A N T R A Y O G A A N D S E X O L O G Y P A R T 1

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P A R T   1

Although very different in their goals, these two sciences, one empirical and the other spiritual, often join in a surprising way in their discoveries and approaches. As medical science of the sexuality - in its mechanical, horizontal work, and disturbances - the sexology doesn't approach the spiritual, vertical, and magical aspect of it, as TANTRA does.

According to the Tantric outlook, on the contrary, the sexuality is the furnace of the alchemic transformations of the energy, and consciousness , and of their expansion starting from the body, and especially beyond the body. Actually, TANTRA starts where the sexology stops; yet, this latter one often confronts us sometimes with facts, or orgastic experiences, which are strangely analogous with some of the statements from TANTRA YOGA. That is why, it has been deemed useful to begin the exposition of the facts of our course in a sexological manner, since this way is easier to understand by the Western mind, and doesn't take us too far from the truth as it is exposed by the Tantric texts.

THE CURVE OF PLEASURE
The sexologists define the orgasm in a non-poetic way, as a "trance, with loss of reality"; TANTRA says it is a blissful state of expansion of the consciousness, in which the usual limits of the selfish ego are suddenly cancelled, the tyranny of the mind is adjourned, and the subject falls in the vertigo of the voidness. For a short moment, one discovers amazed the abandonment, the death of the ego, the cancelling of the time, and the gushing of the Unity, which makes this condition identical with the metaphysical experience; therefore, in terms of TANTRA, often the Enlightment is even called "the cosmic orgasm".
The process of the orgasm in a common sexual experience may be drawn as a curve that presents 4 phases:



Phase 1: Excitation
In the first stage, the preliminary sensuous games arise the desire, and generate the excitement. This is materialized through the erection in man, and the vaginal lubrication at women.

Phase 2: Charging
The sexual tension determines the enhancement of the breath-rhythm, pulse, blood-pressure.. These reactions generate a feeling of generalized tension/tonus.

Phase 3: Orgasm
The phase of orgasm is characterized by the loss of the ego. The excitation, before focused mostly in the genital area, begins now to spread in the entire body, rising towards the head. If there occurs a loss of conscious control - as it happens in the common case - at this moment, which is called "the point of no-return", there occurs a series of reflex contractions of all the muscles that surround the genital organs, and the anus (pelvic muscles, muscles of the perineum, anal sphincters, the pubeo-coccygeal muscle (PC-muscle), prostate for men, vaginal and uterine muscles for women, anus-lifting muscles, and so on). These contraction bring about the ejaculation at men, and the explosive loss of vaginal secretions at women, which may be deemed as a form of ejaculation.

Phase 4: Resolution
The body calms down, while the mental consciousness arises again. The sensations from the orgasmic stage may still persist for a time, as slight waves, or vibrations. Because of the huge loss of energy that occurs by the ejaculation, during this period any stimulation towards a new orgasm is impossible; this "refractory" period is longer in the case of men (5 minutes or more) than in that of women (from a few seconds to one hour). Actually, there are many women who - because of their great telluric potential - can have several repeated orgasms, if their partner doesn't wait for the complete resolution of this period for resuming the sexual play.

There are certain emphasized differences of rhythm between the man and the woman, which make that the feminine orgasm has a rather implosive nature, while the masculine orgasm has an explosive one. Because of the differences of the time-factor (namely that men reach orgasm in shorter time than women do) it appears obviously that it is necessary for men to become able to control at will, delay, and eventually cancel their ejaculation. Actually it is precisely the ejaculation which makes the essential difference: at men, because of the explosive loss of substantial component parts, it generates a genuine "electric black out", a kind of loss of connection with the energy-source, that is followed by a false relaxation, which is actually merely the product of exhaustion. The women, by their nature, are much closer to the Tantric orgasm, a kind of 'orgasm without ejaculation', which may be prolonged for almost indefinite periods of time, and which is not manifest only in the genital area, but as vibratory waves in the entire being. It is interesting to note here that the macho-type men are those who want at all cost to ejaculate, and are most difficult to convince to control their sexual energy, while the more feminine ones (which does not mean those with aberrant, or pathological inversions) often prefer not to ejaculate, and to extend their orgasms.

