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The Philosophy of Yoga and Tantra
The goal of life is the ultimate liberation of suffering (Moksha) or the all pervasive experience of inner bliss (Satchitananda). In this definition most Indian religions and also the yogic and tantric people agree.
The basic view on the world is also shared in Yoga and Tantra alike. Both philosophies say: "The world and its phenomena are illusionary and transient in nature. If you look for happiness in something transient you will be disappointed and suffer for sure some day because it cannot give you lasting happiness. Only by diving into the eternal being (into the "divine") you can find eternal freedom and peace." The conclusions about this foundation though differ completely in Yoga and Tantra. While Yoga advises you to consciously withdraw from the world, Tantra advises you to consciously indulge into the world.
By advising you to acknowledge and walk through all the experiences in life Tantra developed as a counter culture and rebellion against the ascetic forms of Yoga.
The traditional Yoga includes expansive guidelines of commands and prohibitions which neglect and control especially enjoyment and sexuality and also give strict moral demands on how to behave in life. A Yogi is thus called "the one renouncing the world". Tantric people on the contrary are often also called Bhogi, or "the one eating or enjoying the world". Tantra rebelled against the existing rules and offered a completely new attitude towards life: the devotion to the body, the senses, the sexuality, the enjoyment and the rejection of all moral value. Tantric philosophy could therefore be called amoral. A tantric is not immoral though. He is not against morality, he just does not care about morality but instead tries to be as aware and awake and conscious as possible in everything he or she is doing.
Both paths bear challenges. For the Yogi there is the danger that he is not consciously letting go but instead is just suppressing his desires, wishes and passions. For the tantric there is the danger that he is not consciously living and walking through the enjoyments but instead losing himself in excesses. Therefore we could say that a certain kind of discipline is needed for both Yoga and Tantra alike: in Yoga it is the discipline of conscious withdrawal, in Tantra it is the discipline of conscious devotion.
In the table below you will find the main teachings of the two different philosophies summed up:
|
Traits of Yoga philosophy |
Traits of Tantra philosophy |
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High moral commands and values |
Rebellion against all kinds of morality |
|
Discipline of conscious withdrawal |
Discipline of conscious devotion |
|
Conscious asceticism: |
Conscious living: |
|
Renouncing Control of sexual energy |
Affirming control of sexual energy |
|
Guideline: |
Guideline: |
By Nils Kreidner, Tantra Coach and Tantra school director from Germany and guest facilitator with Leandra in South Africa
Taken from the Sahaja Tantra School website: http://www.sahaja-tantra.de/eng/tantra-knowledge.html