana), who can be seen as type of Buddhist Sadashiva. As the Bhaerava cult develops in the Shaiva tradition, one gets Buddhist deities that reflect that development, too. So Buddhist deities such as Heruka, Cakrasamvara, Vajrayoginii take on the iconography of Bhaerava and goddesses become more important. In the phase of Yoginii Tantra, which is goddess-oriented Bhaerava tantra the on the Shaiva side, one gets the emergence of Buddhist yogini tantra. They do the same sort of practices for siddhi that focus on the extreme deities that exercise their authority over microvita. They have the same extreme practices such as bearing weapons, using severed heads, drinking blood and wine, having intercourse, and so on.

Tibetan Buddhism is based on the Yoginii Tantra of Indian Tantric Buddhism, which is closely derived from Shaiva yoginii tantra. They were in very close relationship in that period, with Tibetan Buddhism rewriting passages from Shaiva Tantra. Sarkar says that when writing became more popular there was more scriptural copying a closer relationship amongst the various tantric groups, the Jain, Buddhist and Shaiva tantras. During the Yoginii cult, the cult of 64 yoginiis, a common tantric culture develops, that has both Shaeva and Buddhist varieties. The practices are the same, but the religious organization is different. The Siddha Cult emerges out of the shared Shaiva-Buddhist yoginii cult, and the Natha cult emerges out of that. On the Buddhist side the orientation towards liberation is a little stronger. Texts were first written by Buddhist practitioners who were less educated (forest practitioners) yoginii tantrikas. They were well versed in practice, but not in philosophy. When they became accepted as scripture in the major Buddhist monastic centers, the intellectual centers, they undergo sophisticated interpretation. Based on those scriptures they write practice manuals. The reflection on these scriptures is primarily moksa-oriented. On the Buddhist side there was a sophisticated interpretation of the tantric tradition and a very spiritual form of meditation derived from the yogini cult.

Kashmir School of Tantra

The flowering of authored texts in the Shaiva tradition blossomed in Kashmir from 9 - 11 CE. Baba talks about the Bengali School of Tantra that was more oriented towards practice, and the Kashmir School of tantra that was more oriented towards philosophy and was more influenced by the Vedas. The Kashmiri Shaeva's were more learned, more elite, and is the school of Shaeva philosophy that is closest to Ananda Marga ideology.The idea of the universe as the manifestation of Shiva. The whole philosophy of the cosmos developed by the Kashmir Shaivas is much closer to Baba's outlook than any other Indian school of philosophy. In NKS there is no mention of Kashmiri Tantra, but many of the criticisms that Baba makes against other schools of philosophy are the save of criticisms that the Kashmir Shaivas would make. For example, the Advaita Vedanta (of Shankaracarya) philosophical system based on absolute idealism, the absolute reality of Brahma and the world being a creation of our own limited consciousness. The Kashmiri School rejects this position, saying that everything that exists is derived from consciousness. In that period Kashmir was prosperous, and had a real tradition of learning. Most likely the main religion of the people was Shaivism and had the patronage of the king.

The Kaula Reformation of the Yogini Cult

Before the Kashmiri Shaiva tradition there was the kaula reform. Because of kaulism, the nature of the practice of the yogini cult changed, allowing it to flow in the wider community of married householders. It was a period of innovation in which the Baerava cult was transformed more towards yoga, the direction of seeking bliss, and away from seeking siddhi (that is, there was more internalization). In the case of sexual yoga, in the early Bhaerava Tantra, the focus was on the sexual fluids themselves, whereas in the Kaula phase the focus seems to be more upon the sublimation of the sexual experience towards the realization of the divine consciousness. The rites of the yogini cult were called "kaulika" or "kaula." They are adjectives derived from the noun "kula" in its reference to the families or lineages of the Yoginis and Mothers. Kaulism developed from within the Yogini cults. Kula also meant the cosmic body, the powers of the eight families of the Mothers.

One was believed to enter the totality (kula) through that segment of its power with which one had a special affinity, determined as before by the casting of a flower during possession (Sanderson, p 679). It is within the Kaula phase that the Siddha tradition arises (in both Buddhist and Shaiva tantra). Siddha means "perfection." Siddhas were also divine beings (Baba has incorporated this into microvita), beings beyond the scope of human understanding. The religious ideal is to become a siddha for the tantric practitioner, that is a perfect practitioner and a supernatural being.

The kaula reform is also associated with the guru Matsyendranath, the founder of the Natha cult. The early history of the Natha cult is unclear, but does seem to come out of the Kaula Siddha cult, and very possibly having a strong influence of tantric Buddhism Baba talks about the natha cult as being a fusion of Buddhist tantra and Shaiva tantra. Baba says that as Buddhist tantra began to die in India it merged with Shaiva tantra to form the Natha cult. The Natha cult moved further away from the Baerava tantras and the sexual rituals and use of substances. It moved the focus back to meditation. And at the same time developed elaborate systems of hatha yoga.

Hatha yoga was not as important in the early stages of the Natha cult. In the early scriptures that talk about the natha cult, the Kaula tantras are dedicated to the goddess Kubjika, the hunchback goddess. It is in the Kubjikarvatatantra that we find an early mention of the Nathas, and the first mention of the system of seven cakras with those names. It is one of two systems of cakras mentioned in that text. The other system is the cakras of Yoginiis and Mother Goddesses, etc., with different numbers of petals. (This tantra also pays reverence to the Natha gurus.)

This is a transitional text from the Siddha Cult to the Natha Cult. Yogis may have practiced yoga for physical health before the Natha cult, but was not important enough to mention. However, asana was more of a tool for meditation. In Medieval India the term yogi was practically synonymous with Natha cult. Gorakhanath was most likely historical, living around 12 CE. Matsyendrath seems to be more of a mysterious figure. He is mentioned in 10 CE sources as a Kaula guru, and is claimed to be the teacher of Gorakhanath. In an India college book it is mentioned that yogis can live a long time, so maybe Matsyendranath did live for a few hundred years!! The literature of the Natha cult spread from Maharashtra to Bengal.

Baba says that the Gorakhvanii is the earliest Bhojpuri literature (Nepal to Bihar). The Natha cult was important in Nepal, Bengal, Maharashtra, UP. The fire and temple rituals of early Shaiva tantra became obsolete in the Natha cult. From the 12 CE on tantric Buddhism was little practiced in India, except perhaps in the eastern parts of Bengal. The Tibetan lamas stopped looking to India for the source of gurus after the 14 CE due to the decline of Indian Buddhism.

The Shakta tradition and the Natha cult take different directions. The Shakta cults takes different forms. In Bengal we have the development of the tantras of Kali, and it is within this later traditions in Bengal that we have the development of texts such as the Satcakra Nirupama, which became the classical account of the cakras. The texts published by Woodroffe are late Bengali Kali (Shakti) tantras. This has been preserved in Bengal to the present. The Natha cult lost its importance in Bengal. What did become important was Moslem Tantra (Sufism, perhaps people converted from the Natha cult) and the Vaesnava Tantra perhaps people converted from tantric Buddhism). Orthodox Vaeśńava religion in Bengal was concerned with Kiirtana; the Tatrik Vaeśńavas practiced sádhaná, including sexual sádhaná In the Rajasthan one finds countless mandalas, suggesting strong influence of tantra in the Jain faith. What I meant was that even today you can mind countless examples of Tantric painting etc. in Rajastan, much of which was probably from Jaina Tantra.

Hatha Yoga

It first appeared in the 9^th or 10^th century. Despite its rather detailed philosophical underpinnings, it was little more than a small and radical sect during the post-classical period. In fact, among some Hindus of the period Hatha yoga had a reputation of being heretical in its focus on the physical and magical powers. Hatha yoga's principles arose from Tantra, and incorporated elements of Buddhism, alchemy and Shaivism. Like tantrikas, hatha yogis believed that creating polarities caused suffering and brought delusion and pain. Ha means sun and tha means moon and denotes the union of opposites. Hatha also implies that tremendous force is needed to bring together body and mind. Hatha yogis strove to transform the physical body into a subtle divine body, and thereby attain enlightenment.

The Siddha Movement

The Siddha cult flourished between the 8^th and 12^th centuries. Siddha means accomplished or perfected and refers to the Tantris adept who has attained enlightenment as the ultimate perfection. The Suddha is a spiritual alchemist who works on and transmutes impure matter, the human body-mind, into pure gold, the immortal spiritual essence. The most important schools of the Siddha movement were those of the Nathas (primarily Bengal) and Maheshvaras (the South, especially Tamil Nadu). It seems the foremost adept was Matsyendanath, the famous teacher of the still more famous Gorakshanath. Bhogar, a 17^th century adept wrote:

Time was when I despised the body: But then I saw God within. The body, I realized, is the Lord's temple; And so I began preserving it with care infinite.

Hindu tradition associates the creation of Hatha-Yoga with Goraksanath and Matsyendranath, both of whom were from Bengal (Natha means lord or master and refers to the yogi who enjoys liberation and paranormal powers. Nathism is recognized as one of the strands of modern Tantra). Some say Matsyendra was from a fisherman's caste. Other tell a story in which he was swallowed by a giant fish. The fish was attracted to bottom of the ocean where Shiva was instructing his wife Uma in secret tantric practices. Shiva "saw" Matsyendra within the fish and taught him, too. He stayed in the fish for 12 years doing deep sadhana until the fish was caught and gutted by a fellow fisherman. Goraksha lived in the late 10^thand early 11^th century. Kabir praised Goraksha for his teachings on cakras and shabda yoga (yoga of sound).

Goraksha

Goraksha founded the Natha sect of yogis and was considered to be a miracle worker, saint and revered teacher. In his early book, the Siddha Siddanta Paddhati, he states that the physical body is only one level of embodiment (kosa?).

