From: mimir@u.washington.edu (Grendel Grettisson)
Subject: Fantasy and its Relevance to Tantra
Date: 16 Jun 1993 08:25:00 GMT

THOUGHTS ON FANTASY AND ITS RELEVANCE TO TANTRA. FIRST STEP:
INTROSPECTION, SUBMISSIVENESS. SECOND STEP: STIMULATION, EAGER
CONTROL. DIRECTLY RELATING TO THE TWO COSMIC TRUTHS: EXPANSION AND
CONTRACTION OF ALL IN ALL.
(c) 1993 Rose Dawn Scott.

Everyone is familiar with fantasy; most people have direct experience
with it, either during auto-erotic stimulation or during lovemaking
itself.

The Tantric concept of fantasy is not so simple as conjuring up images
in one's mind of *hot babes* or *studs*--and (groan ;>) it takes lo ts
of practice. This practice should be begun after attaining at least a
fair degree of control over breath, mantra, and meditation. It
involves visualization-- imagination on a mundane level, but raised to
such a level that it becomes truth. And ('nother groan ;>) this type
of fantasy-meditation should be undertaken by the beginner *alone* and
*without any direct sexual stimulation.*

Tantrikas, poets, artists, philosophers, and quantum physicists, when
truly inspired and brilliant, have one thing in common: the ability to
intuitively tap into creative levels of altered consciousness.
Imagination in its mundane form would be such as sitting around
thinking about how great it would be if one got the Lotto numbers
correct, or wishing for things that seem out of reach. The honed,
conscious practice of creative imagination is called 'inner vision' by
Yogic philosophers of old; it is held that when one *thinks visually*
rather than yaddita-yaddita mental chatter mode, contact is made with
the Source of creativity, wisdom, and transformation.

According to the Kena-Upanisad: "Through knowledge of the Self we
obtain power; through inner vision we obtain Eternity." This is a way
of expressing that *acquired* knowledge; that taught by a guru or
learned from books, will certainly awaken the true Self; however, only
through going deep within one's own mind and heart, can the truth be
grasped--acquired knowledge transformed into Knowledge.

Tantric masters throughout history have focused on the inner vision's
cultivation and perfection as a twofold process: open introspection of
images as they come to mind (submissive), and eager stimulation of
imagination through visualization (compassionately dominant). The
foundation of the twofold process is the foundation that encompasses
the entire universe, from beginning to end: expansion and
contraction.

 All matter expands and contracts. Siva and Sakthi represent
contraction and expansion, respectively; or it may be more accurate to
say that these are *aspects* of Siva/Sakthi. Everything born or
created expands, and then contracts, over and over again. Atoms,
compounds, inorganic and organic life forms, individual men and women,
stars, suns, and entire galaxies all have the expansion/contraction
nature. During sexual acts, expansion and contraction are rather
fundamental!

 Seemingly contradictory to the principal of expansion/contraction at
first glance, although completely in accord with it, upon deeper
examination, is the belief that all phenomena is *empty* by its very
nature. The primordial form of emptiness is the primal force of
perpetual nothingness, the tension in the moments directly before
Creation; continues its existence within the void; and is the source
of blissful consciousness. Tantra assigns no negative qualities to
this 'emptiness,' but teaches that in order for emptiness to be
experienced, consciousness must be put into effect.

Later Tantric doctrines, approximately 2nd Century A.D., taught of the
threefold interaction of emptiness--consciousness--bliss. No matter
what internal or external object the mind chooses to focus upon, it
*must* be taken through the three steps in order. First, recognize the
'emptiness' in the object of contemplation. Emptiness is the space
element, or the 'ether,' and permeates all matter, and is greater than
all the other elements. Most of the universe is made up of empty
space; atoms are largely empty space; and even the human physical body
could be seen as a vast void, filled with small concentrations of
energy-vibration.  Emptiness also dominates the conscious mind much of
the time. However, when taken further and deeper, the mind's emptiness
is found to be filled with consciousness--from the sub- and un-
conscious mind, and with bliss, when one-pointedness and control have
been found.

