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TANTRA INCORPORATED • ANCIENT LINEAGES • MODERN ANCIENT LINEAGES • CRAZY WISDOM SCHOOLS • TAOIST TOUCH,
ENHANCED ORGASM & SENSUALITY • SEXOLOGISTS & SEXY PSYCHOLOGISTS •
OUR ADVICE
• PITFALLS
About Tantra
Tantra has varieties practiced by Buddhist, Hindu
and other traditions, so isn't exclusively allied to any particular
religious "label" or bound by any particular philosophy.
Traditionally, the word translates as the fabric of existence,
the weaving of the threads of truth. These days, as an English
word, it more generally means a practice, belief, tradition,
pursuit or activity that in some way uses sexual energy with
spiritual intent.
Among the huge variety of spiritual attitudes/approaches
in the world, if we make an analogy to sports, Tantra is firmly
in the "extreme sports" category. Other traditions
have had quite a bit to say about the dangers of Tantra, and
there's a feeling that Tantrikas are somehow cheating, progressing
with such rapidity that there must be something shallow, incomplete,
or unwholesome to their understanding. Tantrikas answer that
our path is in no way a cheat. Sure, we move faster, covering
the territory at a fierce rate, but we are not skipping over
or avoiding anything. All obstacles are faced, every step of
learning is taken. We just do it fast. No shortcuts. We do
get more bruised.
What distinguishes Tantra from most spiritual
paths is that sexual aspects of human experience aren't
excluded from the pursuit of awareness. Since rather large
areas of unconsciousness are often associated with sexuality,
and most teachings seem to recommend further suppression of
any sexual associations, from the standpoint of Tantra, other
traditions seem to be deliberately applying brakes, instead
of willingly, playfully and bravely immersing themselves in
the full mystery that is Life.
There are dangers to Tantra. Sense-addiction,
insanity/psychosis and abuse of power.
At various points on the path, a Tantrika (seeker working with
tantric teachings) may risk (be challenged, tempted or threatened
by) one or all of these. Facing these temptations requires
Intelligence, and deep commitment to accepting experience "as
it is" however
that looks.
Schools and teachers can therefore be helpful.
Seekers vary greatly in their sincerity, willingness, capability
and spiritual development. Likewise, teachers vary
in their objectives, their methods, their depth of understanding
and their areas of expertise.
The following comments come from our collective
experience, all of us having had significant experience of
all sorts of teachers. This attempt at classification is just
commenting on differences of approach and style, which could
suit different inclinations of seeker. Also, it's really not
a "hard" classification.
there's no lines doing any dividing, in truth, just a description
of trends and tendencies. For example, a therapist of a big
organisation may well have a close following with which she
works more in the "crazy wisdom" mode. A psychotherapist,
specialised in relationship issues may, on occasion, initiate
a client into the very core of the Tantric Mysteries.
TANTRA INCORPORATED
The larger organisations
at present are easily identifiable, with strong branding, ™'s
and ©'s all over and focus on what Wikipedia calls
"Neo-Tantra" which originates with Osho and
has been continued/extended by Margot
Anand, Barry
Long, Sw.
Veresh and others. This work
is useful to all seekers, not just Tantrikas, and is about
addressing unconscious psychological patterning in the subconscious,
particularly around sexuality. This work can take one to a
readiness for initiation into the practice of "real" or "inner
temple" tantric meditation practice.
There's often a lot of focus on psychological
techniques and therapies to address common areas of sexual
repression and restriction. For many, this is life changing
work, and clears up much of their culturally and parentally
imposed restrictions on their life's energy.
At this school, we know the Osho therapists best
in this category, and groups at the Multiversity in Pune, India
are recommended for anyone with a sincere interest in Tantra.
Most of the really fun ones require you to interview with the
therapist before being allowed on. Be real, be honest, and
if you're really stuck, one Dakini of this school said she
was turned down, but tears got her in.
We don't attempt to replace any of these large-school
teachings, and most people we work with have some experience
of this work. India's a cheap enough destination, even for
South Africans, and anyway, Subodhi, Turiya and other wonderful
teachers visit here. See osho.co.za for
South African Osho news.
