What is Consciousness ? shiva or shakti ?

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Namaste all.

 

Here is another good article useful in understanding more about Shiva and

Shakti.

 

TANTRA AND WOMEN

 

What is the role of women in Tantra Sadhanas?

 

Why is a woman called Shakti?

 

Tantra has two opposite poles called Shiva and Shakti. If we observe

carefully we shall find that they are not just omnipresent rather they

influence the creation everywhere. In human society a man and a woman

represent Shiva and Shakti. On level of the world time and place

represent Shiva and Shakti. And in spiritual planes the mind and the

soul represent Shiva and Shakti. According to texts of Hatth Yoga, Ida

and Pingala represent the life energy in the human body.

 

These two energies are opposite poles. In the normal course they

remain separated but when creation takes place they come together. On

the level of the world when time and place conjoin they lead to some

event. Time represents positive energy and place negative.

 

Activation of divine energy within

 

In the human society man and woman are the two opposite poles of

energy. The ancient texts throw light on different aspects of these

two poles. You might have seen the picture of Mother Goddess Kali in a

naked form with one foot on the chest of Lord Shiva. In it the face of

Kali is furious. She has many hands and her long tongue drips blood.

This is said to be the activated form of Goddess Kali.

 

You might have seen still another picture with Lord Shiva seated in

Padmasan with half his form looking like that of a woman. This is the

Ardhnaarishwar (half man-half woman) form i.e. the Supreme with both

opposite powers together.

 

Still another picture shows Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati as Guru and

disciple respectively. Lord Shiva is seated in Padmasan and Goddess

Parvati is seated on a lower plane and the Lord is imparting secret

knowledge of Tantra to her.

 

These three pictures are different examples of confluence of the two

opposite energies. You might have heard of or seen yet another

picture. Near Munger in Bihar is the spiritual seat of Goddess Tara.

There is a picture that shows Goddess Tara breast feeding Lord Shiva.

 

These are different forms of Lord Shiva and Goddess Shakti. In one

depiction Shiva is the Guru and Shakti is the disciple. In another

they are fused into one another. Their bodies and minds are one. In

yet another picture Shakti is depicted as being more powerful than

Shiva and she is shown dancing over Shiva. These pictures actually

depict the stages in the process of activation of the hidden energy in

each human being.

 

Woman's spiritual power

 

In Tantra a woman is considered more powerful than a man although

reverse is the situation in the society. This view is prevalent in

Tantra because of the highest level of spiritual thinking in the

process of spiritual development. As far as beauty, feelings and

spiritual development go a woman is certainly better than a man. It is

a fact that the activation of the Kundalini is easier for a woman than

for a man.

 

There is still another fact that is very important. When a man dives

deep into the world of subtle feelings he is not able to retain the

experiences as well as a woman can. The reason for this is that a

woman's outer and inner conscience are both similar. On the other hand

man is different outside and inside. When he enters into the inner

world he has very special experiences which he is not able to retain

when he returns to the outer world. There appears to be an invisible

wall between the inner conscience and the outer in case of a man. But

in case of a woman there is no such obstruction.

 

Also the spiritual body of a woman is replete with tremendous

spiritual power. The attraction to beauty, art, music and all tender

things in life that are seen in a woman are just a natural expression

of what is within. I often feel that if all women were to depart from

this world then this earth would be reduced to a huge barren desert

devoid of beauty, fragrance, music, colour and smiles. What I mean to

say is that the inner conscience of a woman is very active and

sensitive. It always remains ready to express itself. If women are

allowed the freedom and proper opportunities then they could do a lot

of creative things.

 

If we talk in terms of Kundalim Power then the body of a woman remains

linked to a particular Chakra or energy centre. In the human body the

Muladhar Chakra is at a very complex point. In men mostly it remains

inactive. But in women the Muladhar is so situated that it can be

touched with a finger. This is why in a woman activation of Kundalini

is easier than in a man.

 

Another important fact is there about which you might have thought

some time. And it is that a woman is the source of energy and man is a

medium of its propagation. A woman might not necessarily be you wife.