A N A T T E M P T T O C L A S S I F Y T H E V A R I O U S B R A N C H E S O F T H E T A N T R I C S Y S T E M

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TANTRA YOGA starts from the idea that our sexuality, our amatory impulses actually represent a debased metaphysical urge, otherwise said that our highest spiritual aspirations are imprisoned in the matter in the shape of the sexuality.

It is only the wrong directing, the misuse we could say, of this fundamental force of the sex, which proves harmful for the spiritual evolution of the human being. Else, basically the sexuality represents the fundamental tendency of joining together the (+) and the (-), the Solar and the Lunar, the YANG and the YIN, the Male and the Female, the HA and the THA, for attaining the final condition of Union, the neutrality of the Absolute, (0), the peace of the spiritual Androgyne, who has summed up in itself all the potentialities of the manifestation. This goal, which is actually common with all the spiritual paths of our planet, is achieved in TANTRA through various ways, and this gives birth to several branches of the Tantric system.

Roughly, the experts divide TANTRA in two main streams: the TANTRA of the Right Hand, and the TANTRA of the Left Hand. This first division proceeds from the nature of the practical methods that are used for reaching the condition of Unity: if the actual, physical methods of sexual union are used, than we deal with the TANTRA of the Left Hand, while if only symbolical, or meditative techniques are used (and the physical sex is terefore excluded) we are within the sphere of the Right-Hand TANTRA.
br<> Often, it is very difficult to draw a sharp borderline between the two divisions, since there are schools which use methods belonging to both paths. The TANTRA of the Right Hand often corresponds with some of the great ascetic spiritual paths of our planet, in which union is searched with a divine entity, personification, incarnation, and so on, or sometimes merely with supernatural beings of various degrees. Though we deal here with a kind of "sexual" relationship, it is not an actual sexual manifestation that we encounter here, but rather a sublimed, spiritual, sometimes symbolical way of interacting, closer to what we'd call love; one of the most accessible examples for the common Western understanding is that of the so called astral-sex, or otherwise said the erotic experiences that occur in the dream-state. Other historical examples could be the mystico-erotic relationships of the Christian nuns with Jesus, the erotic devotion of the Indian GOPI-s for KRISHNA, the mystics of love of the troubadours and knights, the worship of the Ten Great Cosmic Powers in certain Tantric schools, etc.
Although the Tradition categorically states that the TANTRA of the Right Hand is the highest of the two branches, the Masters also state that the men of KALI YUGA, nowadays, especially in the West, because of the grossness (or materiality) of their spirit, are practically almost incapable (with very rare exceptions) to follow this path, which starts from a too high, or "abstract" point; therefore, we are advised towards the TANTRA of the Left Hand, which starts from a more "down-to-earth", or concrete situation, and is more fit for their level.

As it has been said, TANTRA of the Left Hand involves the actual practice of the physical sexual activities; because of this reason, and some ridiculous scholar speculations (like that: the right hand is the "right" one, and therefore the other one must necessarily be the "wrong" way), a whole host of "moralists" and amateur outsiders have cast upon the Left-Hand TANTRA the blame of being a horrifying heresy, and a spiritual deviation, connected with fornication and black magic, and which could by no means lead to any spiritual accomplishments. Even today, when the morals have gone quite loose (sometimes too loose), VAMA MARGA, the Path of the Left Hand is still looked upon with a lot of scepticism by the narrow-minded ones, by the sexually frustrated, and by those who never tried practically its methods. However, it has to be stated clearly that in the Left-Hand TANTRA sex is not practised for the sake of sex itself, but as an instrument for going somehow beyond sex, for reaching health, balance, improved couple relationships, self-control, supernormal capacities, and eventually the superior states of consciousness, culminating with the state of Cosmic Consciousness, or SAMADHI (as it is called in YOGA).