ANCIENT LINEAGES
Most ancient
schools only admitted students
who were from relatively unrepressed (sexually speaking)
cultures and had no major unconscious repressions around
sexuality. Their work focused largely on the use of sexual
energy in meditative practices. For many reasons, but mostly
because of their difficulties in maintaining a primarily
women's' teaching in an increasingly patriarchal world, their
extinction was more or less complete a long time back. The
most common trap these schools fell into was "emulating
the enlightened condition". Jesus didn't learn his capacity
for suffering by whipping himself, Buddha didn't strive for
perfect non-attachment and compassion in his 20's. Suppression,
even perfect suppression doesn't equal Transcendence.
Some venerable traditions have managed to preserve
technique and understanding that's still of use to a Tantrika.
Even though the old traditions themselves have ended in ashes,
here and there, there's still a hot coal. Tantra is now just
a baby phoenix, and needs the warmth, the comfort of what "old
tantra"
leaves behind.
From Buddhist experience, there's the understanding
that Tantrikas should take the Bodhisattva vows of Mahayana
Buddhism, and exchange the three jewels/submissions/refuges of
a Buddhist for the Tantric
alternative. Not as a rule-bound system, but as a living
archetype, a structure to human relationships that supports
awareness.
Hindu Tantra is notable for it's preservation
of devotional art, dance forms and the applied higher philosophy
of Advaita.
Some Ancient schools, from traditions as diverse
as Sufi and Taoist preserve ways of enhancing libido and of
working consciously with the resulting strong energies.
One ancient teaching is beautifully revisited
by Osho in his "The Book of Secrets", commentary
on the Vigyana Bhairava Tantra, available at amazon and kalahari.
MODERN ANCIENT LINEAGES
These
re-creations and re-inventions of ancient
tradition use old mantras, yantras and related
techniques which were designed specifically for students
from a very particular (and now extinct) culture. This kind
of work is therefore unavoidably a bit inaccessible, although
there's still power in some of these practices. Most seekers
will feel strangely energised and surprisingly well centred
for a few weeks after, say, a weekend White
Tantric Yoga® retreat.
For a few seekers, particularly those who've gone deep and
far with neo-tantra work,
these practices can be illuminating in the sweetest ways, even
opening insight into "past life" memories
of ancient temple practice. The best of these have a strong
emphasis on Neo-Tantra work, and that's really where they're
most useful. The worst of them are mostly harmless and anyway
a lot of fun.
CRAZY WISDOM SCHOOLS
The most lively area of what's called Tantra
are the breakaways (often friendly) from the major
schools, or teachers who've come to their teaching by unorthodox
routes. These can hardly be categorised, some are possibly
unsuitable, even dangerous to some seekers. There's an interesting
book, Halfway up the Mountain (at amazon and kalahari) about
these teachers.
Most teachers are therefore pretty careful who
they work with. All of them seem pretty much against "labels",
but use the word "Tantra"
sometimes to describe their teaching. Why? .. well, you'd have
to ask them, and you're going to have a tough time doing that
at Lee
Lozowick's website, though you can read something gorgeous
of his, here.
Informally, and in the new
way of spiritual teaching (friendliness) these teachers
use whatever techniques and practices they find useful. This
gives their teaching it's unique (it's always unique) character.
Many kinds of teachers … many kinds of students. One
teacher's personal approach may suit you for your whole path,
or you may be attracted to the teachings of a few, each addressing
different areas of your consciousness at different times.
They don't generally make big media, and why
should they! They are the appropriate, organically the right
teachers for a small percentage of seekers. Only the most insistent,
who have some feeling for what this is going to take. Probably
around 2% of people on the planet are currently seekers. Strong,
but very "niche" appeal.
Some otherwise sensible people
are on the trip of trying to find a "personal guru".
It's strange, at first sight, because these gurus are the fellows
that churches, temples, mothers and fathers warn their young
against. These teachers are what people of a sensible persuasion
would generally avoid. To most people, crazy wisdom teaching
just looks crazy.
