Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was from God, of God, and is God. This means that in the beginning was Satyam in motion, or Shivam. Shivam was from God, of God, and is God. Through this Satyam in motion, the Holy Stream (Sundaram) is created. Around a small piece of Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram a tiny golden net is throw, and this is the creation of a unique Soul. To this unique Soul is given a Causal body, Astral body, and Physical body. This manifestation of the Word, all the way to the Physical creation and body, is also referred to as the Divine impulse, and is perfect. This Divine impulse is also referred to as the downward current of the creative force. The downward current starts with the Word (Christ/Krishna Consciousness) and manifests all the way down to the Physical creation. It is Om Satyam (pure Consciousness), Om Satyam in motion (referred to as Om Shivam), and Om Satyam with the mayac sheath (idea of separation or multiplicity, Om Sundaram).

The fourth chakra is the host of the Soul, and is symbolized by the Star of David, which is two intersecting triangles, with one pointing upward, and one pointing downward, representing the upward current and the downward current. The path of Tantra includes both of these currents as “from God, of God, and is God.” The downward flow is perfect, and the awareness of the harmoniousness of the upward flow is our awareness of the perfection of God (enlightenment). The exhalation of God is perfect, and the awareness of the Divine inhalation is Self Realization. Seeing both the perfection of the downward current and the upward current is God Realization.

It is very important to understand that although meditation is the first practice of Tantra, Tantra is inclusive of Meditation Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, and Karma Yoga. Meditation is utilized to get to know the eternal Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram nature of God by calming down the body, mind, breath, and the ego. We calm down to experience the Astral, Causal, Soul, Holy Stream, the Christ/Krishna Consciousness, and ultimately surrender into the absolute pure Satyam Consciousness that always has been, is now, and forever shall be, realizing our oneness with God.

The path of Tantra is referred to as the path of ecstasy because the Tantric practitioners realize that both the downward current and the upward current are “from God, of God, and is God.” Tantra discerns that once the downward current reaches the fourth chakra and passes downward into the individual with the Soul, and the Casual, Astral, and Physical bodies, it now has the quality of duality and diversity, becoming the many faces of God.

The Soul was created by a tiny golden net being cast around a small piece of pure vibration of Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram. The Soul is pure Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram. The Soul begins to collect its experiences and memories, as the downward flow continues to manifest to the Causal, Astral, and Physical manifestations. The Soul then begins to move inward and ascend upward, transforming these desires and experiences into the fulfillment of its creation (dharma).

Swami Rama says there is room for everything on the spiritual path except the ego. However, the path of Tantra explains that there are two poles to the ego, the higher ego and the lower ego. The higher ego is the mechanism that helps the Soul fulfill its Divine purpose or dharma. We must understand that the higher ego is a realized state of Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram, and this state can only be realized by purifying and going beyond the self-centeredness of the lower ego.

In the path of Tantra we look for the triune nature of God first in meditation and then in our activities. The path of Tantra is about transforming our desires into a rajasic-to-sattvic manner, becoming identified with Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram, both on the inward journey and the outward journey, the rejoicing in God completely. Once we can reverse the downward current into the upward current and rise to the heart chakra in meditation, we can experience the pure Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram of our Soul. Then in our active life, we strive to come to the beauty and harmony of Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram in everything we see, think, or do. We are looking for what is beautiful, harmonious, and for that pure state of Satyam Consciousness.

Tantra promises the pleasures and enjoyment of the creation, while we are striving towards the bliss and ecstasy of liberation into the God Consciousness. To attain this state of joy, the path of Tantra focuses its discipline into looking for and experiencing the Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram essence of all life, beyond the ideas of incompleteness, and the self-centered lower ego.

The Tantric path is about the direct experience of Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram, and learning to see the Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram beauty, harmony, and love inour nature , and in our activities. Shiva and Shakti are ever in union, both the downward flow and the upward flow. One strives to see the beauty of the Divine impulse as Shiva manifesting into Shakti, and Shakti surrendering into Shiva. We strive to realize the manifestation of form is, at its essence, Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram, just like ice, water and vapor are all H²O. The Tantric aspirant strives to spend their days and nights in union with, and in appreciation of, the triune nature of God.

One of the disciplines of Tantra is to look for and feel a connection to life by developing an appreciation for life. However, we must understand that in order to feel connected, we must have some attachment, and we need to be careful not to become bound to this attachment or form, while still staying connected to the essence. The Tantric aspirant strives to be in love with the Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram essence, the triune nature of God, while appreciating the beauty of the form, without attachment to the form.