Here, it would be also useful to mention that there are paths which are somehow placed at the "borderline" between the Paths of the Left-Hand, and Right-Hand, or that join and use harmoniously methods belonging to both these ways. One such surprising example can be found in certain schools of HATHA YOGA; as few know, the word 'HATHA' proceeds from the two Sanskrit roots HA - Sun, and THA - Moon, which makes HATHA YOGA the discipline of the "Union of the Sun and the Moon", or otherwise said of the (+) and (-), of the Masculine and Feminine. Therefore, the genuine HATHA YOGA is a kind of TANTRA in which the union of the Male and Female aspects occurs within the being of the practiser, through specific methods, fact which entails a final condition of inner balance, harmony, and power. As a matter of fact, it is a well-known fact that HATHA YOGA is a typical Tantric instrument for training, and that in most of the Left-Hand TANTRA ASHRAM-s it is deemed to be an indispensable practice. That is why, also in our course there will be frequent references, and exercises belonging to the HATHA YOGA system. However, returning to the initial topic of this paragraph, it can be noted that scholars still have difficulties in deciding if HATHA YOGA in itself is belonging to the Right-Hand current (since physical sex is not necessarily involved) or to the Left-Hand one (being so physical, and bringing about a kind of physical "inner sex"). But, for the real practisers all these distinctions have little importance, since they are mainly concerned with the practical, effective results of their spiritual discipline, and not with theoretical speculations.

From this last standpoint, it is possible to distinguish two main directions of use of the sexual energy: the evolutionary one, and the "magic" one.
The first involves that the Tantric techniques, and the resulting energy are used for self-knowledge, for spiritual evolution, for attaining the condition of Self-Realization, or Divine Consciousness. This may be done either by an individual practiser in the search of the Truth, or by a couple of Seekers of the Transcendent, case in which the accomplishment takes the further dimension of making their love-relationship tangent to the Eternity. This latter ideal, though very cherished by the human soul, and tantalizing, involves however a great deal of spiritual commitment, and abnegation from both partners, and is a rare, and exceptional accomplishment.

The second direction allows the use of the controlled energy for attaining all kind of mundane goals (health, success, wealth, power, seduction, influence, supernormal capacities, etc.) in almost a "magic" manner (the word is maybe not the best, for it often evokes an occult, sinister and choking environment, or stand, but has been used in absence of a better one). Here it is also often difficult to find a clear limit between the two directions, since there are schools, and practisers who follow them both at the same time. However, from the standpoint of the "magic" use of the energy, there have been settled three main possible sub-directions. They are conventionally called:

- the "white TANTRA", in which the energy is used exclusively for beneficial, superior, spiritual purposes, as healing, psychic supporting, easing of the spiritual evolution, etc.

- the "red TANTRA", dedicated entirely to the obtaining of as much as possible pleasure, and personal satisfaction, in a somehow selfish manner, and without any spiritual horizon, but however without involving any evil, demonic, or satanic actions, or the harming of any sentient being. This direction, or deviation is quite typical for the Western practisers.

- the "black TANTRA", directed towards obscure accomplishments, that are related with the dark worlds of a demonic and often even satanic nature, and whose results are harmful for the sentient beings, for the spiritual evolution, and for the entire universal balance generally.

It must be obvious for anybody, that in our site there will be exposed only those elements from TANTRA that are concerning the spiritual evolution, the personal development (or of a couple), and the obtaining and beneficial use of the paranormal capacities, since for the YOGIN-s it is a very well known fact that the egoism, and the evil create the endless chain of the human suffering, and that the ineluctable law of KARMA (or of the reaction that fits perfectly to the done action) pays back - sooner or later - all the misdeeds of anybody, till the last dime. Therefore, if we want to preserve ourselves in the spirit of the above-classification, we might say that we are going to study elements of the TANTRA of the Left Hand, connected where necessary with elements belonging to HATHA YOGA and TANTRA of the Right Hand, and directed towards the spiritual evolution of the individual or of the couple, and - when possibly - towards the "white" use of the energy. Whenever it will be deemed necessary, elements from other parallel spiritual paths will also be added, such as: sexual TAO, IMSAK, other branches of the YOGA system, and so on. Also, elements from modern sexology, and latest research in medicine, physiology, physics, and chemistry, will be used for improving the understanding of these topics.

G E N E R A L I N T R O D U C T I O N T O T A N T R A Y O G A P A R T 2

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CHARACTERISTICS OF TANTRISM - PART 2

8. Important are also the speculations upon the mystic nature of speech, and its constituents; the existence is assumed of a phonic creation, parallel to the material phenomena. These revelations are connected with the sounds of the Sanskrit alphabet.