I think it's because someone, in some drum circle
mentioned that the fastest way, the "lightning path" of
spiritual work is Guru Yoga: Taking an attitude of discipleship
to someone who seems to have more or less attained whatever
a guruji's supposed to have attained.
There have been attempts to define what a "good" guru
is. Also to define what's a "bad" one. Tricky issue
indeed... no ISO standards certifications in the business.
Even the Alltime Greats at some point or other will "fail"
judgment in terms of someone's
criteria. Nonetheless, it is in
general a pretty good idea to exercise a healthy, but not a "chicken"
skepticism.
A Guru isn't an "everyone
should have one" kind of thing. Facing
the possibility of that kind of surrender (or exposure to another
consciousness) is a significant part of what makes this practice
surpass all others. This is the inner-temple, inner-school
initiation into the "Heart
of Tantra":
Personal, uncompromising guidance. What takes years of gentle
noodling in western medical psychotherapy is faced, and resolved
within weeks (sometimes immediately) with the right kind of
guidance. Over a shorter time, in other words, you go through
the emotional experiences of years of deep Jungian, Freudian
or Dr.Phil therapy. This is really not an easy "everyone
can do it" kind of thing.
Fortunately for those in the guru
game, there are
many teachers at many levels of understanding and misunderstanding.
Plenty of distractions for people with little or no discernment.
Scoundrels and rascals abound. This operates from one viewpoint,
as a filter, giving the insincere some knocks they probably
deserve, and IQ testing prospective students while they shop
around for a teaching or lineage. From another perspective,
if you're a determined seeker with a gambler's spirit, asking
the big questions, wanting the big answers … existence
will give you hints and support your finding the
right teachers in immaculate timing.
Crazy wisdom or "holy fool" teaching is sometimes
confused with "god-madness". It isn't a form of insanity, it's
a sanity beyond the limitations of "what everyone knows".
TAOIST TOUCH , ENHANCED ORGASM AND SENSUALITY
These are the sexiest of Tantrikas.
They work directly, unambiguously with the sensuality of touch
and the extension of consciousness, of awareness into sexual
experience. Sometimes they start out as sex-therapists and
massage-practitioners with a clinical reserve and businesslike
manner. Over just a few years, love as such tends to
come into their work. Their clients start getting more than
they'd bargained for … deeply moving emotionally rich experiences,
ecstasy and tears, much like falling in love. Often their clients
are chafing under the pressures and monotony of monogamy, and
go to them first for some love, some human connection and deep
sexual release (sometimes
their main reason) , without technically "having sex" and thereby
avoid the guilt of "cheating". These practitioners have the
gift of converting good stable businessmen into meditators.
Be warned. This isn't just "sexy stuff". These techniques affect
you, quite literally, to the core of your being.
There are a wide range of practitioners worldwide,
some very expert ones in South Africa. A teacher of tantra-through-touch
that we're particularly fond of, Jeanne,
will soon be sharing her invaluable knowledge in various publishing
ventures, it is predicted.
SEXOLOGISTS AND SEXY PSYCHOLOGISTS
Kinsey's statistical understanding and acceptance
of human sexuality "as it is" has merged with the
understanding hinted by Freud .. that there are serious problems
with the way the world does sex. Repressing it, and forcing
non conformers into real perversity isn't helpful. Therapies
should be evolved.
This extension of psychotherapy into
the sexual isn't what most tantrikas would call Tantra perhaps,
but the work they do is helpful to many, essential for some
and is basically sex-positive and awareness-enhancing in it's
outcomes, so we like it.
Their advice can often be useful, and they do
have at least 6 months training, which is
probably long enough for a keen student to absorb absolutely
everything that the medical profession and psychology knows
about sex. More positively, a few years work with real people,
and they will, from their own experiences, have developed some
worthwhile understanding.
Be a little careful though. They are still young
in their craft. Some of them think that glycerine lube is a
workable substitute for a woman's lack of arousal. Others prescribe
viagra for erectile problems, and prozac to further suppress
the depression caused by suppressed desires. Maybe that's functional
or even helpful for "sick" people in a benevolent
farming kind of way, but for Tantrikas, retreating from awareness
is not an option.