It is part of the Tantric philosophy to recognize that God is both eternal Consciousness as well as beautiful finite patterns of living energy. Shiva is the eternal Satyam Consciousness, which always has been, is now, and forever shall be. It is the only aspect of the Soul and God that is eternal. On the other hand, Shakti, starting with the Word, is the uniqueness, beauty, and transformation of the temporary, the acknowledgement of this dance of Divinity, of the unmanifested and manifested, and is what the path of Tantra strives to worship or practice.

With the path of Tantra, we learn to transform our karma and recreate our future by realizing that all life is from God, of God, and is God. What we look for (our intentions) in thought, word, and deed will make the difference in how our future will develop. The premise of the law of karma is that what you give to life, life will give more in return to you. In meditation, the revelation and insights of our Wholistic nature help us to have the vision for transforming our desires into a harmonious rajasic-to-sattvic pattern, which helps to lead the serpent energy from the muladhara chakra back up through the Astral, Causal, Soul, Holy Stream, Christ/Krishna Consciousness. The practice of seeking, experiencing, and therefore vibrating the Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram essence of life will then attract more Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram Consciousness into our life.

The path of Tantra, when practiced properly, provides not only worldly pleasure and the appreciation of the beauty of God in form, but also leads to the ultimate ecstasy of liberation into the God Consciousness of both form and formlessness, Shiva and Shakti ever in union.

There is a distinction between the path of Yoga, which believes in a oneness, and the path of Tantra, which believes in a oneness. Both Yoga and Tantra are legitimate. Both paths are striving to awaken the kundalini and experience the Divine impulse all the way back to the God Consciousness. The path of Yoga wants to stay focused on the absolute God Consciousness, while the path of Tantra wants to dance and delight in the love and beauty of Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram triune nature of life and God, inclusive of both the essence and form. All Tantric practices are designed to develop a greater appreciation and worship of God wholistically, while Yoga practices are designed to experience and worship God as the absolute Satyam Consciousness that always has been, is now, and forever shall be.

The Tantric path teaches that all life is legitimate, including the appreciation of the senses and the base instincts. Because Tantra includes these four primal instincts in its study of God, there has been a great amount of misunderstanding about this path, mostly about the inclusiveness of sexuality. In order to understand these practices, we must accept the four primal instincts as legitimate. In the path of Tantra, the four primal instincts are transformed: 1) The need for getting our prana from food is transformed into also utilizing prana attained directly through the medulla oblongata.[1] 2) The need for sleep is transformed into being in harmony, and the wakefulness of the turiya state.[2] 3) The self-preservation instinct is transformed into the realization of our eternal Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram nature, which is attained when we are able to “be ye still and know that I am God.” 4) The procreation instinct is transformed into the harmony and creative force of Shiva and Shakti realization, for the expression of our dharma and the fulfillment of our Soul’s contribution to God Consciousness, The procreation instinct’s sacredness is inclusive of sex, love, and developing this love into a love of family, including the individual’s and family’s contribution to society. The procreation instinct is meant to develop from Sex into Love and then into Prayer (appreciation), which are the stepping-stones to Transcendence and liberation (mukti).

At this time in the Yuga System, there seems to be a great amount of focus on sexuality. Sexuality is pleasurable beyond just the stimulation of nerve endings, and it also includes instincts of our heart/mind. The sexual focus will also awaken all five senses simultaneously. Normally only one sense (hearing, sight, taste, touch, smell) is being utilized at a time, but with the stimulation of sexuality, all five senses come awake simultaneously. When we add the sensual pleasure of sexuality, along with the illusion of completeness[3] that comes along with the procreation instinct and is part of this instinct, this instinct becomes the most powerful of the primal instincts, which is the instinct for preservation of the species. The procreation instinct also escalates from desire of sexual union into the desire to experience human affection or love. It then continues to escalate into the desire to fit into a larger group (children and family), for the purpose of the successful survival of the species. This instinct for procreation and the pleasure of sexuality is meant to expand from pleasure and joy into that of love and stability of family, and into each person’s appreciation and development of their contribution to society. The path of Tantra strives to appreciate the carnal desires of food and sex, but also strives to see the limitation of these pleasures when compared to the joy of Love, Prayer, and Transcendence. Both men and women can get lost in the limitation of the procreation instinct unless they can transform this instinct into a completion of a Wholistic life.

The Tantric process includes the enjoyment of food and sexuality (in a rajasic-to-sattvic manner), which leads the carnal pleasure back upward to the second chakra to include human affection, love, and the feelings of the connection of the human family, and the creativity of the Astral creation. Then it continues the ascension, leading this awareness from the pleasure and connection of the Physical and Astral upward to the third chakra and the harmony, beauty, and perfection of form of the Causal realm. Continuing ascending upward, it then leads to the bliss and joy of unconditional love of the Soul at the fourth chakra. This Tantric process continues upward into the bliss and ecstasy of the Holy Stream at the fifth chakra. Then it continues upward to the intense ecstasy, and knowledge, and liberation into the perfection of God of the Christ/Krishna Consciousness at the sixth chakra. Continuing upward, one then comes to the ultimate Ecstasy, the realization of our absolute eternal pure Satyam (God) Consciousness. When practiced with discipline, the Tantric process leads the awakened kundalini from the gross carnal desire and pleasure of the primal instincts of Sex into Love, Prayer, and Transcendence, into the Sacredness of Shakti and Shiva, and the absolute God Consciousness.