Hatha Yoga Pradipika

Svatmarama Yogin, who called himself a disciple of Goraksha (even though he came a few centuries later), wrote a second treatise, the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, probably during the mid-fourteenth centure. This text describes 16 postures, most of which are variations of Padmasana, several purification rituals, eight pranayama techniques and ten mudras. As Svatmarama explained, before the mind can even hope to control the senses, the breath must calm the mind. Steady, rhythmic breathing calms the mind. This path was exclusively for the attainment of samadhi though Raja yoga (Patanjali).

Gheranda Samhita

The Gheranda Samhita, a late 17^th Century manual based on the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, offers seven niyamas necessary for yoga practice: purification (acquired through shat kriyas), strength and firmness (asanas), steadfastness (mudras), calmness (pratyahara), kindness and lightness (pranayama), direct perception (dhyana) and isolation (samadhi). The manual's author, the sage Gheranda, prescribes 32 asanas and 25 mudras. But despite the emphasis on the physical body, Gheranda believed a yogi ultimately attained liberation through the grace of the guru. 19 of the 32 asanas are included in the 42 AM asanas, including: siddhasana, padmasana, vajrasana, viirasana, gomukhasana, dhanurasana, savasana, matsyasana, matsyendrasana, paschimottanasana, mayurasana, kurmasana, mandukasana, uttana mandukasana (raised frog), garudasana, salabhasana, ustrasanana, bhujangasana, yogasana.

Shiva Samhita

The Shiva Samhita is the most comprehensive treatise on Hatha Yoga and was written as late as the early 18^th century. It emphasized that even a common householder can practice yoga and reap its benefits, a concept that would have started earlier proponents of yoga. It names 84 different asanas and five types of prana (and ways to regulate them). Just like all Hatha yoga philosophy, the Shiva Samhita postulates that performing asanas will cure a yogi of all diseases and bestow upon him magical powers.

Switching breaths

Shivaswarodaya Shastra. This is an ancient science which connotes the process of our breathing and the information about pulses.

Since this is very technical subject let us discuss following points: -

• Introduction of Shivaswarodaya Shastra
• Function of Shivaswarodaya Shastra and its process
• Information about three important pulses viz. ‘Ida’, ‘Pingala”, ‘Sushumna’ which plays very important role in respect of oxygenation. (Basically there are ten pulses which are associated in the process of oxygenation. However Prime pulses are three, mentioned above)
• Usage of Shivaswarodaya Shastra
• Information of five principles and elements involved in each pulse

Methodology

This ancient science “Shivaswarodaya Shastra” was deeply and thoroughly studied by our ancestors, antecedents and great sages, hermits and ascetics. They understood the relationship of this science with our “Yogashastra” (Breathing science and techniques.) All these efforts were for common people and masses. It helps every one to deal successfully with day to day worldly activities. This science is associated with our spiritual science. While inhaling and excelling breathe a soft voice is created. It is known as “Swara”. Shiva Swarodaya Shastra is basically related to this term swara. While praising ‘swara, it is ornamentally said that that: - “If we find any house without the presence of owner, If we notice any person who is delivering a speech and his eloquence is without a study of subject, and if we happen to see a body without its head it will be a matter of surprise and de-grace. Similarly knowledge of Astrology is incomplete and de-gracing without the study of Swara Shastra.” The help of this science is taken to find the solutions of self quarries and questions. Also this science is helpful to answer the quarries and questions of others. In this science there is no room for mal-coincidences. As described earlier it is a science which relates to the breath. When we inhale breath a soft voice comes which sounds like ‘humm’ When we excel the breath, a soft voice comes which sounds like ‘ssmm’. If we concentrate on the incoming and outgoing sound, we can feel the sound similar to “om” Voice appears from nostril is called as ‘swara’. Swara’ which is flown through left nostril, is called as ‘Chandra or Ida Nadi’ (Ida Pulse). Sswara’ which is flown through right nostril, is called as ‘Soorya or Pingala Nadi’ (pulse) Swara which flows through both the nostrils is called as ‘Sushumna Nadi (Pulse)’ If the swara is flowing through left nostril then it is said that left side is “Poornanga” (complete portion) and other side is called as “Riktanga”(Empty portin) and this is vice-a –versa.
Normally we take a breath for one hour from each nostril. When we take a breath we inhale five elements from cosmos. Those are 1) Pruthvi (Earth), Aap (Water), Tej or Agni (Radiance or Fire) and Aakash (Sky). In our spiritual science it is mentioned and confirmed that our body is a combination of above five Tatvas (elements). It is permissible if the flow of breath from one nostril is continued up to two hours. More than two hours if it is continued it is treated as bad and misfortunate sign. We may call it as an alarm of any bad news. For worldly and materialistic activities breathing process is done either through Ida (left side nostril) or Pingala (right side nostril). Sushumna Nadi (Breathing through both the nostrils) is not applicable for the worldly and materialist affairs. It is basically for spiritual purpose. Hence Sushumna is said to be non useful pulse for worldly activities and desires. Same time Ida and Pingala pulses are not useful for spiritual worship and meditation. For spiritual aspect Sushumna Nadi is most precious part.
If a person engaged in spiritual activities, he/she has to achieve the breathing process through Sushumna Nadi. If it is not getting through, then hard endeavors and practice has to be done. Person may have to devote much more time of his/her life just to adopt a favour of Sushumna Therefore our ascetics, hermits, and sages devote much of their life period to get mastery over this technique. Through rigorous practice they acquire an art of changing the breathing process. During dhyaan (meditation) great sages take a help of small crutch. It is not just to provide a support to the hand which engaged in breading, but it has got significant meaning. With the help of crutch, sages try to change the flow of breath from one nostril to another. Sages place the crutch in one underarm.
After some time they realize that the flow of breath is switched-off from crutch side nostril and shifted to other side. Then they place the crutch in another underarm (from where the flow of breath is now appearing). With great practice and endeavour they feel the flow of breathing from both the sides. This is called breathing through Susushmna. It is mentioned in our spiritual science that ‘in which pulse the soul is entered the ‘swara’ flows from that pulse’. By practice we can feel the flow of swara.
• When we wake up at morning first feel from which side the breathing flow is active. Accordingly rub a palm (of that side hand) at descending way on the face. By doing this we get the desired thing. Our wishes get fulfilled.
• If we wish to get any favour from our brother, mentor or from relative, confirm that they are standing on that side where swara is flowing.
• For auspicious work, swara from left nostril is applicable. For un-auspicious, brutal and hot headed work, right side nostril swara is applicable.
• If messenger from whom you are expecting any news, enters from your left side and your breathing flow is also running from left side then probably it will be good news. Even messenger enters from your opposite side, then also assure that the news will be auspicious
• In case yours breathing flow is from right side and messenger appears from your right hand side or from your back side or from down stairs then also you will get fortunate news.
• A person who is asking a question to you, stands to that side from where breathing process is on then you can answer positively. It is a sign that the expectation of questioning person will be fulfilled. In the reverse case (Questioning person is standing at the reverse side of breathing flow) give a negative answer. In case the flow of breathing is from both the nostrils, then ask the questioning person to adjourn the work, because the present time is unfavorable and it may ruin the entire lot of possibilities.
• If enemy is attacking dangerous weapons missiles from ‘riktang’ (i.e. the side where breathing flow is absent then such weapons will not cause any harm.
• Similarly thieves, snakes, enemies etc can not make any harm if they are approaching from ‘riktang’
• During delivery labour-pains if pregnant lady is breathing from right nostril, then she will deliver a son. If pregnant lady is breathing from left side nostril, then she will deliver a daughter. In case the breathing is from both the nostrils, then no prediction should be made.
• In case questioning person approaches to you with a question about any patient, if he appears from ‘rikta anga’ and then turns to the ‘ purna anga’ then it is a bad sign. Chance of survival of patient is very low. These are various important points in respect of swar shastra. We can get the help of Shiv Swarodaya Shastra for day to day affairs. Basically a philosophy of Swar Shastra is paramount part of its knowledge. However to understand the philosophy, a deep study is required. Hence at this moment that aspect is not discussed and described.

Divinations

There is one mode of divination called
> "Sara Nool" in Tamil. It is a form of breath
> divination, i.e., divination according to
> the flow of breath through each nostril.
> There is an English translation of a Sanskrit
> work called "Swara Cintamani", which has
> been published in North India.
> Then there is the "Saguna Saastra"
> which deals with the interpretation of
> certain signs and incidents, e.g.,
> a married woman carrying a full-pitcher
> of water, coming in front , while you are
> about to start on a venture.
> "Swapna Sastra" is the interpretation
> of dreams.
> There is the "Kauli Saastra", which
> is the divination by the interpretation of
> the clucking noise made by the lizard. It
> makes use of the combination of the
> direction, number of times, time of the day of
> the clucking.
> Among the Tamil Hindus, we have "Nool
> Saarththal". In those days, everything was written on
> palmyra leaf. The leaves were bundled, one on top of the
> other. This was called the "suvadi". For this
> purpose, a book of hymns or puaranas is chosen.
> A string is passed in between two leaves at random.
> The book is opened at that place and the verse
> facing you is read. From the verse, the message
> is interpreted for divination, e.g., Take Ramayana
> book. Question in mind: "Will I be successful?"
> The relevent verse, "Hanuman crosses the ocean".
> Interpretation: "Success after great effort".
> There is the Kili Jothidam", divination by parrot.
> Here a parrot is made to chose from a pack of cards.
> The message in the card is interpreted. It is
> something like the "Tarot Cards".
> The "Paaychchigai Jothidam" makes use of
> a certain type of dice.
> A form of divination by beating a rhythm
> on a certain type of drum called "kudu kuduppai",
> is used by a particular sect of mendicants
> known as "Kudu kuduppai Aandi"
> Divination by going into a trance,and beating
> a series of staccato beats on a type of drum
> called "udukku", and listening to the pattern
> of the rhythm, and divining from it - is known
> as "Kodaanggi" and is common in villages of
> Tamilnadu of South India.
> There are several other types also used.
> I don't know whether anyone has made a study
> of all these things are not.
>
> Regards
>
> Jayabarathi
>

Inner Exercises from the net

nner Exercises of Gurdjieff

This being-brain in the
contemporary three-brained
beings there is not localized
in ONE COMMON MASS, as is
proper to the presences of
all the other three-brained
beings of our Great Universe,
but is localized in parts,
according to what is called
`Specific Functioning,' and
each such part is localized
in a different place of their
whole planetary body.