A great Tantric teacher, Aryadeva (*his name meaning slave of Arya, or
more probably, of Indra, ancient Vedic war-god who protected the
Aryans*), has spoken thus about the mind: "Just as a clear, brilliant
gem is colored by the shade of other objects around it; so is the gem
of the mind colored by the shade of inner vision."

A simple beginning exercise has been prescribed and handed down
directly through generations of Tantric spiritual teachers and their
students; a description follows:

Sit in Padmasana (full lotus) or lie on the back, arms at sides, palms
turned up, as in Savasana (corpse pose). Breathe fully and deeply,
blowing out all stale air, drawing vital prana in and down, expanding
first the abdomen, then the ribcage, and finally the throat; then
releasing the breath in the opposite manner. Concentrate the mind
completely on each body part in turn. Tense the body (contraction),
then relax completely (expansion). One the body feels harmonious and
at ease, be still, slow the breathing, and focus on the mantra of your
own breath-pattern.

 Concentrate, deeply and fully, on the body. See it as completely
empty, see it as the Ether, the farthest reaches of space and
time. Empty. A vacuum. See only the outer body, the skin. Hold the
picture of your outer body firmly in your consciousness, recognizing
it as inherently empty. Then, when you inhale, 'see' the skin expand;
and when you exhale, see it contract. Remain detached, use your 'inner
eye' or intuitive visualization to observe calmly but with deepening
awareness, the picture of your body expanding and contracting.

Next, recognizing that the body is microcosm of the universe, and that
the universe expands and contracts, see yourself as a mirror of the
universe. Become absorbed therein. Your heartbeat IS the center of the
Universe, wherein dwells Brahma, 'in the cave of the heart,' the
innermost Self of the void. Then see Brahma, the Creator aspect, open
his mouth and speak The Word: AUM. Rays of light flow from his mouth
with the word; filling the emptiness within. AUM dwells also within
the cave of the heart. See it there. Know, know, KNOW that the Brahma
aspect within yourSelf is NO DIFFERENT from the Brahma aspect of
cosmology.

Having connected with Brahma, within microcosm and microcasm at once,
fill yourSelf with inner visions of creation. The microcasm is filled
with elements and energies, hot/cold, fire/water, peaks and planes and
oceans; volcanos, deserts, forests, and hills; rivers, gardens, and
temples. So, too, is the microcosm, the body. From the heart chakra,
focus your full concentration on emanating rays of effulgent light to
the outer surface of the body.

See the contours of the body as hills and valleys, the hair as a
forest or field, the right eye as the sun, the left eye as the
moon. The arteries and veins are oceans and rivers, carrying the holy
sanctified waters of your own blood. The internal organs are
sanctuaries and temples. The spine is Mt. Meru, the brain the peak of
the mountain.

Contemplate the subtle body with its subtle channels, then see the
Kundalini at the base of Mt. Meru, ready to begin her eternal ascent
and descent. See the inner sun at the solar plexus (power) chakra; the
inner moon at the hairline between third-eye and crown chakras. While
visualizing thus, remember Brahma at the heart chakra. *See Brahma
create each of these, as he created the phenomenal universe*

 Of course, although this is a simple, starting exercise, it will take
much practice to achieve this degree of one-pointed, concentrated
visualization. Remember: simple does not mean easy! Continue
practicing, attempting to further your progress a little bit each
time. It may come quickly or slowly, but if you continue with
sincerity and regularity, it *will* come.

Once you have been able to see the subtle body, with Brahma creating
the microcosm and microcasm from within yourSelf, then take another
step further.