Tantra teaches us how to lead the kundalini energy upward, and also how to transform and enjoy all four primal instincts without attachment to the form. With Pranayama, the need for food is brought into harmony, is brought inward and upward. We learn not only about good nutrition, and which foods bring in the most prana, and how prana nurtures the body, heart, mind, and spirit. We learn the pranayama techniques and practices that bring in pure prana directly through the medulla oblongata. This is an inward and upward journey. Tantra addresses the need for sleep (rest), including the restful and recharging alpha state, and the aware integration of the dream state (yoga nidra), and ultimately the fully awakened turiya state. Tantra addresses the self-preservation instinct with the practices (meditation) that help us to become aware of our Wholistic nature and our eternal Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram Soul. We learn to turn the self-preservation instinct inward and upward, and realize and harmonize our eternal nature of Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram with our dharma.

With the practices of Tantra, we bring our focus to the Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram nature of God and Soul, transforming the downward Divine impulse and desires into an inward and upward awareness of our Wholistic nature. What may start with the four primal instincts develops into a connection with energy, life, love, appreciation and joy. One begins to feel a connection with all life, inclusive of the Physical, Astral, Causal, Soul, Holy Stream, Christ/Krishna Consciousness, and God Consciousness. Becoming aware of the interwovenness of all life is the goal of Tantra, and is what all true spirituality strives to attain. Being in harmony with the triune nature of the God Consciousness includes the awareness of the eternal formless pure Satyam Consciousness, and the pure Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram nature of the Soul, along with the Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram essence of all life. We study and work to accept and understand how to appreciate our eternal nature and also have an appreciation of the temporary patterns of living energy. This is what Swami Rama refers to as “touching and perfecting both the inner life as well as the outer life.”

Tantra is the only tradition or path that acknowledges the legitimacy, beauty, and joy of both the eternal and the temporary, Shiva ever in union with Shakti. The Tantric practices include the practices of perfecting the four primal instincts, of purifying them and bringing them into an ascension up the cerebral-spinal system. We then have the identification with the Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram nature of all life, starting with the nature of our Soul, and unfolding into the nature of God. This identity with the triune nature is not something we will attain after a few short years, and may take the sincere aspirant a whole lifetime. Sri Chitrabhanu once said that if the goal is worth attaining, the journey is worth making. If you want to live within the ecstasy of God, in the beauty of God, then one will make the effort to practice love, harmony, beauty, and joy, in order to attain this state of Divine Consciousness.

We choose to follow the precepts of the Realized Souls, as the precepts are founded in the practical and sacred practices of realizing our Wholistic nature. There is no single universal book that is complete for the Tantric path because each Tantric student is in a different place in their exploration of God, and this must be taken into consideration in guiding the student inward and upward to be in harmony with their dharma. Guidance of a Realized Soul through darshan or upanishad[4] is necessary to understand which desires can be dropped and gone beyond, and which desires must be transformed into a rajasic-to-sattvic pattern and fulfilled, thereby being in harmony and fulfilling one’s dharma.

Desire fuels the path of Tantra. Desire for the Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram nature of God is the fuel that the Tantric path utilizes to move forward in exploring, learning, and growing. This continuous evolution is attained when the Tantric student has developed nonattachment to the fruits of their efforts by developing selflessness, and an appreciation and reverence of Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram nature of life. Experiencing the Sacred Fire,[5] the desire for exploring the Satyam Consciousness wholistically, becomes the Tantric’s passion.

Tantra is not a rigid or repetitive practice. It is a living experiment or exploration, a journey starting with our awareness of the triune nature of the Soul the triune nature and expanding into the Wholistic nature of God. This is the very reason it is important to study with a Realized Soul. A Realized Soul will have realized the knowledge of the teachings he is sharing, and suggest practices which help the student’s evolution. With the path of Tantra, as with the path of Yoga, one must have trust and faith in the Guru-preceptor, and follow the precepts to the harvest of those teachings, which will be the realization of our oneness with the absolute God Consciousness.