"But although, in its
exterior form, this being-
center of theirs has now
variously placed concentrations,
nevertheless all its separate
functionings are correspondingly
connected with each other, so
that the sum total of these
scattered parts can function
exactly as in general it is
proper for it to function.

"They themselves call
these separate localizations
in their common presence
`nerve nodes.'

"It is interesting to notice
that most of the separate parts
of this being-brain are localized
in them, just in that place of
their planetary body where such
a normal being-brain should be,
namely, in the region of their
breast, and the totality of these
nerve-nodes in their breast, they
call the `Solar Plexus.'"
--Gurdjieff
--ch 17, arch absurd
--Beelzebub's Tales

" . . . in the whole
region of my spine
there began an intense,
almost unbearable itching
and in the very center of
my solar plexus an equally
unbearable colic, and after
a while these two mutually
stimulating sensations
gave way suddenly to a
peaceful inner state
such as I experienced
in later life only once,
when the ceremony of the
"GREAT INITIATION" into
the BROTHERHOOD of the
"MAKERS OF BUTTER FROM
AIR" was performed
over me."
--Gurdjieff
--ch 1, arousing of
--Beelzebub's Tales

Possible Foundations Of Inner Exercises
AGE Blake

http://www.gurdjieff-internet.com/article_details.php?ID=16&W=6

The present study begins with
notes of an exercise given by
Gurdjieff In New York (which he
describes in his Third Series of
Writings), which is reproduced
after our commentary. The
reader can then see for
herself whether our
analysis holds water.
Our purpose is to delineate
the essential characteristics
of this exercise to serve as a
guide to other exercises, such
as those developed by John Bennett
in later years from Gurdjieff's.
Gurdjieff himself explains many
things about 'attention', 'I Am'
and so on in his Third Series of
writings and we come to some of
these explanations at the very
end of our discussion.

---------------------------------


Outline

Gurdjieff refers to this exercise
as the "compromise" exercise. In
this exercise, attention is
divided between the breathing
and the head brain and the
results of this are
gathered into or
concentrated in the
solar plexus. Gurdjieff
says that this will enhance
the sense of 'I AM', which
he couples with what he
calls 'active mentation'.

Attention & Associations

In describing the exercise,
Gurdjieff makes a number of
statements about attention.

For 'real men' there is an
attention that can be divided
into two directions.

There are three
kinds of attention.

The attention of a real man
can be free of associations.

The attention of a real man would
be 'conscious'. The pragmatic test
is that such an attention can be
divided. The three kinds of
attention are referred to by
Gurdjieff as 'to sense, feel
and constate' - which we might
know more abstractly as sensing,
feeling and thinking.

Associations go on by themselves
and Gurdjieff says they not only
go in our sleep, when we dream,
but even after death! In describing
(conscious) attention, he says that
it can be concentrated away from
such automatic proceedings.

In the course of describing
the exercise, he tells his pupils
to concentrate their attention on
specific aspects of their
(experiential) organism. In
everyday life, we would not
do this. Though not specifically
mentioned in this description, we
should bear in mind the kind of
ideas he put forward in the
beginning of his teaching
about man as a 'factory',
taking in raw materials of
food, air and impressions and
transforming them (see in In
Search of the Miraculous by PD
Ouspensky). Part of this
transformation goes
automatically, by itself,
but there are stages that
require conscious work. This
is where the attention of a
real man comes in.

Warning

Both at the beginning and at
the end of his description,
Gurdjieff warns against auto-
suggestion. He also warns against
excessive zeal and 'self-enthusing'.
In contemporary colloquial language,
we might say that if someone is
'getting off' on this exercise,
then it is going wrong. Gurdjieff
is emphasising that doing this
exercise should have nothing
to do with generating emotional
experiences. The real results
accumulate gradually through
repeated practice.

In modern times, inner exercises
of various kinds have been taken
up precisely because they give rise
to emotional experiences. It is
forgotten that, for example, in
Buddhism Mara the 'evil one' was
the name given to bliss experienced
in meditation! Gurdjieff is also
following the core tradition of
mysticism in Christianity, which
tended to reject 'experiences'
as distractions. He makes the
exercise seem like shovelling
coal!

In a technical sense, 'bliss'
(as in the ananda of the Hindu
sat-chit-ananda-being-consciousness-
bliss) is always a descending phenomenon,
which means that a higher energy is
transforming down into lower
energies. Gurdjieff's exercise
appears to have the intent of an
ascending process. Flying in the
face of his repeated assertion that
'man cannot do' he claims that this
exercise will enable his pupils to
"do", which may be to build up a
substance giving the possibility
of doing.

Here we will simply remark that
John Bennett described such a
possibility in terms of his own
language, drawn from science, of
'potential energy'. Energy withdrawn
from actualisation, from anything
happening, enables real choices
to be made, or voluntary action
taken (see his series of
lectures recently
republished under
the title
Making a
Soul).

Assimilating Air

In this exercise, Gurdjieff says,
the attention is divided into two
parts. The first part concentrates
on breathing: becoming aware of the
air coming into the lungs and then
leaving, but not entirely, since
some of it is assimilated. The
air that is assimilated 'flows
in my presence'. Now, it is
likely that Gurdjieff was not
referring to oxygen here as the
part of the air that is assimilated
(there is a tantalising passage about
the active ingredients in the air,
which is deliberately broken off
and left unfinished, in the
Third Series).

In later years, John Bennett would
explain that there is an 'active
substance' in the air--he even at
one time said that it can be
derived from the sun - and
that this active substance
can only be assimilated into
us if it is taken in consciously.
The underlying reference is to
the theory of the 'food factory'
we mentioned before: in order
for the second-being food or
'air' to be transformed it
requires at a certain point
assistance from (intentional)
impressions - i.e. conscious
attention.

It is widely known that awareness
of our breathing changes our state.
But the idea that it can produce a
certain substance in us is very
much Gurdjieff's alone. John
Bennett speaks of it as prana -
a Hindu term that is usually
translated as something like
'life-force'. Needless to say,
there is no evidence whatsoever
for there being such a substance,
besides the changes in state that
are subjective and we are even
warned about by Gurdjieff
himself.

The Mental Component

By concentrating on the breathing,
the pull of mental associations has
become weak. However, next 'the other
half' of the attention is put onto the
'mind' or, as Gurdjieff also calls it
'my head brain'. He says that with
practice we can detect something
arising there from our
associations, at first
faintly. Nowhere does he
say what this 'something'
is. He even says that "what
arises in the brain is not
important"; instead he says
that there should be a flow
in to the solar plexus.

The austerity of language
should be remarked. In this
case it is most fitting since,
in general, the substance of the
head brain is taken as abstract.

However, there is a sense in
which we can take what arises
and what flows as in some way
being the 'substance underlying
associations, thoughts or
knowing'.

Solar Plexus

What flows in my presence from
the air and what comes from my
head brain combine together in
the solar plexus. Gurdjieff does
not say that they blend together
or make any statement about their
conjunction. The location of the
solar plexus is only explained
indirectly when Gurdjieff says
that the exercise increases the
strength of his 'I AM'. Someone
who actually does the exercise
can see what this means for
herself. Speculations based
on the chakra system tend to
be totally misleading since
Gurdjieff never used this
system or made reference
to it. Nor does he make
use of other Asian
concepts such as
the 'stove of
the belly'.

What is striking is that the
Desert Fathers practised bringing
their thoughts into the region of
their navels (hence the origin of
the phrase 'navel-gazers') and
readers of the immensely
influential Philokalia may
recognise the similarities.

In Gurdjieff's own system, it
is fair to say that 'I' would
be most associated with the
head brain and 'AM' with
the solar plexus.

Proceeding Automatically

More than once, Gurdjieff says
that the exercise or part of it
is proceeding in him by itself or
automatically. It is worth taking
note of this. While Gurdjieff is
talking, the exercise is building
and proceeding in him. But, how
can it proceed automatically
when the whole emphasis has
been on concentrating the
attention?

It would confuse the clarity of
the exercise to say very much about
this; but it seems to us that it is
important to observe that concentrating
the attention is not really a matter of
effort. Nor is it a matter of 'I am
doing this'. There is more a sense
of an impersonal act proceeding by
itself. One intends something such
as a flow from the head brain to
the solar plexus and then one
has to allow it to happen as
it will: it is no good 'doing'
anything to try and make it
happen. It is as if the act
of seeing creates what is
to be seen.

Trying to describe and explain
what happens can generate metaphysical
sickness, and a stark simplicity is
called for in the doing of the
exercise. However, it is
important to grasp that
what Gurdjieff calls
'automatic' has two
sides to it.

Intended Results

Gurdjieff says that the practice
of this exercise by his pupils is
"only a preparation to have an 'I'"
but in his own case it provides 'food'
for his 'I'. The task for the pupils is
to recognise the two sources - the flow
from the head brain and the assimilation
from the air. We have already mentioned
that he also said it would enable
people to 'do' or have the
possibility of doing as
well as the wish to do.

LOSE YOURSELF TO FIND YOURSELF

We want to draw attention here
to a common feature of Gurdjieff's
methods, which might be expressed as:
first detach, then divide and then
unite into a new whole. What can be
taught or imparted is something
about detachment and division.
But the new unification
cannot be taught. As long
as people remain followers
of the instructions, they
remain divided. No one can
tell them to unite themselves,
to 'make' I AM in themselves.
Gurdjieff suggests that he
unites himself and then
leaves it there.