She could be your mother, daughter or disciple. Mariam was the mother

of Lord Jesus and in Sri Arvind's Ashram, the Mother was his disciple.

 

The Tantra texts speak of 64 Yoginis or different forms of women.

These are worshipped all over India. The energy of a woman has 64

aspects and for each a temple has been erected. There are 64 spiritual

seats dedicated to each of these 64 Yoginis.

 

Vaam Maarg - the true meaning

 

If we study the texts of Tantra we find that Shakti is the source of

creation and Shiva is the medium. Shiva is never considered to be the

creator. One of the greatest spiritual scholars of India, Adi

Shankaracharya has written in the very first line of his famous text

that without Shakti, Shiva cannot create. This is why the science of

Tantra has considered the confluence of man and woman to be very sacred.

 

Because there exist so many cultures in the world the relationship

between a man and a woman has been viewed from different perspectives.

But in India the confluence of a man and a woman has been considered

as the basis of spiritual development. In Tantra a woman is always

depicted as seated on the left hand side of a man. During a marriage

ceremony a woman sits on the right hand side of a man but after

marriage she sits on the left hand side. This is why a wife is called

Vaamaa. In Sanskrit Vaam means left. The Ida nerve related to

activation of the Kundalini is also called Vaamaa.

 

In the western countries there exists misconception regarding the Vaam

Maarg or the left path in Tantra. There it is called Vaam Tantra which

is a completely wrong translation. If you read any text on Tantra you

shall never find any term like Vaam Tantra. In Tantra, Vaam Maarg

means the path of spiritual development. This can be done with one's

wife also. Hence Vaam means wife and Maarg means path.

 

Relation to Tantra

 

In Vaam Maarg energy is used not only in sex play but also for

spiritual development and Sadhanas. In the process of creation and in

spiritual Sadhanas Shakti has the most important role to play. In the

Hindu tradition no ritual can be accomplished without a wife. The male

in fact has to play a secondary role. The woman is one who performs

all actions. A man is merely an accomplice. All religious rituals and

fasts are commenced by women. A man merely follows a woman in them. In

India this tradition is called Diksha of a man by a woman.

 

What is the actual meaning of Vaam Maarg? Vaam Maarg is that spiritual

Sadhana that you can perform with your wife. One part of this path is

Koulaachaar. In this the mother gives Diksha to her son. This

tradition is prevalent in North Bihar, Nepal, Assam and parts of

Eastern Uttar Pradesh. Just as on Sunday Christians go to the Church

and the Hindus on particular days go to temples to bow to the Lord,

similarly in Koulaachaar a son bows reverentially to his mother whom

he considers his Guru. This feeling of devotion of the son for his

mother is very different from the respect that a person ordinarily

gives to elders. The son in fact worships the mother as his spiritual

Guru.

 

In the Vaam Maarg of Tantra a similar devotion is shown to a woman.

But here they are not Guru and disciple rather they are partners. A

follower of Vaam Maarg bows to his wife. After this the woman blesses

the man and makes some sign on his body. Thus in Tantra a woman has a

dual role to play. In the field of Tantra considering a woman to be a

mere instrument of gratifying one's lust is a sin. Sex play has its

significance but this is not the only relation between a man and a

woman. Even a mother, a sister and a daughter are women. We do have a

relation with them but not one based on lust.

 

Misuse of Tantra

 

In the present times people in the West are struggling against their

own religion. This is the very reason for the wrong conception that

they have of Tantra. They are in a way trying to create chaos even in

the sex life of humans. Some so called experts of Tantra in India too

have a wrong notion about Tantra. One need not fight with one's

religion or beliefs. Hindu tradition does not believe that sex play is

a sin. It believes that sex play is natural. If one believes it is

necessary part of life then one should indulge in it. But the western

belief is that sex play is a sin and only one man till now has been

born without taking recourse to this sin and all other humans have

been born of this sin. It is high time that the western world comes

out of this strange complex.