According to Hazrat Inayat Khan, there is only one sin, which is to take a breath without the awareness of God. When you have ideas or beliefs of being completed by something in the external, this is part of the downward and outward flow, and is under the influence of Original sin. It is legitimate, but its harvest will bring both pleasure and pain. When we reverse the current to an inward and upward journey, this will also be pleasurable, enjoyable, and delightful while also being in harmony with our dharma. With the upward ascending current we transform and transcend our limitations, and go beyond the duality of pleasure and pain. The path of Tantra is referred to as the path of Ecstasy because the aspirant’s life becomes about realizing our eternal nature of Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram. This goal becomes the foundation upon which all our desires to explore and enjoy life is built.

[1] The medulla oblongata is located at the base of the brain, where the brain and spinal cord meet. It contains the nerve centers that control breathing and circulation. On a subtler level, it is where the prana, the pure energy or life force, enters the Physical and Astral bodies.

[2] Turiya state: The superior state of Consciousness that is beyond the awake, dreaming, and subconscious states, and is attained through harmonization and deep meditation.

[3] This “illusion of completeness” of the male/female relationship comes from the procreation’s realistic desire for completion of the egg and sperm, and not from the reality that another can complete us.

[4] Guidance of a Realized Soul may come through darshan or upanishad. Darshan is the presence of a Realized Soul or Holy One’s Consciousness, holy sight. Upanishad means “sitting close” to one’s nature, the nature of God, which is done with the vibrations and teaching of the Holy Ones and Realized Souls. One does not necessarily need to be in the physical presence of a Holy One or Realized Soul (as this is not always possible) to experience upanishad.

[5] Sacred Fire: To be in love with love, to be in love with all life, to love only God (or the triune essence of God) is the Sacred Fire.

Ascension

The practice of Tantra teaches a primary pranayama[1] practice, which is deep diaphragmatic breathing, day and night. The first pranayama practice is deep diaphragmatic breathing and an awareness of our pranic breath.[2] The first practice in taking control of the mind is to take control of the breath. The calmer the breath, the calmer the mind will be, and the easier it will be to focus the mind.

The mind is one of the greatest tools we have to attain liberation into a harmonious life. Swami Rama said the mind is like a giant that can help us to accomplish anything we desire once we learn to develop concentration. However, if we aren’t focusing, the mind (giant), will consume us with whatever it is attracted to. He says that when you are not focusing on a project at hand, you must put this giant to work going up and down the pole.[3] When the mind is busy going up and down the pole, not only will it not consume you, but also it will help you to be even calmer and attain awareness of the subtler and subtler realms of the God Consciousness. There is a connection between body, mind, breath, and consciousness, and this is why both Yogic and Tantric practices focus on prana,[4] and the prana of the sacred mantras, both within and outside of meditation.

There is only perfection, but not all desires are Wholistic and able to take us back to the Word or the God Consciousness. The sacred mantras are those vibrations that take us all the way back to the beginning (the Word) that was from God, of God, and is God. Those that want awareness of the Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram nature of God, and liberation from ignorance, will focus on affirming the sacred mantras. These mantras have the Wholistic vibration and Consciousness that can be experienced all the way from the Physical to the Christ/Krishna Consciousness, and then we must surrender (“be ye still”) into the God Consciousness.

Any thought, idea, or belief that we need something from the external to experience Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram (love, harmony, beauty and joy) is part of the illusion of maya and Original Sin. It causes a polarization of the devotee and the object of his/her desire, which creates the belief that they need this object to be happy. This is an idea of incompleteness. The Tantric process acknowledges we have desires to explore the manifested God and the unmanifested Consciousness, but strives to bring the desires into harmony and allow for fulfillment of those desires. We must transform the downward and outward desires into desires that are also harmoniously inward and upward, rajasic to sattvic, and in harmony with our Soul’s journey (dharma).

The desire to experience love, harmony, beauty and joy both inwardly and outwardly is the fuel of the Tantric path. The path of Tantra teaches us the secret of transformation, that of transforming limited desires into Divine and Wholistic expressions of the Soul. This is how one can be in the world, to enjoy and delight in the beauty of the world as an aspect of Divinity, without being of the world. This is a process that we learn in meditation, and practice while we are active. One must start with the philosophy that all life is legitimate and is part of the Divine impulse. We then begin practicing non-attachment to the idea of incompleteness (Original Sin), and to the fruits of our limited desires and actions. In meditation, we can look to see and discover our limited desire, and then we transform our limited desires into rajasic-to-sattvic Wholistic desires. When we offer up the fruits of these desires, we are able to fulfill our desires in a non-binding manner that is beneficial to the individual and the international community.

The Tantric practices are all focused on learning to appreciate the Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram nature of life, and this focus, along with the harvest of this focus, is why it is referred to as the path of Ecstasy. Tantric teachings include the desire to learn and be in harmony (Causal realm). The Tantric teachings include the delight and celebration with the senses and beauty (Astral realm). The Tantric teachings and practices include the enjoyment of harmonious activity at the Physical realm, including the transformation of the four primal instincts. The path of Tantra sees the realms of the Causal, Astral, and Physical as part of learning to appreciate and study a Wholistic God. Learning how to integrate the Divine impulse into the Will of God, by reversing the flow back upward through the chakras all the way to the pure state of Satyam Consciousness, becomes the Tantric study of God.