His almost final statement about
the exercise is that it will enable
his pupils to have 'real active
mentation'. This may be the key
to the whole thing. The very
idea that inner exercises
should be devoted to
something that is akin
to thinking is anathema
to most so-called 'spiritual'
seekers at the present time. It
is also a side of Gurdjieff that
has been strangely neglected by
those professing to follow his
ideas. Though Gurdjieff's active
mentation is not just our usual
'thinking' it is still
conscious, willed
direction based on
understanding and is
what thinking ought to
be.

Another way of regarding
active mentation is as
'thinking with the
whole of oneself'.

Essential Features

It is useful to make a summary
of the essential features of this
exercise. Readers may differ with
us on our choices and interpretations.
Such a summary may also be tested
against other exercises (as we
will do in the following essay).
At the outset, we have to state
that it is our contention that
such an exercise is integrally
connected with the rest of
Gurdjieff's teaching,
particularly with his
theories of human structure
and process. We believe that
his account of the assimilation
and transformation of the three
'foods' of food, air and
impressions is of paramount
importance. The general
inference from this
teaching is that
conscious attention
can affect the process
of transformation; in
particular, to produce
'substances' that would
not otherwise be made.

These substances share in the
characteristic of enablement:
if we have them, we can 'do'
and if we do not then wanting
to do is just wishful thinking.
In a word, these substances turn
our view of ourselves as free,
whole, creative beings from
fantasy into reality. We spoke
of 'wishful thinking' and might
consider that such substances
when added to the equation
produce a real result:

thinking + wish +
substance = real
doing.

1 The purpose of such an
exercise is to produce
an enabling substance
(or energy) that can
make life more real.

2 It depends on exercising a
free attention that can be
divided into at least two
parts.

3 There is an energy or substance
that can be assimilated or made
available to us by bringing
attention onto our breathing.

4 In a perhaps similar way, there
is an energy or substance that
can be released from the
thinking process or head
brain by careful
attention.

5 Such energies can be combined
together to produce a new
sense of wholeness or
'I-Amness'.

The 'sense' of new wholeness that
is posited at the end of the exercise
is the most important 'proof' of the
efficacy of the exercise. But, as we
commented, it is the most problematic -
not least because it has to be self-
defining. However, during the course
of the exercise, it is possible for
us to test out and explore the
meaning of points 2, 3 and 4.
These features give us a
chance to struggle with
our convictions. We just
have to come to terms with
how things work out in us
when we try to follow the
instructions. We have to
decide what is real in
our experience.

There is no way of knowing whether
what happens to one person is the
same as to another. Each will
describe their experience in
different terms. We have
adopted the method of
'experienting' to take
account of this, which
has the advantage of
providing mutual
support without the
imposition of any one
person's models of the
experience.

Experienting also follows the
situation exemplified by Gurdjieff
himself in describing the exercise,
where it is clear - and even stated
by him - that the exercise can be
working in him as he speaks about
it [see below on 'Transmitting
Exercises'].

In 'experienting' every participant
is encouraged to articulate the process
going on in her or him while it is taking
place. At first this feels like an added
difficulty and an immense distraction.
But it facilitates detachment from
emotional experiences (see
Gurdjieff's warning) and can
also assist in the end, through
practice, in attaining the condition
indicated by Gurdjieff of the exercise
'proceeding automatically'.

The five essential features we have
listed all belong to what can be
called a 'psycho-cosmology'. It
is difficult to establish whether
knowing about this is an integral
part of the exercise or not. One
imagines that Gurdjieff's pupils
were well aware of the background
to the exercise they were being
shown. The exercise can be done
without knowing anything about
the 'food factory' model but
would it be the same?
Gurdjieff gives the
essentials without
any appeal to theory
but it would be hard
to put it all together
without some theoretical
support.

We tentatively, then,
add a sixth feature:

6. To constate and reason on
the purpose and meaning of the
exercise, with the provisos "don't
imagine things" and "don't be the
slaves of the data you have
within yourselves for auto-
suggestion".


---------------------------------

The Exercise as given by
Mr. G. (with some
minimal editing)

This version differs slightly
from the text given in the
Third Series

The totality of man's attention
received from the whole of him,
from all his spiritualised parts,
he can divide into two directions.
For real man there is one attention.
Only this attention can be divided
into two directions. In general
if the sources of man's attention
are taken into account, there are
three kinds of attention. You must
first understand and then
recognise the difference.
When this attention is
concentrated, then our
associations are 'in
galoshes'.

Associations can never stop.
If they would stop men would
die. Associations always flow.
Even after death they continue
to flow by momentum. Only when
attention is seriously occupied,
associations are not constated;
all the same they flow
automatically. Even in
sleep they continue and
are sometimes remembered-
this is what constitutes
dreams. Those who remember
their dreams were only half
asleep. If a man really
sleeps, his attention
also sleeps.

Real man has one attention.
When this is concentrated
seriously somewhere, whether
on his body or on something
outside, and all the forces
of his attention are
concentrated, his
associations do not
hinder him. For example
I am now looking at L.,
and my attention is
directed on my right
foot; so although I
look, I see only
automatically, my
attention being
elsewhere.

I will now show you that new
exercise, the one to which is
attached the risk I spoke of,
the "compromise" exercise.

It is a serious experiment; many
of you have such data in you for
auto-suggestion that impressions
may be obtained which will be the
result of some kind of self-
hypnotism.

If you are now a nonentity, you
may become a thousand times more
so. You might, if you will excuse
my using this word, "stink". Be
careful with the experiment. It
is not quality that is necessary,
but quantity. Do it often. Don 't
try to get absolute results. Make
repeated efforts. Then only little
by little, can you actualize results.
Then only will you be able to "do".
And parallel with wishing to "do",
there will arise in you the
possibility of "doing".

Do this without excessive zeal,
without self-enthusing, which is
a very harmful property. If you
repeat this exercise often, your
auto-suggestiveness will diminish.

This is the exercise.

Outwardly, at the first glance, this
exercise is simple. For instance, you
see, I sit here in my usual posture. I
am dividing my attention. But no one
can see this inner process. I divide
my attention consciously into two
parts. With one part I now sense,
feel and constate simultaneously
with one conscious concentration.
Now I breathe. I feel that
something happening to the
air that I breath in. Part
of it goes in, part goes out,
and a part remains. My organism,
that is my lungs, take a part,
then a part leaves and a part
remains. I feel what is
happening in my lungs.
When I breath in, part
of the air is assimilated
and I feel its flow all over
the body. It goes everywhere.
I keep my attention fixed; I
feel, I sense how this air is
being assimilated in me and
how it flows in my presence.
It is not necessary to find
out where it goes, it just
flows in my presence.

One part of my attention is
occupied with this - breathing,
assimilating and flowing of the
air. Already my mental
associations are very
weak. I notice them
sometimes, by the way,
because part of my
attention is free,
and is able to
notice mental
associations.

Now I will concentrate the other
half of my attention on my mind,
my head brain. I feel that in my
head-brain something arises from
the total of the flow of associations
there. I don't know what is taking
place there, but there is
something, and with my
half attention I notice
this very thin something
arise, so small, so light,
so thin, that nobody feels
it the first few times, not
until constant practice gives
the feeling. I know this
subjectively because I
have practised it. I
feel, I sense, l constate,
that something arises in my
head-brain. All the time, of
course, the other half of my
attention is occupied with
the breathing process. Even
while speaking, this
exercise is being
automatically
done.

Now I direct my attention to
help this something in my brain
to flow towards my solar plexus.
What arises in the brain is not
important. What is important is
that the something that arises
there should flow into the
solar plexus. Now I feel
how it flows. My attention
is fully occupied and I don't
see any more associations. All
my attention is occupied with
feeling, sensing, and
assimilating the flow
of air and also with
this arising in my
head-brain.

This flow of assimilated air,
and this something which arises
in my head brain, I specially,
consciously, with my wish,
concentrate to let it flow
into my solar plexus. Now, by
the way I feel and constate that
I breathe, I assimilate and that
this flow goes to the solar plexus.
And all the time the flow from the
air I breathe and the flow from my
head-associations go to the solar
plexus although they issue from
different sources.

For me personally, at the same time,
I feel very strongly that I AM. I feel
that I AM ten times stronger. My "I"
takes in this food more intensely,
but for you, at the present moment,
do not do this exercise in order to
be stronger. For you this exercise
is only a preparation to have an
"I" and so that you should
constate the two sources
from which this "I" can
arise. For me it gives
food to my "I". It makes
it stronger, so that now
I am not "tail of donkey".
I AM.

But you can not yet use this
exercise to make yourself stronger;
you must first learn and constate
the two sources from which this
possibility can arise, to have
a real "I" - from air and from
mentation, even automatic
mentation; and then, when
you will have practised
this exercise a great
deal, you may be able
to have possibilities
for real active mentation.
And then with real active
mentation, the "I" can
become stronger.

Enough. I stop and let these
processes proceed in me automatically.
Now, without titillation without
philosophizing and manipulation,
try to understand the total of
all this and formulate it
according to your
subjective
understanding,
according to
whatever kind
of idiot you
are.

Then do [it].

Don't imagine things.

Don't be the slave of the
data you have in yourselves
for autosuggestion, but try
very hard.

We have at hand another report
of an exercise dictated by Mr
Gurdjieff, this time dated to
1939. It is instructive to
read this account in the
light of our previous
discussion. We add
some comments
afterwards.

Exercise by Mr. Gurdjieff
From hand-written note 1939

Fifteen minutes relax. Break
tempo of ordinary life before
doing exercise.

Breathe in - 'I'.

Breathe out - 'am'.

With all three parts do.

Not just mind.

Feeling and body also.