 

To prove that sex play is invaluable the science of Tantra was

developed. The Hindu belief is very clear and easy. In an ancient text

on Tantra it has been clearly stated drinking liquor, eating meat and

sex are not bad because these reflect human tendencies. But one can be

free of these tendencies and baser instincts. What I want to say is

that if you want to satisfy some craving do it but do not try to say

that we do this because Tantra allows it. Do not make Tantra a medium

of your lust.

 

Woman as a true partner

 

The great Guru Ramkrishnna Paramhans considered his wife Sharda to be

divine and worshipped her as a Goddess. After enlightenment he never

considered her as his wife rather he revered her like a mother. He had

a feeling of devotion for her. In Tantra one has to be very careful

how one treats a woman. She can prove to be a means of awakening of

one's Kundalini. One need not fear her or be in awe of her but one

needs to treat her well. The reason for this is that a woman has the

capability of retaining the explosive energy of the Kundalini. If a

woman is just your wife then it does not matter. Otherwise if she is a

partner in Tantra Sadhanas then you ought to treat her differently.

 

In the ancient times there used to be a tradition. Whenever a husband

and wife were introduced the woman's name would precede the man's. We

do not say Ram Sita. Always we say Sita Ram. Similarly we say Radha

Krishna and Gouri Shankar. The reason for this is that in the process

of spiritual development Shakti plays a more important role than

Shiva. If you start your spiritual journey with this thought then your

partner shall be more active and you shall be able to progress faster.

A man might successfully accomplish great Sadhanas yet he cannot

attain totality till he seeks the help of a woman.

 

Hatth Yoga

 

Another path in Tantra is called Dakshinn Maarg or Vedic Maarg. In it

a woman is not necessary in any form - wife, mother, daughter or

disèiple. The reason for this is that in a human both energy poles are

present. The Ida nerve is believed to represent a female and Pingla a

male. The confluence of the brain and the Kundalini Shakti is

equivalent to the confluence of a man and a woman. This is the basis

of Hatth Yoga.

 

Ida is Shakti and Pingla is Shiva. When these two conjoin in the Third

Eye or Aagya Chakra it is a divine confluence. Shakti is based in the

Muladhar and Shiva in the Sahastrar. Shiva remains lost in deep

spiritual sleep. He is inactive and static. He is not concerned with

either creation or destruction. His consciousness is concentrated.

Hence the Sahastrar remains inactive. Shakti is based in Muladhar.

Through special Yogic processes the Muladhar can be activated and the

Shakti made to rise through the Sushumna channel to the Third Eye. As

soon as the Kundalini Shakti reaches Aagya Chakra a wonderful change

occurs because two opposite poles have come together.

 

Shiva Taandav - divine dance

 

When you press an electric switch the bulb is lit because wires carry

electricity to the bulb. Similarly through the channels of Ida and

Pingla the Kundalini rises and an explosion occurs due to which the

energy further produced in Aagya Chakra rises to the Sahastrar. There

Shiva and Shakti come together and Shiva starts to dance. You might

have seen the dancing form of Shiva called Natraaj. Natraaj represents

Lord Shiva in an active state. As soon as Shiva comes out of spiritual

sleep he starts to dance. Here I am talking about the activation of an

energy not of some human. The activation of energy in a human is

depicted by Natraaj. When they come together the combined energy of

Shiva and Shakti reaches the Muladhar through Sushumna. Both return to

a gross plane.

 

This is the reason for incarnation of great souls on earth from time

to time. If you read the philosophy of Sri Arvind you shall understand

the meaning of activation of energy and confluence of Shiva and

Shakti. When they come together first they dance together and then

come to the gross plane. This is the very basis of process of rising

of the Kundalini and its return to the base in Kriya Yoga.

 

The energy of the cosmos is believed to be feminine. That is why

various forms of Shakti or divine energy are in the form of the

Goddesses like Durga and the Mahavidyas. It is only through full

respect to women that one can attain to success in Tantra Sadhanas.

 

source: http://www.siddhashram.org/a20010837.shtml

 

 

 

 

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