The path of Tantra is about learning to unfold into and feel connected to all seven levels of the God Consciousness, Shiva and Shakti ever in union. The individual part (Shakti) is ever in union with the universal and eternal (Shiva), and this is the realization the Tantric aspirant seeks. The Causal, Astral, and Physical bodies are vehicles that the Soul uses to explore and experience their desires, and ultimately are the vehicles of the expression of their dharma, and the worship of God in the moment and in eternity. This exploration of a Wholistic God is what distinguishes the path of Tantra from all other traditions.

[1] Prana is “life force,” and yama means “control.” Pranayama is control of the life force.

[2] Pranic breath is the prana that comes in directly through the medulla oblongata and sustains life.

[3] The ‘pole’ is symbolic of the cerebral/spinal system. Going up or down the pole means chanting or focusing on the sacred songs or mantras, which helps us to experience the seven levels of God Consciousness

[4] The Yoga tradition states that when you know prana, you know God.

The triune nature of God, the vibration of Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram, which permeates all life, is perfect, Om Purnam. To understand this perfection or essence of the triune nature, we look at the analogy of H²O. The scientist, or devotee, that looks for H²O can recognize the molecular compound (H²O) in ice, water, or vapor. To the uneducated, it just seems like three different substances or forms that are “solid,” “liquid,” or “vapor,” and are not viewed as the same substance. The aspirant on the path of Tantra looks to see the essence of the triune nature (Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram) and not just the forms of the three states of manifestation (Causal, Astral, Physical).

The Tantric process also differs from Yoga, not in how we meditate, nor in the necessity for consistent meditation, but in what we look for and desire outside of meditation. Looking for the harmony of Shiva and Shakti will bring a wholistic harvest of insights and revelations to our meditations, and into our daily life.

With the practice of looking for the beauty of life (God), we come across the first and foremost difficulty on the path of Tantra. If all life is legitimate, and all life comes from the Divine desire, how do we explore and study life and remain focused on attaining the absolute God Consciousness? How do we make the return trip through the Physical, Astral, Causal, and realm of the Soul, Holy Stream, Christ/Krishna Consciousness, and God Consciousness without being distracted by the beauty of Shiva and Shakti (Lila)? This is where the guidance of a Realized Soul is beneficial to help keep us focused on our Wholistic journey (dharma). In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was from God, of God, and is God, and if we keep our focus on the Word (Om) it doesn’t matter if we are male or female, young or old, nor whether we are yogic or tantric. By focusing on the Om, we will be able to fulfill our dharma and surrender into the God Consciousness.

The Guru-preceptor’s role is to help us attain greater awareness of our Divine nature, thereby discovering the inner guru, that of the triune nature of God, which in turn leads us to the realization of the true Guru, the eternal Satyam Consciousness of the absolute God Consciousness.

On the path of Tantra each person will have unique interests or desires to explore, and this leads to the fulfillment of their dharma. It must be acknowledged and realized by the devotee that their Soul’s interests are legitimate, and each Soul’s unique dharma is a legitimate worship and expression of God. The Guru-preceptor’s role is to help the devotee to discern and explore their desires in a manner that is in harmony with their dharma (rajasic-to-sattvic).

The practices of the Tantric path are directed towards seeing and experiencing the Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram in all life, and this is why meditation is absolutely necessary. Without meditation, we cannot realize we are created in the image of God. The Tantric path is about the direct experience of our Divine nature and the Divine nature of all life. Love and devotion to God and Guru (and all Realized Souls) are utilized to help us experience our Divine nature, and progress on the journey of our eternal Soul.

The practice of meditation is to calm the mind, breath, and ego. Although all life is legitimate, we must be able to calm down the mind, breath, and ego, and “be ye still” in order to experience our Soul as pure Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram. Without this glimpse that we are created in the image of God, that our nature is Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram, we cannot embrace the Tantric path. We learn to embrace the oneness of God and Soul through the direct experience with Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram (the triune nature of the Soul and God). We utilize meditation to calm the mind, breath, and ego, and attain a state of union with God. We follow the guidance of the guru preceptor in order to help us focus on that which is essential for our liberation into the absolute God Consciousness, and into realizing that Shiva and Shakti are ever in union.

The path of Tantra is the path of surrendering to the nature of love, beauty, harmony, and ecstasy that permeates God. In order to practice this path, we need to have a theological or philosophical understanding and acceptance of a few things about this path:

1) At this time, just coming out of the Kali Yuga, Tantra is the only path being taught that accepts and teaches the oneness of God.