Make strong! Not easy thing.

When breathe out, imagine part
of air stays in and flows to
corresponding place. Where
flow, how flow, that is its
business. Only feel that part
remains. Before beginning
exercise say: 'I wish to
keep this substance for
myself'.

Without this conscious and
voluntary labour on your part
nothing at all will be coated.
All in time will evaporate.
Just this small property in
blood makes possible very big
result if done with conscious
labour. Without this, one
month you must work for
such result.

When doing, must be careful not
to change exterior. It is inner
thing. No one need know. Outside
keep same exterior. Inside you do.
Not hold breath. Just breathe in
and out. Of course, to change
thinking will take time.
Automatically breath will
adjust. To be able to do
exercise not lopsidedly
you must put whole
attention on it.

To arouse feeling, interest
and attention, for co-operation
you must think following before
beginning: 'I am now about to
begin this exercise. With full
attention I will draw in my
breath, saying "I" and
sensing the whole of
myself. I wish very
much to do this in
order that I may
digest air.'

To arouse body to co-operate,
take corresponding posture. Inner
tension of forces. Mobilise your
centers for working together for
this aim.

In breathing, imagine something
flows, like when inhaling cigarette.
I am now about to begin this exercise,
which I have been fortunate enough to
learn from Mr. Gurdjieff, and which
will enable me with the aid of
conscious labour, to coat higher
bodies in myself from active
elements in the air I
breathe.

First of all, it is clear that
this exercise constitutes only
a part of the one we reviewed
before (the 'compromise' exercise
as Gurdjieff called it). This part
concerns awareness of breathing and,
in particular, of part of the indrawn
air being assimilated and flowing to
its 'corresponding place'. It is
important to note that these
exercises had a somewhat
modular character in that
more simple exercises
could be combined to
form more complex
ones.

Though he does not use the
same words - sense, feel and
constate - that we encountered
before, the intent is exactly
the same: "with all three
parts do".

He emphasises wish in this
exercise, and speaks of "feeling,
interest and attention" instead
of just attention.

An important word in this
description is "imagine".

Of particular interest is his
comments on preparation and
disposition. These include:

Fifteen minutes relaxation
"to break the tempo of
ordinary life"

Taking a "corresponding posture"
for the body to co-operate [as we
learned this from John Bennett, it
was to sit with erect posture with
the hands on the knees, in balance
and not slouched]

Having a clear mental intent to do
the exercise and realise that it is
for the conscious 'digestion' of the
air that will make a "coating" for an
inner body. [Gurdjieff also implies
there should be a feeling of
gratitude towards himself
for providing the exercise].

In our essay on 'Inner Exercises'
we spoke of the three stages of
preparation, concentration and
realisation. Here we see preparation
pointing to the engagement of the whole
of oneself in the act of concentration.
In this instance, the preparation
includes an intellectual
understanding of what the
exercise is for. In our
previous comments we left
this open as a question: Is
it necessary to know the 'theory'
behind the exercise? Now we see
that the answer to this
question is 'Yes'.

It is for the person doing the
exercise to decide whether what
is happening in connection with
his breathing is 'just' her
imagination or whether this
imagination is simply the
means of realising what is
taking place 'because of'
imagination. In his teaching,
John Bennett used to caution
against using the concept of
'just imagination' implying
that imagination was not
necessarily indulging in
fiction but a real action
that could produce
definite results
in us.

The supposed result of the
exercise, however, is something
out of sight. As far as we know,
no one supposes that it is possible
to observe 'coating' - which would
be tantamount to observing the
formation of one's soul. It is
in the realm of being or 'what
is' and cannot be seen as a
process. In our analysis in
'Inner Exercises' we equated
it with samadhi for the
reason that no
observation is
possible. The
dilemma then is
that we have to
take this result
on faith because
there is no way in
which we can know it
directly for ourselves,
which contradicts the
basic foundation of
these methods on
verifying for
oneself.

John Bennett appeared to have
claimed that he could perceive
such results. We remember him
once remarking to a lady that
she now had her kesdjan body,
which was much to her surprise
since she had no sense of it
herself!

---------------------------------

We should emphasise that the use
of breathing advocated by Gurdjieff
did not involve changing the breathing
in any way. The breathing tends to
change of itself and this should be
allowed to happen in a natural and
easy way. Gurdjieff was against
altering the natural tempo of
breathing, instead emphasising
the supreme importance of
awareness and attention as
changing the very substance
of the air itself in us.

---------------------------------

In the next section, we look at
other features of the exercises
which have come down to us over
the years. We also take into
account some of the material
to be found in Ouspensky's
book In Search of the
Miraculous. Needless to
say, attempting any of
these things at random
is of little
consequence.

Bennett's Struggle in Paris

In the book written by his widow,
Elizabeth, Idiots In Paris, we can
read of John Bennett's struggle with
a basic exercise apparently given
him by Gurdjieff.

Though we cannot presume to know
the whole of this, he does provide
an outline of what it entailed. Very
simply, he would kneel with arms out
sideways, fixing his attention on a
fixed spot on the wall. The
accumulating sensation (even
pain perhaps) in his arms would
establish 'Am' and the mental
focus would provide 'I'.

Gurdjieff seemed to have been
consistently concerned with 'I
Am' exercises. Readers of In
Search of the Miraculous may
remember his account of monks
in Mount Athos who would
pronounce the word "I" while
noticing where it 'sounded' in
them (see loc. cit. page 304).
For some it would be in the
chest and others in the head -
or even above the head. He also
mentions that they would adopt a
certain posture, such as kneeling
with the arms lifted and bent at
the elbows.

"The purpose of this exercise is
to feel 'I' every moment a man
thinks of himself and to bring
'I' from one center to another."

One of the reasons for discussing
this exercise is that it makes very
clear that Gurdjieff was not at all
concerned with what is now generally
called 'meditation'. John Bennett
always made it clear that the
exercises derived from
Gurdjieff were active,
while meditation was
essentially receptive;
a distinction that is
discussed in his book The
Sevenfold Work. We would do
the active exercises in the
morning and the receptive
ones at night.

If we were to attempt a
single simplistic formula
for the Gurdjieff exercises,
it would be:

To realise 'I Am' including the
generation or accumulation of
energies enabling 'I' to 'Am'.

In doing an exercise, the person
would have to draw on the whole of
themselves. Thus, Gurdjieff would
speak of integrating the impulses
of 'I can, 'I wish', and 'I am'
as can-wish-am. This was nothing
but a direct application of his
teaching that man consists of four
personalities. These are now only
crudely understood in terms of body,
feelings, mind and 'I'. Behind this
model stands the model of the food
factory, and the implications
stemming from correspondences
such as: body-food, feelings-
air, mind-impressions.

Relaxing and Filling

From the early days in Russia,
Gurdjieff taught relaxation and
sensing (see In Search of the
Miraculous pp. 350-1). There he
initiated the practice followed
more or less since of beginning
relaxation starting from the
muscles of the face. He also
showed how to 'feel' (i.e.
sense in fact) any part of
the body at will. The exercise
in 'circular sensation' shown
around 1917 became Bennett's
'Six Point Exercise' used at
Sherborne more than fifty
years later.

It is not documented when Gurdjieff
explicitly introduced the practice
of 'filling', though it became
'The' exercise for many after
his death. In 'filling' we
bring sensation energy into
the body. Starting with the
feet. Thus, relaxation goes
from top to toe and filling
from toe to top. The head is
the last thing to be filled
with sensation.

The deliberate sensing and movement
of sensation is at first an astonishing
thing. As far as we know, no one besides
Gurdjieff has drawn attention to this as
a fundamental practice of voluntary
experience. It predates biofeedback
by half a century. It is also
intriguing, as Ouspensky points
out, that none of this is to be
found in yogic practice.

In teaching about relaxation and
filling it was always emphasised
that attention should never be
drawn into the inner organs
such as the heart, liver,
spleen, etc. This advice is
echoed in e.g. autogenic
therapy. The reason for
it is that unskilled
attention can alter the
tempo of functioning or
other features of the organ.
In general, Gurdjieff was
against any altering of
diet, chewing,
breathing, etc.

Bennett's arms out sideways (a
practice that certainly came from
Gurdjieff) will inevitably produce
sensation! It must be emphasised over
and over again that Gurdjieff taught
that we do not need to get beyond
the physical because we are not
in it yet - and the first step
is to attain the physical!

Stillness

Besides keeping the body still,
there was also taught a way of
having an inner stillness as
well. This concerned two things.
The first was the 'balancing of
the three centers' and the second
was 'non-emanation'. The 'all-three-
centred-balanced-state' was as it
sounds, bringing the three
centres into equal
attention.

[As an aside, we might refer to
the Samkhya system in which the
primal nature or prakriti consists
of the three gunas in equal proportions.
In this condition, nature no longer
obstructs or hides the 'witness',
the spirit or purusha. Samkhya
is the closest equivalent of the
Gurdjieff system in Asian teaching,
as was pointed out by Sri Anirvan in
Lizelle Reymond's book To Live Within
(readers should attempt to find the
Coombe Springs Press edition since
the current one is lacking some
material).]

The non-emanating state is alluded to
in the exercise of the Immovable Point
discussed in our previous essay. In
this, we imagine that our psyche is
like a cloud surrounding the physical
body through which 'vibrations' come
and go. In the non-emanating state
this flow of vibrations is calmed
down and diminished. A more modern
description would be 'containment'.
The state is relaxed but not
distracted.

The two - 'balanced' and
'non-emanating' - amount
to the same thing in
practice (at least,
we have found so).

Conscious stealing

One of the many things that
Gurdjieff taught was that there
were concentrations of energy that
included higher energies - we might
also say now, that included information.
He even suggested that there were such
concentrations on the scale of the
solar system, embodying 'images'
of the higher principles. On Earth,
he said that there were
concentrations of energy
around places associated
with sacred individuals.
The four usually referred
to were: Lhasa (Saint Lama),
Mecca (Muhammad), Benares
(Buddha) and Jerusalem
(Jesus). It was possible
to 'download' we might say
from such concentrations into
ourselves for our own work.