9. This has been developed concretely in the very frequent use of generally short, unintelligible formulas, called MANTRA-s and BIJA-s, correlated with various supernormal powers, and levels of consciousness by means of definite Yogic procedures, and which make the object of cosmic symbolism. Actually, the MANTRA-s are the most efficient instruments, according to TANTRA, and therefore the overwhelming majority of the Tantric texts deals to some extent upon this topic, and its secrets.

10. The general use of other concrete devices, like geometrical designs (YANTRA-s), symbolical representations (MANDALA-s), gestures (MUDRA-s), for the practical accomplishment or expression of metaphysical principles. The supernatural worlds are approached by specific methods of meditation (DHYANA), visualization, worship, etc.

11. The Tantric teachings are structured on several levels, depending on those to whom they address; the traditional texts assert the existence of three different human types: the "divine" one (DIVYA), that practically doesn't exist any more in our age, the "heroic" one (VIRA), which is the best for the Tantric initiation, though rare, and PASHU, "the herd of the Gods", the "animal", that swarms in our dark age. Only the VIRA-s, say the tantric texts, the heros liberated of fear, hate, and absurd shame are qualified for receiving the full of the Tantric revelations, while the others receive an adequate SADHANA, which will first gradually bring them to the heroical condition.

12. Addressing to heroic beings, TANTRA is not so very concerned with theology, or common moral. It is not a trite anarchism that we are talking about, but the need for transcending some of the appearances of the illusory world, for reaching the strongest awakening. Very often the Tantric texts themselves over-emphasize this side, for banishing the narrow-minded aspirants, by the use of a symbolical language: "to pet the breasts of your sister" means to arouse the SHAKTI in ANAHATA CHAKRA, "to put the LINGAM (penis) in the maternal cavity" means to pierce the root-CHAKRA, and so on.

13. Most of the Tantric lines are SHIVA-ite, because of the exceptional aspects of SHIVA: Benefactor, and Terrible, Healer and Destroyer of the evil, Supreme Androgyne.

14. TANTRA emphasizes the absolute necessity of initiation by a qualified spiritual guide, or teacher (GURU), and on constantly following his (or her) directions for spiritual practice. That is why, the Tantric texts use a special set of terminology, inaccessible for the outsiders, and whose "key" is handed over orally by the GURU.

15. In TANTRA there often appears an ambivalence of the divine and human existence, as complementary aspects of the same awesome, grandiose reality.

16. There is also a far-fetched categorization of the reality, especially in the symbolism of the numbers, and speech, which leads to the mysterious science of the breath, and TATTVA-s, and to connections with the ancient alchemical processes of the SIDDHA-s, and the body culture of the HATHA YOGIN-s.

G E N E R A L I N T R O D U C T I O N T O T A N T R A Y O G A P A R T 1

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P A R T 1

The Sanskrit word TANTRA literally means "warp (on a loom)", or "extension". It proceeds from the verbal roots TAN - "to stretch, expound", and TRA - "to save", which give further hints upon the other meanings of the word TANTRA.
This name is applied both for a certain category of texts of the Oriental spirituality, and for the doctrine, and teachings which they contain. However, the Tantric texts, the TANTRA-s - and there are several hundreds of them: proper TANTRA-s, SHIVA AGAMA-s, VISHNU SAMHITA-s, SHAKTA NIGAMA-s, etc. - are written in a kind of "code language", so that without an oral explanation from a competent GURU, a lot of passages are bound to remain unclear. Moreover, there are still many untranslated, and secret Tantric texts under the dust of forgotten, or private libraries. All these, plus the extremely varied, and complicated nature of Tantrism renders the manipulation of a single definition almost impossible. That is why, it has been found useful to sketch some of the main features of the Tantric system in a detailed manner.

CHARACTERISTICS OF TANTRISM

1. TANTRA YOGA offers an alternative, and practical individual road to salvation, called a SADHANA, beside the Vedic one which is often deemed to be antiquated. It is important to remark here that the true Tantric SADHANA is accessible to people of any caste, social status, age, women as well as men, householders as well as ascetics.