While I'm being critical, it's fair to mention
that I heard
a "tantra" podcast a little while back which had
a couple, allegedly "tantric experts", suggest that
a woman purchase a larger vibrator from their online store
to "open her up more"
as she has tightness and pain when entered by the husband.
Quite callous and rather nasty advice there, I thought. I'm
pretty sure that a sexologically qualified person would have
managed a much more helpful, less harmful suggestion.
So what to do?
Taste of all the flavours
of Tantra you can find. Be a little careful, intelligent, but
not chicken! Take the robust attitude of allowing
yourself to experience strong feelings.
For most Tantrikas, some worthwhile taste of
most of the above is a good idea, and one or two areas are
likely to be matters for deep personal immersion/exploration.
Some parts of the path seem very linear, easy to understand,
a "progression". Other parts are more like a jig-saw
puzzle coming together. Here and there, it's blissful on the
path, and sometimes it can seem to be endlessly torturous.
The most common trap is the idea that you "feel
good" when
progressing well on your path, so must be "doing badly" when
you feel challenged. It is in these times that what I call
a robust attitude, and the emotional supports
of the venerable Heart and Death Meditations
are so very important.
Most importantly, keep asking yourself why you
want this path. Be prepared, willing, to drop tantra to live
an easier life, if that's really what appeals to you. Whatever
you've learned up to that point may be exactly the awareness
you need to get on with your living and learning in some other
direction.
The path of a Tantrika is extremely intensive
and close guidance is sometimes necessary. This toughest
of paths generally involves non-monagamy, conscious (loving,
intimate, yet un-romantic and de-fantasised) sexuality, and
the willingness to support others where one can.
The three traditional Tantric paths of the
Celibate (unmarried, not necessarily chaste),
the Householder (married,
monogamous or communal) and the Tantrika (sexuality
as spiritual discipline, meditation and healing art) are not
mutually exclusive. Logically, they make a nice progression.
For some of us, they've been almost three stages of life, of
learning, in a neat row. For others, things aren't so neatly
arranged. Most of us seem to need lessons from all these apparent
branchings of the path, sometimes concurrently.
On the pathless path of Tantra, some common
pitfalls are:
Emulating the enlightened condition
In California,
they master the enlightened laugh and the enlightened stare.
Elsewhere in the West, it's about keeping the face as still
and unmoving as a Buckingham Palace sentry, or as close as
they can get. In the East, it's deeper, more substantial, but
basically the same. Exercising to sit silent as the Buddha,
forcing a compassionate attitude, a happy disposition, disciplining
the mind into silence, re-conditioning sexuality into "enlightened" patterns
of behaviour and so on.
The Buddha was not born to a life of
celibate silent contemplation, but had many years living in
a thoroughly worldly way before even beginning his conscious
seeking.
Training youngsters, or even young adults into
parodies, pretences, performances of spiritual "looksgood"
isn't really that helpful in terms of producing an enlightened
humanity.
The movie Samsara makes this point, beautifully,
and eloquently, even in subtitles.
There's real, logical idiocy too involved sometimes.
Very logically, to initiate disciples into Renunciation
with three sharp blows to the penis, severing all relevant
nerves, and doing significant general tissue damage gives one
a great start if the objective is to overcome sexual desire!
The problem is of course the ego-fascination
with the outward appearance: The "marks" of enlightenment
that prompted Buddha to say to Subodhi, a very advanced student
of his: "The
true mark of the Thatagata is the no-posession of no-marks".
If that is tricky to understand, do not be at all embarassed.
Subodhi was a very advanced student indeed.
Addiction to technique: Keeping the training
wheels on.
This is a slightly risky teaching. It can easily
be misconstrued. The ego can use this legitimate warning to
excuse all sorts of avoidance of useful practice. Guard a bit
against that. This isn't a suggestion or excuse to keep your
practice shallow.
Also, this isn't saying "technique is all
bullshit", a common modern "teaching". Many
techniques are valuable indeed, leading to valuable insights
and supportive encouragements. It's worth working deeply with
a technique, deep enough to get the "knack",
the feeling for what it teaches. Be sure to get the real lesson
that the artificiality of the technique draws your attention
to.