This was associated with the
concept of 'conscious stealing',
which postulated that we could
just 'take' something if we
could really make use of it.
How we might contact and draw
into ourselves substance from
such concentrations cannot easily
be described here. Suffice it to
say that we have to visualise
such concentrations and
connect with them by
means of a 'thread',
whence we bring their
substance into
locations in
our bodies.

This linking with concentrations
of energy associated with places
extended to deliberately bringing
higher energies into 'non-sacred'
places such as London. This we did
only once with John Bennett. It is
mentioned here to emphasise this
side of the exercises: making
connections with places and
energies outside of
ourselves.

Sacred exercises

How the exercises developed with
John Bennett is largely unknown. He
introduced material from Sufi, Hindu
and Taoist sources, though it is our
contention that he remained true to
Gurdjieff's method. We speak of
sacred exercises here because as
he developed or taught them, some
of the exercises were religious in
character. In 'The Eye of the Needle'
exercise, for example, we were to
realise what it is of us that can
pass into the sacred realm.

We have no evidence whether Gurdjieff
taught an exercise similar to 'The
Master'. In this as in some other
exercises, the attempt is made
to connect with the 'Real "I"'
employing means that treat this
'I' as a sacred image. There are
demanding tasks of visualisation
involved.

Transmitting Exercises

In the Third Series (Life Is
Real Then, Only when 'I Am')
Gurdjieff explains:

". . . I was convinced of the
impossibility of exactly explaining
and fully formulating in words the
various fine points of the
procedures of any intentional
experiencings and exercises for
the purpose of self-perfection . . .
knowing at the same time of the
existence among our remote
ancestors of a special
method which was then
called the 'principle
of illustrative inculcation'
for the purpose of better
taking in new information,
I therefore introduced
this method also in
general program . ."

Illustrative inculcation means
taking people through the exercise
while doing it oneself, so that the
person teaching the exercise is in
actual contact with what happens in
it as he speaks. Besides making the
explanations more authentic, there
may be a biochemical factor. It
seems from recent research that
the action of peptides in one
person can affect those in
others who are near. The
peptides are critical for
the intercommunication
between the three main
physical systems:
limbic-digestive;
respiratory-
circulatory
and neural-
brain.

Similarly, the instructor may be
able to tune in to his audience
and adjust what he says to suit
their level of experience.

Final Comments

We propose that there is a basic
Gurdjieffian 'I Am' exercise in
which the subjective (I) and the
objective (am) are fused. No one
else has this basic exercise.
Ramana Maharshi's 'Who am I?'
is not the same thing.

To fuse I with Am we have to bring
into play the three realms that are
roughly indicated by thought, feeling
and sensation. This bringing into play
also minimises distraction from mental
associations. The exercises are done
while sitting still. We do not know
whether Gurdjieff taught them to be
done with eyes closed or open.

The exercises require preparation
and right disposition to begin,
including some background
understanding of what they
are for. The exercises are
not concerned with generating
emotional experiences but with
'making a substance'. This
substance is characterised
somewhat as an 'ableness',
such as in being able to
"do".

The exercises are embedded in deep
views of reality, or psycho-cosmologies.
The latter term means an understanding of
the world that also makes account of
human experience and possibilities.
Gurdjieff connects his exercises
with active mentation. This might
mean that it is possible to 'do'
them while 'thinking' as long as
there is sensation as well.

They are also related to some kind
of practice 'in life'. Gurdjieff seems
to advocate 'returning to oneself' -
like touching base again - in his
well known but obscure self-remembering
("to feel 'I' when he thinks of himself").
A typical experience of self-remembering
is like a clean wave of energy sweeping
through oneself that it is difficult to
sustain without turning it into
something of less value. There
can also be a sense of the
body that is very new and
different from usual.

The exercises can become very
complex, but everything depends
on being able to become aware of
energies or just 'something' - and
to locate and direct them. Sensation,
wish and attention are key. If anything,
attention is the 'Philosopher's Stone',
by which the enabling energies are
generated.


---------------------------------


Extracts from a section on
'Attention' in John Bennett's
book Deeper Man

"To be effective, the will needs
an energy that is like itself. Man
has been given such an energy and
with this he can set himself free.

"Many people believe this energy to
be thought or consciousness; but it
takes very little to realize that
something deeper stimulates thought
and that consciousness does not
initiate anything. Neither thought
nor consciousness are a true
beginning. In every act of
will there is a beginning
of something new and the
only thing that corresponds
to an act of will is
creative energy. . . .

"At the moment of bringing
attention to something there
is no effort; effort only comes
in when we try to sustain our
attention. . . .

"Work with attention enters into
all work on oneself. It is the ground
on which a great deal is based. If we
cannot tell the difference between
voluntary and involuntary attention,
we are living in a dream world."
(pages 34-6)

Gurdjieff on the possible
transmutation of the physical
body, from In Search of the
Miraculous:

"The whole of the physical body,
all its cells, are, so to speak,
permeated by emanations of the
matter si 12. And when they have
become sufficiently saturated the
matter si 12 begins to crystallise.
The crystallisation of this matter
constitutes the formation of the
'astral body'.

"The transition of matter si 12
into emanations and the gradual
saturation of the whole organism
by it is what alchemy calls
'transmutation' or transformation.
It is just this transformation of
the physical body into the astral
that alchemy called the
transformation of 'coarse'
into the 'fine' or the
transformation of base
metals into gold."
(page 256)

Gurdjieff on attention, feeling
and sensing, from Life is Real
Only Then. When "I Am":

" . . . it is indispensable first
to learn to divide one's entire
attention in three approximately
equal parts, and to concentrate
each separate part simultaneously
for a definite time on three
diverse inner or outer
'objects'.

"For the possibility of a
practical achieving of this
aim, in the same mentioned
detailed program [of G's
Institute] were indicated
a series of exercises
under the name 'soil
preparing'. . . .

"First, all one's attention must
be divided approximately into three
equal parts; each of these parts must
be concentrated on one of the three
fingers of the right or left hand,
for instance the forefinger, the
third and the fourth, constating
in one finger - the result
proceeding in it of the
organic process called
'sensing', in another -
the result of the process
called 'feeling', and with
the third - making any
rhythmical movement and
at the same time automatically
conducting with the flowing of
mental association a sequential
or varied manner of counting. . .

" . . you Americans . . . totally
lack any understanding of the
difference between two
entirely distinct
impulses of an
average man,
namely, between
the impulses of
'feeling' and
'sensing'."

After connecting feeling with
the solar plexus and sensing
with the spine, he goes on
to urge his audience:

". . . to understand the sense
and significance of this exercise
[exercise 4 in a series], without
expecting to obtain any concrete
results."

And he speaks of these exercises
as "required for the acquisition
of one's own individuality"
(pages 112-5)

On the solar plexus

". . . a man who already has
his real I, his will . . . pronounces
aloud or to himself the words 'I am',
then there always proceeds in him, as
it is called, 'solar plexus', a so to
say 'reverberation', that is,
something like a vibration, a
feeling, or something of the
sort. .. . . without this even
if only imagined experiencing of
the reverberation, the pronouncing
aloud or to oneself of the words
'I am' will have no significance
at all . ."

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/gurdjieff/message/2308

© AGE Blake

Repayment to teachers

Direction by ravi.

1. Increase members.
2. Make sure the teacher does not have to come back again to the earth.

secrets of breath watching

Great direction given by Ravi :

1. Are we breathing or are we being breathed.
2. If we watch our breathing slowly we see how subtely the breath turns and how the body has intelligence to provide the right amount of air needed for us for that moment.
3. If we are being breathed we count in the overall scheme of the cosmos. Our life has a value a purpose for the service of the cosmos.

Tasks:
1. Watch breath. See its changes.
2. Sense if we are breathing or we are being breathed. where is the location of the breathing I?

Place where impressions fall

I feel, just as seeds on fertile grounds sprout and seeds on rocks wither and die, our reactions depend on where the impression falls..sometimes a hurting word falls on a rock in our being..and therefore we dont reach and can "see" it. Sometimes it falls on another part - and then it touches us to the quick. Same with the glance of a girl or words of a teacher. The true state of our being can only be known by our reactions to impressions..if we catch it and transmute the negative emotion (of both joy and sorrow) that part of our being has now become a rock. I think we will never find any soft spot in Buddha's being. Fully rock. And therefore he's the rockstar!

Prayer

May there be peace among the gods, in heaven and among the
stars; may there be peace on earth, among men and four-footed
animals; may we not hurt each other; may we be generous to each
other; may we have that intelligence which will guide our life and
action; may there be peace in our prayer, on our lips and in our
hearts.