2) Tantra is the only path that says that God is Wholistic, from God the absolute that always has been, is now, and forever shall be (God as pure Consciousness). Then God moves into Shivam, or the Christ/Krishna Consciousness (the Word). This is now God (Satyam) in motion. Then God continues to manifest into Om Sundaram (Aum, Holy Spirit) with the idea of separateness, but is still God in motion with form. This Satyam (pure Consciousness), Shivam (Satyam in motion), Sundaram, with the mayac sheath (diversity of God in motion), is the triune nature of God. Around a tiny piece of this triune nature is thrown a tiny golden net. This is the creation of a new unique Soul.

To this Soul, of Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram within a golden net, is given the Causal body with the higher mind, the lower mind, field of memory, and ego (idea of ownership). To this Causal being is given the Astral body with the five senses (touch, taste, sight, hearing, and smell), along with the corresponding desires to experience the delight of the beauty and joy of these senses. Finally, to this manifestation is given the Physical body with the organ of senses. With the completion of the physical body, the person is also given the four primal instincts. These four primal instincts are the need for food, sleep, procreation, and self-preservation. When the Soul is hosted in the bodies, it will also have the four natural inclinations: the desire to learn and grow, the desire to delight and celebrate, the desire to have motion or harmonious action at the physical, and at the end of the day, the desire to have peace or rest.[1] Tantra is the only path that sees this whole creative process as God, from God, of God and is God. God the absolute and God in motion (Lila) are ever in union. During a creative day you cannot have Shiva without Shakti, therefore the Path of Tantra strives to see and experience the oneness of this Wholistic God.

3) The philosophy of Tantra states that all is from God, of God and is God. The absolute God Consciousness is the eternal God Consciousness. The Word, Holy Stream, Soul, Causal, Astral, and Physical are all from God, of God, and is God. Therefore, one must go beyond the idea of incompleteness (Original Sin,[2]) to know this Wholistic God.

4) The Tantric path says God is worshipped, not as a separate entity, but appreciated as our larger Wholistic Self. There is only God, both unmanifested and manifested in different vibratory forms. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was from God, of God, and is God, manifested all the way to the Physical. This creation is the manifestation of the Divine impulse, or the creative Consciousness manifesting all the way to the Physical, and is also referred to as the creative flow of Shiva and Shakti ever in union.

5) The Path of Tantra recognizes there is the manifestation of God, all the way to the Physical. Now we must accept the personal responsibility of becoming aware of this Divine impulse, the downward flow, and bring it back upward so we can experience the harmony and the beauty of the whole God. We are personally responsible to consciously become aware of the Divine flow[3] and reverse the flow inward and upward, all the way back to God the Absolute. When we do this, we will see that all of life is harmonious and beautiful. The Tantric process is learning to appreciate or worship God at all seven levels of the God Consciousness. This process utilizes the study of the chakras to help us attain knowledge of a Wholistic God. With the acceptance of these five principles, we can begin to practice the path of Tantra.

The first practice of Tantra is meditation. The techniques are very simple because the Tantric techniques are based on the Word, the divine impulse that reaches all the way to the Physical. This vibration is light and sound, and by focusing on an aspect of this vibration (sound or mantra), we can reverse this process of the downward flow into an inward and upward flow, attaining the awareness of the God Consciousness. The path of Tantra practices harmonizing with the Word, which is the divine impulse that brought everything into manifestation, This Divine impulse (Word) is also perceived as the Divine force of the creative energy. From this divine desire, which is from God, of God, and is God, there is only Om Purnam, perfection. The Tantric process acknowledges that there is a diversity in the downward flow, but a harmony and oneness in the realization of the completion of both the downward and upward Wholistic flow. This awareness of the Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram triune nature of God, and the perfection of the Divine impulse as a part of a Wholistic Shiva and Shakti Consciousness that is ever in union, is the goal of the Tantric studies and practices.

The Tantric process looks for the perfection, beauty, and harmony of all life, and ultimately liberation into the pure state of Satyam Consciousness. Looking for love, harmony, beauty, and joy, is the premise upon which all the practices of the path of Tantra are built. When we calm down the mind, breath, and ego in meditation, we can realize the harmony of the perfect God that is both unmanifested and manifested. The Tantric practitioner begins to experience Shiva and Shakti as Om Purnam (perfection), first in their meditation, and then they begin to study and see the perfection in the motion of the patterns of living energy the Physical, Astral, Causal (form). The Physical, Astral, and Physical are manifested from the Divine impulse of the Soul, Holy Stream, and the Christ/Krishna Consciousness, which is the creation of the “always has been, is now, and forever shall be. Shiva and Shakti ever new, ever in union.

