Tantra Yoga for Healthy Mind & Body

Have you tried doing Yoga? And, have you heard about Tantra Yoga? I have tried doing Yoga before but I didn't know that there were different styles of Yoga...moreso the Tantra Yoga, until I was introduced to it. So, let me tell you about it.

Yoga is an ancient discipline that explores, develops, and integrates the body, mind and spirit. The word yoga comes from the Sanskrit word yog, which means union. Thus most textbooks on yoga would define yoga as the union of the body, mind and spirit. Through the practice of yoga, one would attain self-realization or the merging of the individual consciousness with the universal consciousness.

Today, yoga is generally practiced to improve or restore health, to reduce stress, to prevent the body from ageing, to build up the body, to beautify it or to find happiness and peace of mind. Yoga does fulfill all these objectives, but one should keep in mind that these are all just by-products of yoga and are certainly not the goal.

Hatha Yoga which is the basic foundation of yoga, gave rise to all of the best known styles of yoga. Ashtanga Vinyasa, Iyengar, Vinyasa Flow, Power Yoga, Bikram, Anusara, Kundalini etc. all had their origins from Hatha Yoga. Hatha Yoga in turn, was established from the formative influence of Tantra.

The word Tantra, in itself has been covered in veils of illusion with all the different interpretations and misconceptions cast by yoga practitioners and non-practitioners as well.

The essential idea of Tantra is that everything in the universe is an expression of the Divine and thus can be tapped as a source of Divine consciousness and being. Tantra in essence is finding God in everything that we do – it may be as simple as sipping from your cup of coffee or having a conversation with your child or your spouse or something as deep as going into meditation and stillness. Mindfulness is Tantra Yoga. Being present and fully absorbed in the moment.

Tantra veers away from the traditional yogic philosophy that for one to reach enlightenment and total bliss, one has to stay in an isolated cave and live a life of renunciation. Tantra is about living fully in the here and now in a state of liberation. The idea is to open up to a sense of the Divine within any experience. Liberation is achieved not through renunciation of human desire but largely through it.

Shavasana or Corpse pose is the ultimate pose of relaxation. It is a static pose that revitalizes the entire body. Depending on the type of yoga, shavasana is done before, in between or more commonly after all the asanas or poses. It is essential that one comes into shavasana after his or her practice.

In shavasana, teachers instruct the students to go into a complete and total relaxation of the body. While concentrating on the natural breath, the body becomes looser, softer, lighter with each inhalation and exhalation. It is a useful tool to develop awareness not only of the physical body but the mental, emotional and spiritual aspects of the body as well.

In most classes, students will be offered and given the chance to have Reiki healing while in Shavasana. Reiki is an ancient form of healing discovered by Dr. Usui in Japan during the 1920’s. It means universal life force energy. This healing technique involves the laying-on of the hands on different parts of the body to heal and balance subtle energies in our physical, mental, emotional and spiritual bodies.  This will thus enhance the student’s experience in Tantra.

Tantra Yoga Manila Class Schedule

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Tantra Yoga Manila also offers workshops and seminars throughout the year.Tantra offers all sorts of yoga classes – Hatha, Ashtanga Vinyasa, Power, Vinyasa Flow, Kundalini, Kid’s Yoga, Yoga for Cancer and Yoga Therapy.

Ground Floor, MG Building, 150 Amorsolo St., Legaspi Village, Makati City
Phone 551-8964
Email:   tantrayogawc_ph@yahoo.com

LIKE them at facebook.com/TantraYogaManila.