2. The TANTRA-s are presented as the most fit form of teaching for the men of KALI YUGA, that is for the people of the "dark age", in which we live today. KALI YUGA is often connected with the "iron age" of the Greek mythology, and with the "age of the wolf", of the Northern Edda, deemed to have exactly the same meaning. Therefore, nowadays, when the spirituality is declining while man is desperately trying to reintegrate himself in a spiritual reality, it is stated that TANTRA is the last, and best way of salvation.

3. TANTRA has a rigorous metaphysical basis, of a very non-dualist nature. However, according to its opinion an intellectual knowledge is not enough, but there is need of direct, personal experience, which becomes possible only through the agency of SHAKTI, the power, the intense energy. The concept of SHAKTI, the feminine energy is the specific colour of the entire Tantric system.

4. TANTRA recognizes, and expounds mundane aims besides spiritual emancipation, as a lawful goal for a practiser. Its aim is to transform the adept in a kind of super-man, who not only has liberated himself of the Universe, reaching Enlightment, but also - alike the Supreme Lord Himself - is able to rule over it, and control its secret forces. This involves that Tantric methods are applicable for various sorts of practical accomplishments, including astrology, medicine, parapsychology, alchemy, and magic. Many written sources are pre-occupied with the description of supernatural abilities (SIDDHI-s), and the ways to attain them. There remains however, always a connecting thread between the magical, and the spiritual.

5. The eminent place given to the energy entails a brilliant revalorisation of the body. This is not meant with the sense of object of idolatry, like in the contemporary world, but as necessary instrument, unavoidable premises of the spiritual realization. This is due to the perpetually reminded analogy between the macrocosm, and the microcosm, which is the human body: "What is here is everywhere, what is not here is nowhere". A consequence of this fact is the appearance of the HATHA YOGA system in the Tantric schools; system which has as goal neither the "health", nor the "well-being", as it is commonly believed.

6. TANTRA teaches the practice of a special variety of YOGA, destined to transform the animal instincts and functions, by creating an upward movement in the body, along the energy- channels, NADI-s, and through the centre-s of force, CHAKRA-s. The process is most commonly expressed as "raising the KUNDALINI". Connected with this YOGA is the elaboration of a subtle physiology, in which the microcosm of the body is homologized with the macrocosm, and the world of the gods.

7. TANTRA emphasizes the metaphysical, and operative importance of the feminine principle. The Woman, the Goddess, SHAKTI represents for the TANTRIKA-s the universal Power, the energy of bondage and Liberation, who veils and reveals, blinds and illuminates; the world is her toy, and her mirror. Therefore we encounter here a genuine revalorisation of the woman, and perhaps the only spiritual path that acknowledges a total equality between the two sexes, at all levels. The importance of the female manifestations extends on all the levels of the experience, from daily life, till metaphysics.

S E V E N G A T E S T O W A R D S T H E U N I V E R S E S I X T H G A T E: A J N A C H A K R A-PART 2

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PART 2
AJNA CHAKRA - THE EYE OF THE INNER VISION
The real opening of the third eye equals the combination of analysis and discrimination, characterizing the right hemisphere with the opening and direct access to the intuitive world, characterizing the left hemisphere.

This means ending both the sterile intellectualization and the superstition of fantasist "premonitions". The awakening of Ajna Chakra is the harmonious union of these two ways of knowledge into one.

On the path of spiritual evolution, the devotee who aspires to the supreme perfection will gradually go through various mental levels, identified by the great yogis as follows: ordinary mental, superior mental, illuminated mental, intuitive mental and supra-mental.

These different levels correspond to deeper and deeper awakenings of the consciousness and to the access to increasingly elevated levels.

From a fragmented vision of reality, one can reach gradually a sublime overall view. On this superior level, there is a inflaming state of enthusiasm and happiness, accompanied by a spontaneous blossoming of the creative capacities.

In this respect, it is known the fact that the awakening and harmony of Ajna Chakra leads to the control of the sexual energies corresponding to the second center of force, Svadhishthana Chakra.

The vision corresponding to the sixth center of force is global, unifying, and divine. The person reaching this high level of consciousness considers the phenomena, thins and creatures not only in their surface, but in the same time comprises their essence, considering them from the real center.