[1] For more information of creation, the books The Book of Wisdom by Swami Rama (Himalayan Institute) or The Holy Science by Sri Yukteswar (Self-Realization Fellowship) both talk about this manifestation process.

[2] Original Sin is a term that is used to refer to the idea of incompletion that comes into manifestation with the combination of the mayac sheath and the individual ego, and is the idea that we need something from the external to complete us.

[3] The Divine impulse is the creative force that brings the form into manifestation all the way to the Physical, and sustains and transforms it on the way back upward to the God Consciousness.

There are three stages or schools of Tantra: the left-handed path, the middle path, and the right-handed path. The left-handed path of Tantra is when we begin to study God. This will begin with meditation, theology, and practicing the virtues, along with our desires of looking for Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram in the creation. The aspirant is looking for love, beauty, joy, and appreciation of life, inclusive of knowledge of God, both inwardly and outwardly. This study is limited in the beginning. The Tantric teachings will include the transformation of the four primal instincts,[1] study of Tantric theology, and beginning to practice meditation. Meditation is what makes the practices the left-handed path of Tantra, rather than just philosophy or worldliness. Without meditation, without striving to calm the mind, breath, and ego to “be ye still and know that I am God,” one will only harvest the positive and negative results of our desires that are under the influence of Original Sin, which is legitimate, just limited. The left-handed path of Tantra includes daily meditation, which will help us realize both our Wholistic nature, and our desires for and in the creation, which we must purify in a rajasic-to-sattvic manner. In the left-handed path, we purify the four primal instincts, the senses, and our thoughts and concepts by bringing them into a positive and uplifting state that is beneficial for the individual and the international community. This will then lead to the middle path of Tantra.

The middle path of Tantra begins when we attain sabikalpa samadhi[2] in our meditation. When we calm the mind, breath and ego and attain sabikalpa samadhi, we can experience the triune nature of the Soul. In this state of meditation, we will distinguish or discern our higher nature of Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram from the sensual pleasures of our lower nature. We can clearly distinguish the difference between the higher triune nature of the Soul and God, and the pleasures of the lower nature of the three bodies (Causal, Astral, Physical) and instincts for seeking outwardly fulfillment. Attaining sabikalpa samadhi at will is what distinguishes the middle path of Tantra from the left-handed path of Tantra. In the beginning, we may only be able to attain sabikalpa samadhi occasionally, but the goal is to attain this identity with our triune nature of the Soul, both in meditation and outside of meditation. As we move into the middle path, we begin to study the triune nature of the Self and the triune nature of God, both inwardly and outwardly. We are trying to see the Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram essence or nature in all life, including the primal desires of the Physical, the sensual desires of the Astral, the knowledge and power of the Causal, and strive to attain “be ye still and know that I am God” and experience the Soul, the Holy Stream, the Christ/Krishna Consciousness, and the absolute God Consciousness. This middle path may take us years or even incarnations. This study and practice will lead us to the right-handed path of Tantra.

The right-handed path of Tantra is when we calm the mind, breath, and ego, and begin to experience the God Consciousness without form. This then becomes the harmonization with, and the study of God, both without form as pure Consciousness, and with form or God in motion. We strive to identify with the pure Satyam Consciousness because this is the only aspect of our Self, life, or God that is eternal. Once we begin to attain the state of God Consciousness without form in our meditation, we begin our study of God, both without form and God manifesting in form, both in meditation and outside meditation. This study of a Wholistic God is the right-handed path of Tantra.

The three stages of Tantra (or schools of Tantra[3]) are easily recognizable. The left-handed path: If we are meditating consistently and also have desires of the Causal, Astral, and Physical, but are trying to make them harmonious, then we are practicing the left-handed path of Tantra, which includes Sex, Love, Prayer. The middle path: When we attain sabikalpa samadhi in our meditations, we add Transcendence so that we now have Sex, Love, Prayer, and Transcendence. This Wholisticness of Sex, Love, Prayer, and Transcendance is practicing the middle path of Tantra. The right-handed path: When we are able to be still in our meditation to realize the absolute God Consciousness without form, that always has been, is now, and forever shall be, this is true Transcendence. As we come out of meditation (Transcendence), we will have the divine vision to appreciate a Wholistic God, or have Prayer. We will be Love, because we have been able to identify with the triune nature of the Soul beyond Original Sin (idea of incompleteness). We can then include the enjoyment and appreciation of the Physical (Sex) in a manner that is beneficial for the individual and the international community. This is a very simple definition of the three paths of Tantra.

All three stages or schools of Tantra are striving to attain knowledge and a harmony of Soul and God. Tantra is the study of God, the study of the God Consciousness without form, and the study of God Consciousness in motion or with form. It is Shiva ever in union with Shakti. Tantra is a dance of form and formless Consciousness throughout eternity.

