Tantric Yoga

Tantric yoga is one of the forms of spiritual exercise that is often misrepresented, especially by authors who have a lively imagination and will dig through data showcasing lurid details of secret sexual practices that were practiced by the fringe of the fringe, only to incorporate these little nuggets of knowledge into novels, pitchy stories, and teasers for stories about tantric yoga positions. While it is true that there is a sexual component to the tantric yoga practiced decades ago by a small group of devotees who operated on the periphery of the movement employing tantric yoga exercises to further their spirituality, those who hope to find titillating tidbits on a tantric yoga video will be sorely disappointed with what they see.

As a matter of fact, any video showcasing tantric kriya yoga will answer the question of what is tantric yoga with examples of how mastery of the conscious mind – and thereby also the subconscious thought process – is sought to be achieved with the help of very specific tantric yoga poses. One of the few examples of yoga where the spiritual component is the underlying drying force and the overt rationalization for being in effect at all, you will find that any tantric yoga photo depicts a single minded focus on overcoming the power of the mind with the power of physical exercise.

Goal setting within the confines of tantric yoga involves the ability to no longer be ruled by baser instincts or subconscious but to instead take charge of actions as well as reactions with a sense of clarity that is centered in the ability to harmoniously unite the body’s functioning with the mind’s ability to perceive. This harmonious balance will then translate into a lifestyle that is defined by rationality, awareness of consequences, exceptional clarity with respect to options open, and – some suggest – increase financial success and physical health as a direct result of the lack of power bodily and psychological impulses have on the individual.

Generally speaking, tantric yoga of this variety is very often a group activity that not only stresses breathing exercises and postures but also group meditation. Mantras may be chanted at the discretion of the guru or leading yogi, but the goal is the same: energy already present within and without the individual is sought to be channeled, tapped into, and focused to achieve the mental freedom sought after by the practitioner.