"Each time I try to describe the spiritual states and visions I experience when I pass this place (Vishuddha Chakra), as soon as I think about these visions, my mind seems to evaporate into the infinite and makes any description of this level impossible.

However, in the case in which a certain person reaches the level of consciousness of Ajna Chakra, focusing there, then this person has the direct knowledge of the Supreme Self Atman. For this person, there is only a transparent veil, like silk.

The Supreme Self is then so close that one might think united with It. Nonetheless, the total union with God has not appeared yet, and it will follow." (Ramakrishna)

For a better understanding of this center of force, we have prepared a set of terms explained:

Genius - gift inherited from a previous existence, exceptional creative mental capacity in a field. In antiquity, genius usually referred, as Socrates confesses before the Athenian court, to that inner voice that guides the existential trajectory of special people.

Later, genius referred to the unique vocation in performing certain works of art, works that are under the sign of perfection, competing with the perfection of nature itself. The works of Mr. Kant include the term genius in this sense of the word.

It usually designates the highest degree of natural endowment, with spontaneity, fantasy, intelligence, capacity of understanding the deep sense of the world, self-giving, sensitivity, intuition and so on.


Intelligence - term that characterizes the insight and the characteristic function of the mind to quickly establish connections between various aspects of the manifestation. This is also what the etymology of the word "intelligence" suggests: "inter-legere", uniting two senses, that of discriminating and that of connecting.


Self-control: the mechanism and the mental capacity of following one's own behavior, especially of one's impulsive reactions, and to ponder, change or stop these reactions, and to come back to normal. Self-control is a fundamental aspect of yoga.


Self-observation: superior trait of the consciousness through which the human being follows more or less systematic the development of one's own personality. It needs to be directed upon both spiritual ideas and experiences, as well as upon the complex effects deriving from them.

Objectivity, self-criticism and increased exigency are necessary conditions to turn the self-observation into an effective means of self-education in the yogic practice.


Introspection: view or perception oriented towards the interior, towards one's own states and inner experiences. Above all, this term defines a real, genuine phenomenon or dimension of the psychic.

In the perception of the object is also included the self-perception of the observer. In the knowledge of the world is also implied the knowledge of one's self. The self-awareness and the awareness of the world are impossible to be separated. The inner experiences reunite the inner part of one's being with the outer part.

Introspection is an important method in yoga, because with it one becomes aware of, and can examine and describe one's own mental and spiritual inner experiences. Through superior introspection, the human being can reach easier the revelation of the Supreme Self Atman.

S E V E N G A T E S T O W A R D S T H E U N I V E R S E S I X T H G A T E: A J N A C H A K R A

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"The person who focuses intensely and meditates deeply on this charka will destroy gradually the negative effects of his or her previous bad actions, from this life and from the previous lives. The adept becomes a great yogi and a jivanmukta, a liberated person while still alive. He or she will obtain the 8 great paranormal powers (siddhis) and the 32 minor paranormal powers." (Swami Shivananda)

Location: the sixth center of force, Ajna Chakra is located on the physical level in the space in between the eyebrows, at the middle distance. It is also named "the third eye" or "Shiva's eye".

Ajna Chakra represents the superior mental consciousness, which allows the direct perception of the invisible worlds and the direct perception of the subtler aspects of the manifested universe.

On the physical level: it coordinates the activity of the pituitary gland (hypophisis) and of the cerebellum. The hypophysis has a vital role in the sense that together with the hypothalamus it constitutes the command system of the rest of endocrine glands.

On a psychic level, it controls the superior intuition, clairvoyance, the capacity to anticipate certain events, the instantaneous capacity of perceiving all the qualities of any human being, the extra-sensorial perceptions.

Specific reactions in the case of the harmonious activation of Ajna Chakra: the harmonious activation of Ajna Chakra grants mental insight, telepathic capacities, self-control, mental understanding through intellectual identification, creative intelligence.

Ajna Chakra harmoniously activated grants the state of unity, of communion with the cosmic laws, of non-identity with the physical body and identification with its spiritual nature.