[1]            Four primal instincts: The need for food, sleep, self-preservation, and procreation. The Tantric process of transforming these instincts is to make them beneficial and uplifting for the individual and the international community, and to be wholistic so that they include body, mind, spirit, and consciousness.

[2]            Sabikalpa Samadhi: union with God, but with a slight perception of individuality. With sabikalpa samadhi in meditation, there is identification with one’s Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram nature, but there is a conscious awareness of the Self, and there is usually a suspension of breath.

[3]            In the Eastern traditions they refer to the three schools of Tantra as: kaula tantra (left-handed path), mishra tantra (middle path), and samaya tantra (right-handed path), and consider these three schools of Tantra as successive stages of the inward journey, of touching and perfecting both the inner life and the outer life.

There are seven stages of the Soul’s development once we have evolved to a human being. These stages also correspond to the integration of our awareness of the seven chakras, which are the doorways to the seven levels of God Consciousness. We are created in the image of God, and all seven levels of God Consciousness are represented in the chakras. Therefore, it will take our study of the chakras and a Wholistic God Consciousness to harmonize and become one with God.

First Stage is when the Soul first takes its incarnation at the Physical. This person will be concerned with the four primal instincts: the need for food, the need for sleep, the need for procreation, and the need for survival.

Second Stage is when the person wants to add appreciation of the human spirit to their life, usually through the humanities: art, music, poetry, and dance.

Third Stage is when one begins to add a world vision to their life, which involves helping in humanitarian aid or projects, beyond their immediate self or biological family, and for the benefit of others (humanity).

Fourth Stage is Self Awakening, when we want to know both our higher nature (Soul), as well as our lower nature (Causal, Astral, Physical bodies), when the lower nature is no longer enough to satisfy us.

Fifth Stage is Self Realizing, when we begin to realize the triune nature of the Soul and study how we are created in the image of God.

Sixth Stage is God Realizing, the study of the Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram triune nature of all seven levels of God Consciousness.

Seventh Stage is the Enjoyment of Everyday Life, the identification with Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram Consciousness, and our oneness with this nature.

The Tantric philosophy can be understood intellectually by anyone who has fallen in love with another. When a person first falls in love, they overlook or do not see any flaws in their beloved; they only feel the bliss and joy of being in love. They see the beauty and feel the love of the other. It might take months or even years before they begin to see a flaw in their beloved. This type of falling in love is similar to the Tantric relationship with God. The Tantric is looking to experience the love and beauty in their beloved (God), to see the perfection. They don’t see their beloved as having flaws, but only see perfect love and beauty. This looking to see and experience perfect love and beauty (Om Purnam) is why the path of Tantra is called the Path of Ecstasy. Once we become aware of the pure Satyam Consciousness, this will liberate us into God, the Wholistic God (Shiva and Shakti ever in union). Tantra is the path of ecstasy that teaches there is only God, only pure Satyam Consciousness without form and Satyam Consciousness in motion with form. Om Shakti Ram  Rama Shiva Om (rejoicing in God completely).

within

the beauty

of the dance

and the love

of the dancer

is you

The Path of Tantra is the awakening into our nature and the nature of God as one and the same Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram. The path of Tantra is about life becoming a journey of exploration, celebration, and joy, Om Shakti Ram, Rama Shiva Om (rejoicing in God completely).  With the path of Tantra, the intention of realizing our eternal and Wholistic nature is the foundation upon which all our desires to explore life is built. Becoming aware of the interwovenness of all life is the goal of Tantra, and is what we strive to attain with our life.

In the creation of the Soul, we have the eternal God Consciousness (Satyam), then the Word (Shivam), the Aum or Holy Stream (Sundaram) with the mayac sheath, and around a small piece of this Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram Consciousness of God, is thrown a tiny golden net and a Soul is born. Because of the triune nature of the Soul, there is an intuitional knowledge of the eternal Satyam Consciousness and the Shivam Consciousness and Sundaram Consciousness. Because we are created in the image of God, there is a strong desire to experience or to realize the Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram nature of the Soul.

The Soul adds the Causal body, with the higher mind, lower mind, field of memory, and ego (idea of ownership). The creative Divine impulse continues downward and includes the Astral, with the five senses, and finally the Physical manifestation, with the body and organs of senses. The Divine impulse that created the Soul will continue to seek fulfillment until it experiences completion both with the downward flow to the physical, and then reverses this flow upward to the Satyam Consciousness. The Soul calls out for union, completion with God at all seven levels of God Consciousness.

The Soul will feel this union by going inward to experience the Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram nature of itself and God. This inward journey starts with the meditation process of calming down the body, mind, breath, and ego to attain sabikalpa samadhi (the awareness of the Satyam, Shivam, Sundaram nature of the Soul), and this experience leads to the realization that we are created in the image of God (nirvikalpa samadhi).