In the Tantric view, a human being and his-her relationships are a mirror of the universe, or even better, the whole universe in microcosm. The universe itself is seen as a union of the male and female principles, represented by the God and Goddess Shiva-Shakti. Shiva and Shakti are revered as both the divine couple and as the archetypes for consciousness (Shiva) and energy (Shakti). Once Shiva and Shakti emerged from the singularity known as Universal Consciousness, Shiva began to function as the foundation of human consciousness, and Shakti began to function as the driving force of evolution. Indeed, the sacred texts of Yoga and Tantra declare that, without Shiva in the form of consciousness and Shakti in the form of energy, there would be no phenomenal universe, no sentient beings with organs of perception to be aware of it and no pleasure, love, intimacy and joy through which human beings could participate in transcendent relationship. But sentient beings do exist on Earth and throughout the universe. On Earth, partners can achieve a transcendent relationship once they can share pleasure, love, intimacy and joy freely with one another without karmic baggage, attachments or anything else getting in the way.
The Divine Couple
Although the divine couple is in union, it’s Shiva who observes the divine play created by Shakti, while it’s Shakti, the active partner, who fills all available space with her energy and universal qualities. Everything that exists, that has a form and occupies space, owes its existence to Shakti, who supports it and provides it with a medium through which it can move and express its particular resonance. We are told by the texts sacred to Yoga and Tantra that Shiva and Shakti are in eternal embrace. And even though Shiva remains aloof from worldly activities, he shows Shakti his unconditional love by continuously impregnating her field with his awareness. The delight aroused by this creative act is central to Tantric experience – and to the Tantric view of Self-realization and transcendent relationship. In fact, among Tantrics, the ecstasy that results when two people are united via transcendent relationship is likened to the ecstasy experienced by the divine couple. That is why, in Tantra, intimate relationships are used to break down the barriers which make partners feel separate and catapult them into a transcendent state of union with each other and Universal Consciousness. It’s precisely because humans are subject to the same forces as Shiva-Shakti that they experience the same yearning for intimacy as the divine couple and the same satisfaction that comes through transcendent relationship. Indeed, more than a thousand years ago, Tantric masters recognized that the energetic interactions that led to transcendent relationship were a mirror of cosmic relationships because they were really only points of interaction between forces (energy fields) with different concentrations of masculine and feminine energy. You may have been taught otherwise, but in the hundreds of years since the masters of Tantra discovered the secrets of transcendent relationship, nothing has fundamentally changed. Today, you can still use the dormant power of your energy field to make the transition to transcendent relationship, where pleasure, love, intimacy and joy emerge spontaneously from within you – and you can share those universal qualities with the partner of your choice.
Your Energy Field is a Love Machine
It’s worth noting that, centuries ago, the Tantrics recognized that your energy field and the energy system that supports it were designed to do one thing perfectly: to be vehicles through which you can experience divine love and share it through transcendent relationship. This makes your subtle energy field part of a vast inter-dimensional love machine. This machine consists of organs and vehicles of energy with different structures and functions that regulate interactions on the levels of soul and spirit. On the level of spirit, your subtle energy field contains three dantians and their supporting cavities (reservoirs of energy), energy gates (energy vortexes) and meridians (channels of energy). On the level of soul, your subtle field contains chakras (energy vortexes), meridians, kandas (energetic hubs that distribute energy) and the auras (extensions of energy that surround the energy field). As a functional community, your subtle field provides you with all the energy you need to overcome each and every obstacle that stands in the way of transcendent relationship.
Prana, Chi & Jing
The energy I’m talking about is called prana in Yoga and chi by the Taoists. Unlike energy on the physical-material plane, which can manifest individual qualities such as force, electrical charge and heat, prana (chi) and its essence jing, like Shakti, only have universal qualities. Universal qualities are life-affirming. They never change and they can’t be influenced by the fluctuations created by polarity, rhythm, vibration or any of the other forces that exist in the phenomenal universe. Unfortunately, even though prana (chi) and jing permeate the universe on both the physical and non-physical dimensions, most people are unaware of them or their importance, except during times of intimate, physical contact. There are times, however, when it’s impossible to ignore the presence of prana (chi) and jing and the universal qualities which emerge from them. You experience them whenever you have a surge of vitality, creativity, or you’re excited by another human being. And you experience them whenever you share pleasure, love, intimacy and joy with your partner. You also experience energy with universal qualities whenever you have a profound sense of well-being, contentment or satisfaction. And while there is a finite supply of energy with individual qualities, the supply of energy with universal qualities is infinite, which means you have vast reserves within you. Some of you may already recognize the extraordinary power of Shakti’s energy. If you have, then you know that her energy is so powerful that – when it’s unleashed during periods of intimacy – it can catapult you into a state of ecstasy where problems and worries that dominated your life and relationships disappear and you can participate in the pleasure, love, intimacy and joy which is continuously experienced by the living universe.
The Transformation Mudra
You and your partner can unleash the power of Shakti’s energy by enhancing the amount of prana (chi) and jing that you can share with one another.
One of the simplest ways to do that is to perform a mudra specifically designed for that purpose. Mudras are symbolic gestures which can be made with the hands and fingers or in combination with the tongue and feet. Each mudra has a specific effect on the human energy field and the energy flowing through it. The Transformation Mudra, which follows, is designed to enhance the amount of Shakti’s energy you have available and which you can share with your partner. The power of the Transformation Mudra lies in its ability to enhance the balance the distribution of prana (chi) and jing through your chakras and minor energy centers in your subtle energy system.
You can use this mudra as part of your regular regimen of energy work or whenever a lack of Shakti’s energy interferes with you or your relationships. Practice the mudra everyday, in a quiet place, for ten minutes and repeat as needed.
To perform the Transformation Mudra, find a comfortable position with your back straight. Then place the tip of your tongue behind your upper teeth at the point where the teeth meet the gum. Put the soles of your feet together next. Then place the tips of your ring fingers directly in the middle of the energy centers in your palms. Close your eyes and hold the mudra for ten minutes. Then release your fingers and bring your tongue and feet back to their normal positions.
At first, practice the mudra by yourself. When you feel confident, you can practice it with your partner while you’re sitting one yard (meter) apart, facing each other. Although people report various effects, you can expect to experience a dramatic shift in your inner state while practicing the mudra. Worldly concerns will recede into the background and in a short time you and your partner will feel a surge of Shakti’s energy and a yearning for intimacy.