If you want to practice Tantra, sooner or later you will find yourself studying some (or all) of the tantric yoga techniques catalogued in the Vijnana Bhairava Tantra. This tantra has been quoted, referenced and analysed by various ancient and modern tantric scholars and presents a relatively sophisticated version of non-dualist Tantra. Even better, it is widely accessible having been translated and published in a variety of languages; you can even get it for free on open-source searches.
The text itself claims to provide 112 yogic practices for attaining a state of enlightened consciousness. Some of these techniques seem rather unclear and difficult to understand, especially if you are new to tantra yoga, and the text itself would definitely benefit from a detailed explanation of the individual practices. However, there are certain underlying themes that weave through the text which, once understood, can help to illuminate some of the practices – or at least, allow a personalised interpretation of them.
Perhaps the most important thing to understand when reading the Vijnana Bhairava Tantra is the nature of manifest reality, or the physical universe. Material reality is the result of vibrating energy. Energy (or Shakti) is everywhere and as it vibrates it coalesces into physical matter and takes form. However, material reality is only perceptible because of consciousness. If an object cannot be perceived it doesn’t really exist. So, for the physical universe to exist it needs both energy (Shakti) and consciousness (Shiva) and each individual moment in time is the product of their union.
But, if you are able to bring stillness to your vibration and simultaneously silence your mind, then what we know as reality ceases to exist, allowing your consciousness to expand into “the supreme space”, “the formless, unmanifest dimension”, “the void”. In other words, if you are able to unite Shiva and Shakti in a moment of quietude then reality melts away, allowing you to move beyond the dualistic forces of the manifest universe and experience the underlying, all-pervasive, non-dualistic essence of existence, or “bhairava”.
For me, this represents the pinnacle of religious and spiritual thought. This is spiritual existentialism. We are no longer talking about pacifying or pleading with an all-powerful being to improve our own measly fortunes and fate. Instead, we are talking about experiencing our own connection to the very fabric of existence, our own divinity. Within Tantra this is enlightenment, this is liberation. There is no other goal.
Consequently, the techniques outlined in the Vijnana Bhairava Tantra are designed to help practitioners to attain this liberating state. At first glance, many of the practices might seem a little obscure or esoteric, but on a second (or third or fourth) reading you begin to realise that the techniques can be categorised into different types of exercises. There are breathing exercises; meditative exercises involving concentration or contemplation; and physical exercises (including sexual practices). But, despite the volume of techniques presented, the majority of them are characterised by one of two re-occurring themes: immersion or spontaneity.
Many of the techniques outlined in the text are designed to either induce a state of immersion or to capitalise on spontaneous reactions to lived experiences. For example, yogis are advised to focus on a single object, or the emptiness within or between objects (including your own body), thereby inducing a state of immersion. Alternatively, they are also told to focus on the experience of sneezing, or the spontaneous joy of meeting a close friend or relative. When these experiences are combined with a knowledge of, and determination to enter a state of bhairava, then these become tantric exercises capable of liberating the practitioner.
Many of the exercises outlined in the Vijnana Bhairava Tantra lend themselves well to Eco-Tantra and can easily be adopted by an eco-tantrika. Indeed, they may even be more effective amongst the tranquillity and solitude of nature rather than a built-up environment and all the distractions that entails.
Over the next few months my intention is to take these practices into the natural world and, where possible, to document my experiences in the Shared Gallery. I would encourage you to do the same – find yourself a copy of the Vijnana Bhairava Tantra, pick out a few of the exercises and practice them at your leisure. It’s worth remembering, that although the text presents 112 techniques, the Tantra itself makes it clear that you only need to master one of them to attain liberation!
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