Aspects of Tantra Five essays exploring modern Tantra Phil Hine

for Vishvanath Contents One: Setting the scene3 T o: !evotions " demonesses# Three: The science of extremes$% Fo&r: The g&r&: fa'ir or fa'er($# Five: The )oy of sects%3 So&rces*+in's%,

One: Setting the scene -ention Tantra to most people. and they ill invaria/ly thin' of sex0magic1 Only the other day 2 as chatting over the phone to a friend in America. and happened to mention that 2 as c&rrently involved ith a Tantric magic st&dy gro&p1 -y friend /ecame very animated. and in tones of some envy said that he3d al ays anted to find a gro&p here people ere illing to do Tantric magic ith each other1 2t as at this point that an alarm /ell /egan to ring in my head1 4+oo'.5 2 said. 42 mean Tantric magic. not gro&p sex15 4Oh.5 my friend replied. 42 asn3t a are that there as anything more to Tantra than gro&p sex15 6o this 'ind of reaction isn3t &ntypical. even among other ise experienced occ&ltists1 Over the last fe years. henever 23ve mentioned my interest in Tantra. 23ve often atched people3s mental gears grinding a ay as they vis&alise contorted sex&al post&res and perhaps. &n&s&al com/inations1 To thin' of Tantra only in terms of sex&al rites is a gross oversimplification1 2n fact. Tantrism is a complete magical system in itself. incorporating a ide variety of magical methods and metaphysics1 -any elements of Tantric magic have /ecome a/sor/ed into the general magical lore of the 7est1 S&ch elements incl&de concepts s&ch as 8&ndalini. the Cha'ras. 8arma. 9oga. etc1 Concepts s&ch as the Cha'ras have /een idely ta'en &p /y ne agers and spirit&alists. many of hom o&ld /e horrified if told of the roots of these concepts in tantrism1 So hy does Tantra have s&ch a :dodgy3 rep&tation( 2n part. this is d&e to the efforts of the ;&ropean chroniclers of 2ndian religio&s life1 The A//< !&/ois for example. a&thor of the seminal or' on Hind& life. 4Hind& -anners. C&stoms and Ceremonies5 =$>?#@. rote in m&ch detail of the 4a/omina/le de/a&cheries5 of :sa'ti orship31 The A//<3s or' contained the first detailed acco&nt of the orgiastic rit&al that came to /e 'no n as :ca'rap&)a3 =circle0 orship@. and his /oo' did m&ch to fix the ;&ropean notion that Hind&s ere depraved1 The A//<3s descriptions of sa'ti orship as passed do n from a&thor to a&thor. and still colo&rs some modern notions of Tantra1 Similarly. the Aev1 7illiam 7ard. riting of famo&s tantric texts s&ch as the 9oni Tantra. reverted to asteris's occasionally hilst descri/ing 4111things too a/omina/le to enter the ears of man. and impossi/le to /e revealed to a Christian p&/lic1115 By the mid06ineteenth Cent&ry. Tantra has acC&ired the glamo&r hich s&rro&nds it even today 0 of :for/idden rites3. :orgiastic ceremonies3. :rit&al m&rder3 and :oriental mysteries31 Of partic&lar relevance to occ&ltists is the infl&ence of organisations s&ch as the Theosophical Society and the Hermetic Order of the Dolden !a n1 The former. in partic&lar. ere instr&mental in importing many 2ndian esoteric concepts into 7estern occ&ltism. altho&gh these concepts ere invaria/ly m&tilated in the process1 A good example of this :t isting3 of ideas. = hich /egan ith the Theosophists and

E Aspects of Tantra contin&es even no @ is that of the Cha'ras1 6o most people ho have done some reading of magical texts ill have come across the Cha'ras. as they have /ecome a fairly /asic element of hat is 'no n as the 7estern ;soteric Tradition1 So m&ch so in fact. that it is more or less ta'en for granted that the Cha'ras have some fact&al /asis for existence1 The original tantric texts hich descri/e the varying systems of Cha'ras =some descri/e six. others. seven. nine. or even eleven@ &se a great deal of sym/olic lang&age and metaphor. m&ch of hich estern a&thors have mista'enly ta'en literally1 Sir Fohn 7oodroffe. in his /oo' The Serpent Po er. gives an example of this hen he presents a critiC&e of C17 +ead/eater3s /oo' The 2nner +ife1 +ead/eater claims to have co&nted the n&m/er of petals of the Sahasrara Cha'ra and says that the n&m/er is not $.???. as is often given in tantric texts. /&t exactly ,G?1 7oodroffe points o&t that the 2ndian &se of 4tho&sand5 is a metaphor for a great magnit&de. and not a literal co&nt1 +ead/eater has mista'en a metaphorical statement for a literal one. hich ma'es nonsense of his assertion1 Hnfort&nately. many Theosophical notions s&ch as this are passed from /oo' to /oo'. itho&t. as Pete Carroll once C&ipped 4any intervening tho&ght15 2t as largely the Theosophical Society ho spread the notion that the so0called :+eft0Hand Path3 of Tantrism as tantamo&nt to :Blac' -agic3. d&e to the prevalence of sex&al gnosis1 For Theosophists. as m&ch as their Christian /rethren. there as no ay that sens&al en)oyment co&ld /e seen as :spirit&al3 in any sense1 A third so&rce of o/sf&cation has /een the some hat /iased or' of scholars. /oth ;&ropean and 2ndian1 According to some scholars. partic&larly those infl&enced /y orthodox Hind& or 7estern ideas. Tantra as a degeneration from the rarefied atmosphere of 9oga. into itchcraft. alchemy. and astrology1 This is erroneo&s1 There is an increasing /ody of evidence pointing to the emergence of Tantra from the rit&als and concerns of the tri/al peoples1 A very early Tantric man&script. the 8&/)i'a Tantra. ritten in the sixth cent&ry. is concerned ith the rit&als of potters1 From the prehistoric period. the pot has /een the sym/ol of the Dreat -other goddess1 Some scholars /elieve that Tantra emerged from the /lending of alchemy and agric&lt&ral magic1 Finally. the image of Tantrism has /een colo&red /y the antagonism of modern 2ndia1 2ndian attit&des to ards the sens&al have shifted considera/ly. d&e to the infl&ence of first 2slamic. then Anglo0Saxon pre)&dice1 Professor Bharati. in his classic or' The Tantric Tradition. remar's that :official 2ndian c&lt&re3. as form&lated /y Vive'ananda. Dandhi and Aada'rishnan. very m&ch considered Tantrism to /e very m&ch /eyond the pale1 Alain !ani<lo&. in the introd&ction to his translation of the 8ama S&tra. notes that: 4-ahatma Dandhi. ed&cated in ;ngland. sent sC&ads of his disciples to smash the erotic representations on the temples1 111Pandit 6ehr& as irritated /y my having photographed and p&/lished the photographs of sc&lpt&res sho ing homosex&al relations.