Niruttara Tantra

Niruttara Tantra

The wise person should draw the shakti mantra on the forehead, surrounded by three circles. In the centre, he should write the kamabija (Klim), adorned with (other) kamabijas - Niruttaratantra XII, 2 This is a relatively brief work of 15 chapters, belonging to the Kali class of tantras and written in readable and simple Sanskrit. The word Niruttara means "having no better".
Chapter one deals with the three bhavas or temperaments of a tantrik and describes how the different amnayas, a term which here refers to the five directions (north, south, west and eastincluding upper) relate to the classifications into divya (divine), vira (heroic) and pashu (herdlike). Verse 16 gives some definitions: "A divya is one in whom devata predominates, while a vira is strong-minded (uddhata). The acts of a pashu relate to the Eastern Amnaya it is said." Uddhata, which is translated here as strong- minded, is actually a technical term of the tantriks - it means a person in whom the rajas or active guna predominates.
The best 'directions', according to this work, appear to be the Northern and the Upper, both of which have the characteristics of vira and divya bhavas (See Kularnava Tantra). Vaidika worship is for the day while Kula acts are performed at night. A vira should not worship during the day while a pashu should not worship at night-time.
The cremation ground is declared to have two meanings. One is the place 'where corpses sleep' while the other is in the form of the yoni. But the worship must be dual. Without Kalapuja, which in this context apparently also means puja of the lingam of Shiva-Mahakala, Dakshina Kalika does not give fruit.
Chapter two begins a description of Dakshina Kali, her mantra, her preparatory acts (purashcharana) and the results it gives. Shri Shiva says: "One should know that the vagina (bhaga) is Bhagavati, she is Dakshina and the lady of the three gunas (Triguneshvari). This vagina-form is all, that which moves and that which does not move."
At the centre of the yoni, which also here means a downward pointing triangle, is the Ha-ardha kala which is the subtle form of the Devi. The yoni is Dakshina Kali and she is the essence of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. When semen is in the yoni of the devi, she becomes Mahakali, the form of light, and gives birth to the universe. Shiva and Shakti are of two kinds, with qualities and without qualities. Without qualities they are a mass of light, the supreme absolute (Parabrahma), eternal. In reverse intercourse (viparitarata), Kali is both with qualities and without qualities. When she takes the form of the new moon, she is without qualities and is known as Aniruddha Sarasvati. When associated with Vishnu, she takes the form of Mahalakshmi, and is Maya herself. In her form as Dakshina Kali, she is the real form of all vidyas (goddesses) who give siddhi (success). Because Shiva and Shakti are one, they must be worshipped together.
Shiva then outlines the chief mantras of Dakshina Kalika. He then describes the dhyana (meditation form). A devotee should worship Kali, using vira bhava, as formidable, with rising swelling breasts full of milk, the colour of a thundercloud, dusky, roaring terribly, and having four arms. She carries a newly severed head, and a sword in her upper left and lower left hands. In her right, she shows the mudras dispelling fears and granting boons. Around her bloody throat, is a necklace made of 50 skulls which are the letters of the alphabet.
Two streams of blood trickle from her mouth. Around her are terrifying jackals which roar in the four directions. Her girdle is made of hands of corpses and she laughs. She is naked, with dishevelled hair, and bears a crescent moon as her diadem. She is seated on the corpse form of Mahadeva, where she has intercourse with Mahakala in the viparita position. Her eyes roll with liquor, her smiling face is like a lotus and she is very terrifying Maharaudri who gives all bliss.
The chapter then describes vira sadhana at night in the cremation ground. A sadhaka should first worship mentally and then may do the outer form of puja. He should also worship Mahakala, whose dhyana is given as follows: Of a smoky colour, with matted locks, three eyes, united with Shakti, naked, of terrifying form, his effulgence equal to a sapphire unguent. He is both with qualities and without qualities.
Then a sadhaka should worship the 15 Kali Nityas in the five triangles and in the eight petals of the Kaliyantra should worship Brahmi, Narayani, Kaumari, Maheshvari, Aparajita, Chamunda, Varahi and Narahasimhika, from the east first. In the four doors of the yantra are Asitanga and the other seven Bhairavas who are Ruruchanda, Krodha, Bhishana, Unmatta, Kapali and Samharaka. They are given worship in pairs, from the east in order.
In the 10 directions, a sadhaka should worship the dikpalas (lords of the directions). After this worship, the practitioner should meditate on her in her form as Kulluka, using a mantra with five syllables situated in the different parts of the body. Shiva says Kulluka is Tara as Mahanilasarasvati. Following this, one should recite the mantra 108 times, worship Mahakala again with Lalita and recite the armour (kavacha) and the hymn (stava).
Chapter three speaks of the kavacha (armour) of Dakshina Kali. This, unlike other Kali kavachas translated in Magic of Kali, is brief and starts: 'Siddhakali, protect my head, Dakshina protect my forehead! Kali protect my mouth always, Kapali, protect my eyes. Kulla shield my cheeks always and Kurukullika protect my mouth. Virodhini protect the adhara (?) and Viprachitta the lips.
'Ugra, protect my ears always and Ugraprabha my nostrils. Dipta shield my throat and Nila be protective of my lower throat.
'Ghana protect my chest and Matra always protect my diaphragm. Mudra always protect the navel and Mita shield my lingam always.' The kavacha goes on to use the 22 letters of the Kali mantra to protect other parts of the body. Shiva then gives a hymn to Kali called the Kalika Stotra. This is essentially an extended meditation, similar to the above.
The main subject matter of chapter four concerns purashcharana, the preparatory acts a sadhika or sadhaka must perform before she or he becomes competent to recite the mantra. Shiva first gives a set of asanas or postures and then says there are 72,000 nadis in the body. The chief nadis for prana (bioenergy or vital breath) are 10 and of these the most important are the Ida, the Pingala and the Sushumna nadis. Within the last is the Chitrini nadi. The three nadis are the Moon, Sun and Fire devatas while Sushumna is of the nature of Sun and Moon conjoined.
Shiva then describes the 10 vayus, which are in sets of two. When a yogi unites that which is above and that which is below, he unites Sun and Moon, realises Om and is one with Hamsa. Hamsa, the tantra explains, relates to the breath. The letter Ha is exhalation and the letter Sa inhalation. A living being (jiva) recites this supreme mantra known as the Ajapa mantra (that which is not recited) 21,600 times day and night.
The ajapa mantra is called the gayatri of yogis and and gives liberation. This, says the tantra, is the secret preparatory act before a mantra can become siddha. There follows a meditation on Kali where she is conceived of as light extending from the feet to the top of the head. A yogi or yogini should offer fruit, flower, scent, clothes, gems mentally to Kali again and again. This, explains Shiva, is the preparatory act of the northern amnaya of Kali Kula.
Shiva then allocates different forms of the Devi to the different directions and describes the purascharanas. A pashu, established in the southern amnaya should use the 22 syllable mantra and recite it two lakhs (100,000), half in the day and half at night. Every tenth time, the worshipper must give sacrifice.
Vira purashcharana is different. The sadhaka and his shakti should be naked in the cremation ground. The shakti should have Kamakala written on her forehead and in the centre of that should be the Devi mantra. The mantra should be recited 100,000 times and every tenth recitation should consist of an oblation of alcohol into fire. If a sadhaka does not have a shakti, he can worship her mentally.
Without doing preparatory acts, there is no entitlement to worship. Puja done without the preparatory acts makes black magic out of a person's recitation and sacrifice. One is also to give gifts to the guru and to his shakti and his relatives. Success in mantra cannot be achieved without supreme devotion.
Chapter five speaks of the Rajani ("the coloured or dark female"), which here seems to mean the shakti of a sadhaka. She should be free of shame, free of the opposites (dvandva), devoted to Shiva, pure (satva-gata) and by her own will (svecchaya) takes the viparita posture in intercourse.
A sadhaka may also meditate on her mentally, as a mass of light in the brow. In this supreme form she sheds nectar. She should also be meditated upon as Gayatri in the form of exhalation and inhalation. This, says Shiva, is the Brahma Gayatri of yogis.
To obtain success, a yogi must reject greed, lust and envy. If a yogi does puja prompted by these, he goes to the Raurava Hell and becomes miserable. He is to reject the idea of difference and then achieves liberation. No-one should worship Kali if hungry or thirsty. 'After eating and drinking, one should worship the auspicious Kalika.'
Unless one is a vira or a divya, one should not worship Kalika. That brings sorrow 'at every step' and a person goes to Naraka Hell. One should not worship Kalika if lazy, as that will bring an individual to the level of a pashu (beast). The Kalika darshana is the lata darshana, that is the revealed doctrine into which sexual intercourse, likened to the twining of a vine, enters. It should be performed in an empty place, in a cremation ground, at a river-bank, on a mountain. There, one should worship Shakti. Without a guru, one should not perform ritual intercourse, which leads to hell, destruction and poverty.
In vira sadhana of Kalika one should use meat, wine, flesh, fish and maithuna (the five m's). The text describes forms of the Devi who are worshipped in this fashion.
Chapter six speaks of the siddhi which ensues from worship of the Rajani, the chief of which is liberation whilst living. Shiva says that this knowledge, which destroys Samsara, should never be revealed. He then describes vira sadhana. The union of female and male is the supreme essence and is the worship of Kalika. It gives siddhi and is hard to obtain even for the gods.
In chapter seven, Shri Devi asks about abhisheka. Shiva says there are two types, that which is done in the vaidika way and also knowledge (jnana) abhisheka, which is hidden in all the tantras. He says a tantrik should do Kula-abhisheka, which creates peace, all that is good, dispels ailments, gives wealth, destroys great sins and the like. It gives the fruit of all bathing places (tirtha).
It is to be obtained from the guru. Shiva says that the devatas are not satisfied unless there is bliss coming from the worship of Kali and the five m's. Without Kulachara, it is impossible to be successful in the Kali mantra. Without this type of abhishekha, all puja turns into black magic and an individual goes to Naraka Hell or worse.
One must bow to the true guru, to deva and devi, do guru puja and then perform the abhishekha at the root of a bilva tree, at the junction of three paths, in the ancestral ground, in a deserted place and in other favoured Kaula spots.
Chapter eight opens with Shiva talking of arghya and the establishment of a pot to do the purashcharana. He gives the mantras associated with the worship. The chapter speaks of the Mahapuja, or great worship, and goes on to list at great length the different devatas of the tradition connected with the abhisheka. This worship gives success to a sadhaka.
In chapter nine, Devi asks how a person becomes successful in the mantras. Shiva describes the initiation of a Kula Shakti. After drawing a Kamakala yantra, the sadhaka should whisper the root mantra in her left ear. The initiated shakti sits on the left of the sadhaka, wearing red clothes, smeared with various scents and adorned with different jewels. The mantra should be drawn on her forehead. By worshipping this shakti in the Kulalula rite, devis from everywhere are attracted to the chakra. This rite produces nirvana for gods and for men. Intercourse with an initiated shakti brings success, provided the participants are initiated by the guru, otherwise the sadhaka is cast into the Naraka underworld.
Devi says she still is unsure about the different Shaktis and asks Shiva to explain further. Shiva says he will speak specifically about the Kula sadhana. A person should not do Kula sadhana without an initiated Vira Shakti.
He speaks of five chakras where these shaktis may be worshipped, which are the Raja chakra, the Maha chakra, the Deva chakra, the Vira chakra and the Pashu chakra. Brahmacharis and Grihasthas (householders) can worship in these five chakras. He speaks of various substances used in the chakras including svayambhu, kunda, gola and udbhava flowers, which are Kaula tantrik code-terms for menstrual blood and also gives days of the waxing and waning Moon which bring success in the particular rites.
The goddess asks who are the five mothers worshipped in the rite. Shiva explains they must be initiated women. Without worship of svayambhu, gola, kunda and udbhava flowers, the rites are useless and bring harm to sadhakas.
The tenth chapter is a discussion about the different chakras in the Kaula tradition, here meaning assembies of the Kaula folk. Shiva says that Vira or heroic sadhana may only be accomplished with an initiated Shakti. Chakras are of five types: Raja, the Mahachakra, the Devachakra, the Virachakra and the Pashuchakra. Both Brahmacharis and Grihastha (householders) can worship in all five.
Shiva gives details of the ritual accessories (upacharas) employed in these as well as the best times for creating them. The best times are the eighth and fourteenth days of the waning Moon on a Tuesday or on the fourth and seventh days of the waxing Moon on a Thursday. 64,000 forms of the Devi dwell in the different chakras. The Vira Chakra should take place on an eighth or fourteenth day of the dark fortnight in the ancestral grounds, that is the cremation ground. Shiva completes this chapter by describing the five maidens (Kanyas) and their worship.
Devi asks Shiva about sadhana of the yoni in chapter eleven. First, Shiva describes the characteristics of the sadhaka, then moves on to the sadhika. The male should be free from duality, ego- less, generous, fearless, pure, devoted to his gurudeva, peaceful and devoid of shame and greed. He should wear red clothes and red gems.
The sadhika (female worshipper) should have similar qualities and when having intercourse should, by her own will (svecchaya) assume the inverse sexual position (viparita). She should be initiated in the tradition. The mantra should be recited 108 times and the Devi worshipped internally. The Kulachakra should be drawn using vajra flowers and the preparatory act completed by reciting the mantra 108 times. The mantra Hrim should be drawn on the forehead of the Shakti. Shiva says that without puja of Kamakhya, it is impossible to be successful in the mantra. More details are given in chapter twelve.
In chapter thirteen, the Devi asks Shiva about the Vidyas (female mantras) giving siddhi (success). Shiva relates the different goddesses to the types of Shakti. Tara is the Chandali, Shri Vidya the Brahmani, Cchinnamasta the Kapali. This chapter also gives results from worshipping Devi for a given period of time. Doing Kaula puja according to the Mahachinachara rule and worshipping Kamakhya in a cremation ground gives sovereignty.
The quite long chapter fourteen opens with Devi asking Shiva about the Veshyas. This word, literally, means whore but is applied in this tantra to initiated Shaktis and to Devis. Shiva enumerates seven, the Gupta Veshya, the Mahaveshya, the Kulaveshya, the Mahodaya, the Rajaveshya, the Devaveshya and the Brahmaveshya.
The Guptaveshya is without shame, with her eyes rolling with lust. The Mahodaya, by her own will, takes the viparita position. The Kulaveshya is the spouse of the Kula. The Mahaveshya is a digambari by her own will, that is, she goes naked. Then follows a eulogy of the viparita position. If mantra is recited when in intercourse with the Shakti, she is Kali and gives mantra-siddhi and nirvana. When semen is emitted during the rite, a sadhaka becomes like Mahakala while the sadhika becomes like Dakshina Kalika. Only through the Kaula rite does a human being become enlightened.
The fifteenth chapter deals with the panchamakara, known as the five M's, and used in vamachara rites. These are madya (wine), mamsa (flesh), mina (fish), mudra (bean) and maithuna (sexual intercourse). The sadhaka, at night, sits with his Shakti to his left, doing the various types of nyasa first. The chapter gives the rules of puja and towards the end enumerates the ten Mahavidyas and the other Siddha Vidyas. These are given as Kali, Tara, Cchinna, Matangi, Bhuvaneshvari, Annapurna, Nitya, Durga, Mahishamardini, Tvarita, Tripuraputa, Bhairavi, Bagala, Dhumavati, Kamala, Sarasvati, Jayadurga, and Tripurasundari. For these 18 Mahavidyas, there is no need for purification, nor of considering day, tithi, nakshatra, yoga or karana. Thus ends the Niruttara Tantra.