The mental center of command, the center of brilliant intuitive, spiritual knowledge, Ajna Chakra is one of the three superior centers of force. As we mentioned in our previous articles, Anahata charka, the fourth center of force corresponding to empathic experiences, affective of love and universal compassion, marks the point of jointure between the first three centers of force (connected to survival, group, communication, and interrelationships, sexuality and will-related processes) and the energies Vishuddha Chakra corresponds, both physiologically and psychically to the process of nourishment, the stage of obtaining a state of superior receptivity, an opening of the soul towards the divine inspirations.

At this level occurs an inner enrichment through the access to the superior worlds of the universe.

The following stage leads the human being to the most refined and elevated inner perceptions, through the awakening, enhancement and control of the mental energies. Ajna Chakra represents for us the third eye oriented both towards our inner universe, and towards the subtle aspects and mental of the world, to the direct perception of the parallel universes.

In the yogic tradition, Ajna Chakra is considered the center of the spiritual perception. The gradual awakening and the opening of the inner vision on this level means in fact the access to certain superior levels of consciousness that we each have potentially, latently, but which we cannot even imagine.

The systematic access to these superior levels of consciousness equals evading every day from the limits of the ephemereal daily relaity.

Moreover, this means evading from the limited concepts of the consciousness that is mainly focused on experiences and phenomena in which we realize we are one with the Infinite. All these mean also surpassing the barrier of time, space and causality, which are apparently inexorable.

In the traditional yogic view, the role of Ajna Chakra as the inner eye is preponderantly manifested as the harmonious integration of the being in the universe.

Ajna Chakra is a focal point of emission-reception of energies, ideas, thoughts, mental structure through which we can conceive and understand coherently the subtle mental universe exterior to our being, its characteristic energies, helping us govern "our inner universe".

Just as the physical eyes help us establish certain rapports with the exterior things and phenomena analogically Ajna Chakra facilitates and puts our rapports with things, entities and phenomena characteristic to mental and astral subtle manifestations.

The person who knows how to focus on Ajna Chakra, the space located in the middle of the forehead, gains through this focus a new perspective on the principles and concepts of time, space and causality.

The inner focus on Ajna Chakra leads the human being to an extraordinary evolution level in which the apparently disparate multiplicity of events and phenomena can be simultaneously perceived in a harmonious, perfectly integrated vision.

The superior, ideal state that characterizes this center of force is an awakening of the consciousness on a level of deep intuition and understanding.

S E V E N G A T E S T O W A R D S T H E U N I V E R S E F I F T H G A T E: V I S H U D D H A C H A K R A-PART 2

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PART 2
The following quotation from "Memoir In the Defence of Caligostro" (from Serge Hutin’s book "The Secret Societies From Yesterday till Today") expresses very well a superior level of consciousness of a human being:

"I do not belong to any age, and I do not belong to any space. I feel permanently that I am outside time and space. My spiritual being experiences in its essence, the eternal existence and if sometimes if let myself sink into the cosmic thought climbing back up the course of ages, if then I reach my almighty spirit towards a superior way of living, different from that which you are familiar with, I experience the paradise-like ecstasy and I become that who I want to be. Participating fully and consciously to the reality of the Supreme Being, I conduct almost all my actions guided by the divine inspiration that helps and surrounds me."


THE ART MOULDS THE ARTIST AND THE ARTIST MOULDS THE WORLD
This superior inspiration appears only in the more or less conscious moments of superior receptiveness. The great composers, the people of art, even the scientists have had such moments of brilliancy.

If a person had this inner state of superior receptiveness and truly allows the resonance with elevated subtle realities, these realities will materialize into sublime ideal forms into the sphere of the consciousness.

Any kind of artistic experience or realization not only re-create art, but also they transform the receiver’s personality because through symbols received telepathically or created exteriorly, the art creator is capable of reintegrating certain aspects and of reaching a new elevated level of consciousness.

More than this, the act of creation and the act of being created are complementary parts of the same phenomenon. Through contrast, when the art and the inspiration are considerably embarrassed by the ego, creativity stagnates.

When the ego becomes exacerbated, art disappears, and when the ego disappears, universal art flourishes at its own will. When the artist is crushed down by the ego, allowing him to be dominated by petty calculations he begins to "imitate" himself and he is no longer capable of transmitting the sublime to the others. These inspirations then do not transform him and his personal inner growth stops.