And then, discard the technique!
Not as in throwing away the technique: Just that
you now live with the awareness the technique gives you. You
now access what the technique teaches, but more directly, more
immediately.
Think of techniques as "training wheels" on
a child's bicycle. They are a great help for the kid getting
the feeling of riding, and taking a first ride or two. Then,
once he's riding, the training wheels are no longer helpful
and even become a hindrance. They need to come off. Bicycle
riding, which looks similar with or without training wheels,
still happens.
When it comes to sexual technique, this warning
goes double. There's an extra intensity that ego brings to
matters sexual.
For example, a position and pressure that blocks
ejaculatory reflexes is great to explore, but an absolute dead-end
if it's "perfected".
Mistaking Satori for Samadhi
Apologies to the Oriental cultures who's words
I mismatch, brutalise and misuse. This is the way us users
of the English language absorb words, changing the meaning
as required. It's not going to stop.
So there's two terms I use, incorrectly, and
redefine more or less thus:
satori: A flash of light in
the darkness. A moment of profound insight, deliberately, accidentally
or fortuitously created. There are many flavours of satori.
A building has many windows. Each provides a view, perhaps
overwhelming in it's depth and implications but in a way, still
partial, incomplete.
There's an old story told to illustrate this,
involving blind men encountering an elephant. One describes
it as a whip, another as a tree, and so on. Each has encountered
the elephant, has had a moment's direct experience of it, knows
far more about the elephant than was known previously, yet
does not know the whole elephant.
Although they may be remembered long and their
lessons are true, satori, in and of themselves, are brief.
Life changes inspired by them, however, tend to be more permanent.
Samadhi: Literally "together
with the Divine"
means living in the deepest possible empathetic responsiveness
to existence. Samadhi includes
the noticing that this has always been the case, that "I" have
been doing nothing at all and that which is Life Itself has
always been the doing of the living that I call "me".
Paradoxically, in a way, it seems I have been pretending that
this is not the case. This applies to everyone, just they are
pretending to not know, or are just not noticing. Samadhi is
the indescribable. Literally beyond that which language can
describe. It's the holy grail of mystics, devotees, renunciants,
disciples, seekers and king-makers. It's the indescribable
experience, unending, unbeginning, that Eckhart Tolle and others
write so beautifully around and about. The whole elephant.
Sometimes techniques that seem to have been involved
in Samadhi happening are useful for inducing Satori too. Samadhi,
however, can't be evoked or caused by some technique. It requires
an openness, a submission, a yielding of unimaginable proportions.
The egoic view is transcended, but not by being "convinced" or
argued into acceptance of an idea.
The point of satori , the glimpse out of a window,
is that it shows you, beyond all argument and inner dialogue,
some aspect of the Dharma, the "truth as it is". This can provide
the necessary "urge" to get on with the path as such. Satori,
in other words, exist to tempt us to the paradoxically impossible
but vital attitude of non-seeking for Samadhi.
I don't think anyone's going to be agreeing anytime
soon on what exactly defines and constitutes these levels of
experience and moments of deep perception. As with
everything apparent in existence, there are no true boundaries.
Sometimes it seems Samadhi happens, then is lost after some
months. A cluster of deep Satori are noticed as Satori, but
in the Ashram's Buddha field, the general peacefulness, Samadhi
may have happened, and slip by unnoticed for a while. Some
Satori can been powerful and quite enduring, only fading
in their qualities of presence and immediacy after some time.
There are exceptions to the general patterns I describe.
As a rough guide, if you've had an illuminating experience,
the implications of which imply great change for your life,
that's satori. Get on with those changes. Don't announce yourself
just yet as the Avatar of Existence's Core Essence and World
Teacher, The One Essence of Beingness, The Centre of Suchness,
JC2, etc.