Upon inhalation, see the vital Prana enter the body from the center of
the outer universe. Upon retention, visualize the primordial
Brahma-Creator-aspect divide himself into the five life currents,
which illuminate and sustain the soul, control the body, and hone the
senses.  Each curr ent has its own color, bodily function, and sense
faculty.  They are:

CURRENT  COLOR           BODILY FUNCTION                 SENSE

PRANA    blue-green,     Circulation and                 Smell
         as in an        respiration
         emerald and
         a sapphire

UDANA    Red-violet      Swallowing and                          Touch
                         physical sensations,
                         pleasant, unpleasant, or
                         ears, sweat, semen, urine,
                         feces


The qualities assigned to each life current are deliberately bizarre,
at first glance, even disgusting if taken literally. They are
purposely designed this way: the more difficult the correspondences,
the more full and productive the concentration required. Once this has
been mastered, you'll truly be on your way!

With consistent, regular practice, you will be able to evoke the inner
vision at Will. Expand and contract your own i sing and decreasing the
scale. Hills and valleys become enormous mountains and vast, yawning
canyons; rivers and rain become huge, churning oceans and torrential
downpours. And vice versa. Link your emotions and qualities to the
inner visions. Assign them characteristics, and focus upon them
thusly.

Imagine that your physical body is the entire universe, then contract
it to the size of a single atom. Seek further perfection, always! The
Self, when expanded and contracted in this manner, becomes more
concentrated, more controlled, and increasingly evolutional and
transcendental.

 The Tantric text Prajnopaya, describes this process thusly: "One must
proceed in such a way that the mind doth never swerve; for when a
jewel-like mind swerves from the transcendental unity and lapses into
contraries and irrelevancies, perfection cannot be attained."

 Ha! Finally, we get to the *erotic* aspects of visualization. During
auto-erotic stimulation, foreplay, or actual lovemaking, this can be
used as an exercise, controlled and directed.

The *active* partner, be that male or female, must fill the mind with
inner vision as glyphs of the Siva-Lingam: raging, celestial fire,
mountains reaching high and ever-solid, volcanos erupting forcefully.
The *passive* partner, again, whether male or female, should fill the
mind's inner vision with glyphs of the primordial Sakthi-Yoni:
valleys, rivers, pools, softness.

If one is practicing this exercise solo, alternate: keeping only the
Lingam-symbols in the mind; then alternating with only yoni-
symbols. I emphasize: the Tantras do not say that one must never
fantasize about 'babes' or 'studs,' or that one must never engage in
lovemaking for simple pleasure, physical release, or plain ol'
horniness. The Tantric exercises outlined here, and in all other texts
herein, are tools for attaining the transcendental. Although to an
unpracticed mind, these practices and images sound like real yawners,
I believe you'll find that, if practiced to the ultimate of one's
ability, they will become powerful stimulating erotic images, which
lift sexual arousal to new heights, serving as a connective agent from
physical longing, to spiritual longing; from physical release to
cosmic release. There is nothing in this world or the next, like
Tantric orgasm.

The Swetaswa-Tara Upanisad states that forms will appear, unbidden and
spontaneous, in the 'mind's eye' in the moment before the final vision
of resolution: "First a mist, then smoke, a sun, wind, fireflies, a
fire, lightning; then clear gemstones, then a moon."


     "After one has meditated upon Brahma, visualize the Supreme Yogi
and his Cosmic Consort, with all the force of one's soul. By
constantly knowing: AUM TAT SAT, This is I, one becomes Siva or
Sakthi. A complete consecration of oneSelf takes place after the
offering of this flower to oneSelf: 'I am god: all instruments of
worship, be they food, perfume, incense, flowers, become divine
through my recognition of them as such.  I am the abode of god. I *am*
goam.' Thus should one meditate, bringing everything to god and god to
god, making all pure and eternal through the recreation of god in
oneSelf." --KALIKA PURANA

 Thou art Siva. I am Sakthi. Thou art Sakthi. HUMSA. SOHAM.

 D. Yogini Padma Ushas Suryananda, other sources as cited.

 (c) 1993 Rose Dawn Scott, other sources as cited.