THE GENIUS IS NURTURED WITH ESSENCES
In the genuine act of creation, free and manifested uninhibited, characterized by a "crazy" spontaneity, the artist nurtures himself first and most important of all. At this point, he offers a lot to the others.

When a person offers himself or herself to the world, they accept in fact the subtle guidance and inspiration of the inner superior consciousness. From this point of view, we may say that the superior act of nourishing is in fact equal with being nurtured. Through Vishuddha Chakra, the brilliant artist performs the ineffable identity with the inner voice, through his art.

In the case of a person who has the consciousness predominantly at this level, his or her role will be equally as distributor and receiver of the divine grace. Through the sublime experience of receiving the grace, the individual consciousness nurtured with the nectar of the divinity goes up to the next centre of force, Ajna Chakra.

Here the person realizes the mystery that the one who gives and the one who receives are in fact one, fused in ineffable unity, just as the drop that is now reunited with the ocean it used to be a part of.


For a better understanding of the 5th center of force, we explain a few key-words:

Akasha - subtle fundamental element that the yogis discovered for thousands of years as pertaining everything in the universe. In some secret texts, it is depicted as the space ether that comprises and records everything.

In the Orient, Akasha or the all-comprising ether is the subtlest of the five elements (earth, water, fire, air, and ether). Akasha is a fundamental substance that the wise advanced yogis say to fill and pertain all over the universe and it is the basic support of life and sound. In Akasha is registered instantaneously everything that occurs in the universe, and these images may be read by clairvoyants and are called akashic clichés.


Eternity - that which is truly divine and exists beyond time. The states of genuine spiritual elevation, which prompt us on the peaks of ecstatic consciousness are tangents to the perception of Reality.

This feeling of the eternity appears also as a state of satisfaction when we are completely into the present. The present moment is the mobile image of the eternity, and simultaneous experience, with depth and authenticity of the moment, together with extracting its essential significances, means in fact to transcend it through the access to the sublime sphere of force of authentic spiritual vision and experience.

In the spiritual realm, eternity is the spiritual counter-part of time in our phenomenal world. As Plato said, "time is a moving image of eternity".


Intuition - represents the direct, immediate knowledge of truth, through resonance and without involving the thought and the mind. C.G. Young defined intuition as one of the four fundamental psychological functions of the human being, the other three are thought, feelings and senses.

He describes intuition as a function of exploring the unknown, which offers possibilities and implications that are apparently difficult to be consciously perceived. Intuition is not an act of will; it is a state of attention and inspired reception.


Inspiration - state of resonance and inner communion that leads to a certain sublime experience, idea and/or action.

It is characterized through the revelation, on a subjective level, of some experiences, representing a psychic condition auspicious to the act of creation, reason that determined Plato to rightfully conceive it as a message of the divinity that pertains those who allow themselves be taken into ecstatic states of trance.

For Schopenhauer, the inspiration was the eternal subtle world of the divine ideas, and for Nietzche it was the expression of the Dionysian drunkenness giving birth to brilliant creations.


Time - the universal property of all forms to be comprised into a certain subtle energy of time, situating simultaneously or successively towards one another. The entire creation is subject to this becoming, so in other words to the subtle energy of time, only through the pure divine consciousness that transcends any becoming and time.

As it is in its essence a subtle energy, the dimensions of time are characteristically modulated by the structures of the individual and cosmic consciousness.

Thus, the information referring to past, present or future events are recorded or stored in a sui-generis magnetic support of the universe, reality that in yoga is named "akasha-ic recordings or clichés".

The advanced yogic can recall and re-live these traces deposited in the energies of time, after the experience occurred once. Also people that have natively this capacity of recalling the akasha-ic clichés can do it, but these cases are quite rare.

The presence and accessibility of such information in akasha tattva is implied even in the current theories in the modern physics, and examples of this would be the theory of the "implied order", issued by David Bohm, suggesting that there is a certain phenomenal and structural order in the universe and that this order has nothing to do with either becoming or temporality.

The scientists who lived at the end of the 20th century have proved that our sense of appreciating time is in fact a distortion of the reality.