… not quite yet…
If you've had varieteous satori experiences, have purged (or
had life exhaust, drain you of) your anger, have gone completely
through the depths of your suffering and negativity, have felt
and allowed within you many extreme emotions and sensations
without closing up, without shutting down your awareness … and
then you seem to have been in the feeling, the glow of satori
for a while, some months, perhaps … then you probably
wouldn't be reading this. If you are, go right now, research "Bodhisattva" and "arahat" (alt
spelling ahrat),
then make up your no-mind.
Sense-addiction, imprinting
Sense-addiction is just something most Tantrikas
just have to get through. Regrettable, perhaps, and working
through this can even look unfortunately undisciplined at times.
Dakinis do have capabilities that
can be extremely addictive and imprinting. Powerful psychosurgical
instruments indeed, looked at one point of view. Essential
leverage to move your stuck and settled ego-constructs, looked
at from another.
Addicting others, for whatever conscious or unconscious
reasons can be quite cruel. Being addicted can be
a time and energy consuming trap.
As a student tantrika, it's therefore wise to
approach the Dakini with caution until you can trust
her intent (not that you can discern her intent, just that
you trust it) and her capacity (just that it is apparent and
unmeasurable).
As an adept, a Tantrika with some skill, it's
wise to be careful (full of caring) when it seems appropriate
to use powerful techniques. For all concerned.
Imprinting is deeper, more primal than addiction.
Addiction is largely a matter of strongly reinforced habitual
mental associations. Imprinting is more like what happens when
the crocodile hatches, sees the lawnmower, and fixates on it
as "mommy" from then on. Nature has set the body/mind of the
baby croc up to imprint the image of the first object of suitable
size and speed as "mommy", and to accept no substitutes.
There are human equivalents to imprinting. Not
as hard wired as in the croc, but pretty powerful nonetheless.
Some of a culture's training of their men and women set them
up for imprinting type experiences. Most of our culture's romantic
stories centre on a couple's mutual imprinting of each other.
Psychopathically fixated, even into death, like the well known
love-lemmings, Romeo and Juliet. Seekers, particularly
Tantrikas do have to face and move through all illusion, even
imprinted illusions. Note: The lawnmower isn't the croc's mommy.
What you're "imprinted" to is an illusion. The basic
commitment of a seeker is to what's true. On the path, a willingness
to become completely dis-illusioned is implied, and required.
The temptations of Siddhis
There was once a Teacher once who found he could
manifest intricate objects at will.
In his early days of teaching, it seemed
to him that this unusual ability must have been given him
in order for him to impress a large number of seeker. Dazzle
them onto the path, under his loving direction.
It worked that way for a while, but, the more
he exhibited this ability, the more it receded. Working intermittently,
or only when the vibes were right. Complex objects became impossible,
and he manifested dusty ashy stuff.
Later on, the Siddhi completely gone, so
as not to disappoint, he would just fake the ash.
Really, the less said about the "sweeties", "gifts",
and other misnomers for these apparent abilities the better.
Many teachers downplay these phenomena as much as possible,
for good reason.
There's basically two categories of Siddhis,
and most fit both categories to a degree.
Natural human abilities and senses, which are
seldom activated
Dowsing is a good example of this category.
It's a real enough ability, yet very few people can do it and
most people couldn't be taught to do it. Some healers
and some martial artists display unusual perceptive abilities,
and an ability to affect life energy in the body, helpfully,
or harmfully, according to training and inclination.
These gifts are basically just the same as walking,
or writing a limerick (refined western poetry form. somewhat
similar, but superior to haiku). Skills that you're unlikely
to develop on your own, without example to learn from. There's
linkages, connections of tendency that Science is now starting
to glimpse, between specific behaviours in childhood and later
skills potential.
An example: Some children that are hurried through
crawling by spending lots of time upright in walking-rings
walk sooner. This may be gratifying to parents who watch
charts, graphs of "normal" development, very concerned that
their child should be "advanced". It's also likely to result
in difficulties with reading and writing.
There are now therapists who work with children's
dyslexia, using crawling as a therapy.
Some Tantric Practices switch on, enable,or
sensitise generally unused modes of perception, others increase
the capacity for (unresisted) sensation and some seem to rewire
automatic, involuntary physical/neural reactions. Most of this
work depends on the perceptive abilities and intent
both student and Dakini.
