Tattwa Shuddhi

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From the Back of the Book:

Tattwa Shudhi is an ancient tantric practice of inner purification. Every individual is composed of five basic elements or tattwas which can be purified and transformed through the process of tattwa shuddhi. This comprehensive text contains the theory of the tattwas and detailed instructions for the practice, including the tantric tools of yantra, mantra and mandala.

Tattwa shuddhi is an advanced practice, which may be performed as a sadhana in itself or as an adjunct to kundalini kriyas and other higher yogas.

About the Author:

Swami Satyasangananda (satsangi) was born on 24th March 1953, in chandorenagore, West Bengal. From the age of 22 she experienced a series of inner awakenings which led her to her guru, Swami Satyananda. From 1981 she traveled ceaselessly with her guru in India and overseas and developed into a scholar with deep inside into the yogic and tantric traditions as well as modern sciences and philosophies. She is an efficient channel for the transmission of her guru's teachings. The establishment of Sivananda Math in Rikhia is her creation and mission, and she guides all its activities there, working tirelessly to uplift the weaker and underprivileged areas. She embodies compassion with clear reason and is the foundation as her guru's vision.

Today yoga is practiced in almost every corner of the world, but we do not really see any transformation in the consciousness of mankind. Where then does the fault lie? Is it in the practice itself? Not likely, because we can cite numerous examples of cases where it has been successful. It is more likely that fault lies in the way we practice our sadhana; ‘a bit of this and a bit of that,’ whenever we care to do it. In order to eliminate this lop-sided approach to yoga, we will have to pay greater attention to the philosophy and practices of tantra, which is the source of yoga.

There is no use in just having a bird’s eye view of a subject as vast as tantra, which has viewed existence from every angle or point of view. Through this ‘in depth’ study of the pattern of creation, its manifestation, its cause and effect in relation to the individual, the tantrics discovered the missing link which unifies the individual and the cosmos.

Once they had realized the way to bridge the gap, the tantrics devised methods and practices to guide others. Although these methods are inconceivably ancient, they have withstood the test of time, for the base on which they were developed, emphasized the necessity of inner experience for the evolution of an individual; not limited knowledge, but living breathing experience.

These methods of tantra are very systematic and precise.

These methods of tantra are very systematic and precise The practices are linked in such a way that the goal of Samadhi does not seem like a remote possibility, but a reality you can achieve here and now if you desire. They desire for Samadhi is essential, for without the burning desire you can never get there. This desire should completely overwhelm and absorb you so that no other thought exists or dissipates the concentrated energy forces of the mind. Samadhi, tantra says, can be attained if only you care to look within instead of without. However, in order to develop the art of looking within, you have to follow the practices that have been specifically designed by tantra for this purpose.

Therefore, tantra lays greater emphasis on practice, rather than the philosophy behind it. Many accomplished tantrics are not even aware of the high-sounding philosophies extolled in the various translations or commentaries on tantra, because they are not impressed or captured by mere philosophy but by the transformation of the consciousness through its exposure to every level of experience.

Therefore, in order to understand tantra, you will have to delve deep into the practices and not merely attempt to understand it by bits and pieces of second-hand information. Try it for yourself and then pass judgement on tantra.

In order to do that, you will have follow the procedures designed by tantra from beginning to end. There is little you can achieve by jumping into a lake if you don’t know to swim. Similarly, it is advised that sadhana should not be chosen on the basis of personal desires, but on that of personal growth and evolution, so that there is no danger of drowning.

For example, vama marga, kundalini yoga and so on may sound appealing and exciting, but unless there is a strong foundation, your sadhana is sure to dissipate. Tantra termsthis foundation for all sadhana as shuddhi or purification.

However, on this point tantra differed from other philosophies, for what philosophies tarmed as sin, tantra termed as a necessary experience for growth. Tantra saya to utilize these forces of passion, anger, jealousy, guilt, shame and hatred by uniting them with their opposites. Only then can you experience unity. If you misuse these forces by creating separation from their opposites, then the gap grows wider and unity becomes impossible. So, tantra speaks of purification but in a different sense. By the term purification it implies the release of energy from matter, so that the energy can with consciousness.

In order to achieve his aim of purification, tantra employed several methods, ranging from the gross to subtle and causal levels of purification. Tattwa shuddhi, which is included amongst these practices, stands out due to its effectiveness of purification at not just one, but all levels. It has emerged as one of the most important sadhanas which a disciple has undergo on his journey from the outer to the inner world.

Without this purificatory process through tattwa shuddhi, the higher esoteric esoteric practices lead to darkness and despair. it is a very simple matter to understand. Vama marga, kaula marga, samashan sadhana or kundalini yoga require a very deep level of concentration which only attainable when the mind has transcended matter and vibrates at the subtle frequency of energy. You have to be so proficient at attaining this state that should happen as easily as at the press of a button. Only then can you hope to overpower the inner explosions that arise as a consequence of the practices. Otherwise you will simply remain at the level of material awareness, or else , if you transcend matter while still operating through the gross mind, the resulting experiences are through the gross mind, the resulting experiences are likely to create a severe error in the personality.

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