New pranayam being experimented with...with respects to Lord Shiva-Shakti

Do alternate nose breathing.
As you inhale from left nostril lift up perimeum and send the energy to the top of the head.
Exhale from right nostril and lower peririum
Now inhale from right nostril and raise perinium

my theory is that this  will balance the nadis and ensure that the energy moves up the sushumna and not any other naadis.

From needleman's book Time and Soul

Long ago there was a young merchant named Kirzai whose business called for him to travel to the village of Tchigan, some hundred miles away. Ordinarily, he would have taken the long route that followed the edge of the mountains, protecting him from the sun. But on this occasion, Kirzai was under the pressure of time. He needed to get to Tchigan as soon as possible to complete a certain business deal. So, he decided to strike out across the Syr Darya desert. 

Now the Syr Darya desert was known for its intense and merciless heat. Very few took the dangerous passage. Nevertheless, Kirzai watered his camel, filled his gourds and set off on his journey.

Several hours after he left, the desert wind began to rise. The winds swirled. The sand shifted underfoot. Landmarks became obscured. Suddenly, a hundred yards ahead of him, Kirzai saw a gigantic whirlwind. Never had he seen anything like it. It cast a strange purple light all around it. Even the color of the sand was changed. He hesitated, not knowing whether to continue or make a lengthy detour. But he was in a great hurry, so he lowered his head, hunched his shoulders, and pressed forward into the strange storm. To his surprise, the moment he entered the storm, it became much calmer. The wind no longer cut against his face. 

But suddenly Kirzai stopped again. Ahead of him, he saw a man stretched out on the ground next to a crouching camel. Kirzai dismounted and approached the man. 

The stranger’s head was wrapped in a scarf but Kirzai could see that he was old. The old man opened his eyes, looked intently at Kirzai and then said in hoarse whisper, “Is it. . .you?”

Kirzai laughed and said, “Has my fame spread to the desert of Syr Darya? But you old man, who are you?” 

The man said nothing. Kirzai continued, “In any case, you are not well. Where are you going?” 

The old man sighed, “To Givah…but I have no more water.”

Kirzai reflected. If he shared his water with the old man, he would not have enough to complete his own journey. He would be forced to turn back. “But a man can not be left to die without a backward glance!” Kirzai thought. 

So he helped the old man drink some water, filled one of the man’s gourds and helped him to mount his camel. “Go straight ahead” Kirzai said, pointing with his finger. “You’ll reach Givah within two hours.” 

The old man made a sign of acknowledgement with his hands and looked for a long moment at Kirzai. Then he uttered these strange words:

“One day the desert will repay you.” 

Some thirty years later, while he was in the market place of Tchigan, Kirzai learned his oldest son had become gravely ill in Givah. Kirzai was under the pressure of time. He needed to get to his son. He determined to try the fastest way: through the Syr Darya desert. He watered his camel, filled his gourds, and set off.

Along the way, he spurred his camel on, not even slowing down while drinking, and that is when the accident happened. He dropped his gourd of water and before he could retrieve it, he watched the water disappear into the sand. Kirzai cursed out loud. With only one full gourd, it was impossible to cross. Yet, for his son, he pressed onward… “I must get to him…I will get to him.” 

But the Syr Darya is merciless, and cares not why a person braves its danger or how noble their cause. Kirzai’s skin burned. His throat was parched. He knew he had made a grave mistake. His last gourd was empty and a sandstorm was rising. The winds swirled. The once stable ground started to shift underfoot. Landmarks became obscured. He wrapped his head in his scarf and let his camel carry him where it could. He did not even see the gigantic whirlwind which arose before him, giving off a soft purple light. His camel was startled and crouched, throwing Kirzai to the ground. “This is the end,” he thought. 

Suddenly, he was filled with joy to see a man mounted on a camel approaching him. But the closer the man came, the more Kirzai’s joy turned to stupefication. This man who approached – it seemed Kirzai knew him! He recognized his youthful face, his clothes, even the camel that he rode. Kirzai was certain: the young man who came to help him was himself. 

“Is it. . .you?” said Kirzai in hoarse whisper,

The young man looked at him and laughed. “What? Don’t tell me you know who I am! Has my fame spread to the desert of Syr Darya? But you old man, who are you?”

Kirzai was speechless. The young man went on, “In any case, you are not well. Where are you going?” “To Givah,” replied Kirzai, “but I have no more water.”

Kirzai saw that the young man was trying to decide what to do—to give help or to continue on his own journey. But Kirzai knew what the decision would be – he smiled as the young man offered him a drink of water, filled his empty gourd, and helped him onto his camel. “Go straight ahead that way and you’ll be in Givah within two hours.” 

The old Kirzai looked for a long moment at the young man he had once been. He wished to speak to the young man of many things, but he could only find these words: “One day the desert will repay you.” 

Kirzai grew to be a wise man, so the story goes. When he would tell his strange tale, everyone who heard it believed it was true. Ever since that time, the desert of Syr Darya has been known by the name, Samovstrecha, which means: the desert where one meets oneself.