Screwing with Newton or the world view attributed
(unjustly) to the old fellow.
Manifesting, altering object's physical properties,
levitation, tricks with time and space and other super-natural
phenomena seem in a separate category because they are far
enough from our own experience that they seem really unlikely.
Many meditators have stories of journeys that
involve driving far beyond a vehicle's fuel range. Mountaineers
have survived "physically impossible" situations
more than once. People have won lotteries or other gambling
endeavours on the encouragement of a dream, or a feeling for
numbers. Smugglers of banned books have prayed to various deities
for, and have received, mysterious protection from the scrutiny
of eager border guards … there's lots of stories of
these kinds of experiences.
In the culture's schools, however, 100+ year
old western physics and chemistry is taught and generally accepted
as "fact", so some Siddhis are culturally more unbelievable,
more likely to be called unnatural, impossible, or miraculous.
Western Science, unfortunately, has a long history of ignoring
misfit (aka fortean) data, instead of analysing it, and getting
on with their supposed thing of hypothesising, testing, theorising,
experimenting …
Most of these weirder gifts probably, in truth,
belong in the previous category. Just, they seem to defy our
understanding, our view of reality, sometimes.
Neither of these categories of Siddhis have
anything to do with spiritual attainment.
All can be developed, even
though some require training that starts at age 3 or so, and
others require huge pain, or physical trauma to bring them
to conscious awareness.
Some are just abilities you have, or can cultivate.
Some come and go as one moves on one's path. Don't be concerned
by them, don't get hung up on them, and especially note: It's
spiritually rude to get others hung up on admiring your siddhis.
Jesus' healing Siddhi, for example, was clearly
something he chose to use, on occasion, being a compassionate
man, but he was always at pains to cover up a bit, encourage
the fellow to attribute the healing to the Temple, and not
mention it had anything to do with Jesus.
His disciples descendants, however, reported
the incidents many years later, far from the supervision
of anyone who had known the Master. Later on,
Christian missionaries focused on these "miracle stories" in
clear defiance of Jesus' expressed intent, as being a hot USP,
an unarguable claim to spiritual superiority. This did not
play well in spiritually mature cultures like India.
Tantra is known for Siddhis, and some schools
made the acquisition and development of Siddhis their whole
focus. The relics of that idiocy survive, and currently are
being shown up in an Indian TV programme, "The Great
Tantra Challenge.
Siddhis, both awakened "natural" abilities,
and the more freaky, weird and inexplicable, sometimes frightening
ones are just by-products of awareness growing. More or less
accidental factors which can be beneficial, useful sometimes,
perhaps. It's not useful to get hung up on them. Putting your
energy into exhibition of them is not useful to anyone and
pretty much brings your path to a grinding halt. Also, in this
modern age, so many siddhis are almost pointless. Fro example,
cellphones and camcorders work better than telepathy or
clairvoyance ever did.
Entrancement, esoteric TV
There's all sorts of entrancing visions along
the path. Enjoy, but don't misjudge their significance. Occasionally,
insights from the "between here and the ultimate" spaces can
be really helpful, but there's endless realms of nothing-particularly-relevant
out there.
It's worth heeding a warning I had from Sw. Rasada:
"Just because something can get itself channeled doesn't mean
it's compassionate, benevolent, or even intelligent."
Even when visions, lucid dreams, astral traveling,
akashic record perusing and such are relevant, their only
value is that relevance … what they encourage you to,
the difference you make in the real, inspired
by that relevant vision.
Visions, psychic readings and such are sometimes
pointers on the path. Sometimes, it gets really direct, literal,
unmistakable.
A Dakini in this school recently passed through
a time of confusion. In the midst of this, getting out of her
car at the mall, she asked for "a sign". Directly in front
of her, covering construction work, was indeed the requested
sign: "Please be patient. Undergoing Transformation"
Just watch out that you don't get trapped, obsessive,
or dependant on these things, particularly as a way of having
"meaning" in your life. Living is more important
than what it "means". TV, even esoteric TV
is bad.