dating from the eleventh cent&ry. hen he claimed that s&ch vices in 2ndia ere d&e to 7estern infl&ence15 The Complete 8ama S&tra. p$? 7hilst researching for this article. 2 as lent a /oo' called 48ali3s Child5. /y Feffrey F1 8ripal 0 a /iography of Aama'rishna. the $,th cent&ry mystic ho as a ma)or infl&ence in the reform&lation of :modern Hind&ism31 Vive'ananda. his most famo&s p&pil as decidedly anti0tantric. descri/ing it as the 4filthy vamachara that is

destroying this co&ntry51 8ripal reveals ho ever. that Aama'rishna himself ent thro&gh a period of tantric training. hich his follo ers chose to ignore1 -oreover. according to this a&thor. Aama'rishna3s ecstatic visions and teachings spr&ng from an erotic so&rce. hich has also /een conveniently glossed over: 4Sa'ti 0 in her image. gender. m&sic and script&res 0 has /een made s&/missive and o/edient1 Bengalis are enco&raged to /e ashamed of her and her Tantras1 Sa'ti is no longer on top of Siva15 8ali3s Child. p%# To &nderstand the /eginnings of Tantra. it is necessary to &nderstand something of 2ndian history1 Orthodox Hind&ism. the so0called Dreat or Brahmanic Tradition. has its roots in the Vedas. hich encaps&late the religio&s ideas of the Aryans. ho invaded 2ndia aro&nd $%?? BC. s&/d&ing the indigeno&s peoples =the !ravidians@ ith their 2ron eapons1 2n the follo ing cent&ries of press&re. m&ch of that indigeno&s c&lt&re retreated 0 there as a retreat a ay from the cities and migration ro&tes into the forests. mo&ntains and villages1 The vast hinterlands of 2ndia allo ed the s&rvival of isolated centres of c&lt&ral life hich retained elements of great antiC&ity1 Drad&ally. a landscape emerged along the northern river valleys of cities. s&pported /y a vast co&ntryside divided into isolated village societies1 7hilst the orthodox c&lt&re as dominated /y the Vedic rit&als of the Brahmins. there also existed a parallel vision. the Vrata tradition. operating thro&gh song. dance. art and magical incantations 0 a storeho&se of /oth archaic isdom and contemporary patterns1 Similar migrations occ&rred in the ninth " tenth cent&ries. hen entire B&ddhist comm&nities too' ref&ge from persec&tion in the remote co&ntryside. and in the eleventh to thirteenth cent&ries. hen press&re from the -&slim 2nvasions forced vast n&m/ers of scholars into so&thern 2ndia1 2t is in so&thern 2ndia that s&rviving !ravidian lang&ages can /e fo&nd1 2t is idely /elieved that. altho&gh Tantra as e 'no it is largely a medieval phenomena. that this :revival3 is a direct descendent of Palaeolithic Doddess orship. and that its magical and psycho0sex&al practices evolved from a ide variety of c&lts and mystery schools1 !r1 Fohn -&mford. in 4;cstasy Thro&gh Tantra5 =$,>>@ goes so far as to assert that Tantrism as the 4religion5 of the !ravidians and. hilst this may /e overstating the case some hat. there are many scholars ho loo' for the roots of Tantrism ithin the mists of !ravidian civilisationI it has /een estimated that the cities of Harrapa and -ohen)o0!aro =these are modern names@ had existed for at least a $??? years /efore the arrival of the Aryan invaders. and that the a/original 2nd&s Valley civilisation dates /ac' as far as %J?? BC One of the main pro/lems 2 feel. that modern ;&ropeans face hen enco&ntering Tantra is o&r o n predisposition for expecting things to /e clear0c&t and easily /ro'en do n into /ite0siKe pieces1 For example. 2 have recently /een doing some magical or' ith Siva. and d&ring this. /ecame interested in Siva3s primordial form A&dra =Ho ler@1 2 str&ggled for a hile to find a point here A&dra /ecame Siva. /&t it3s almost impossi/le to dra s&ch a clear distinction /et een the t o1 Fort&nately. =at least to my mind@. Tantra resists this :dil&ting3 process d&e to it3s very nat&re1

Being &sed to =and often. greatly attracted /y@ a m&ltiplicity of :traditions3 all )ostling for attention. occ&ltists all too often ma'e the mista'e of seeing Tantra as a coherent tradition1 2t isn3t1 7hat is generally regarded as Tantra is an intricate inter eaving of philosophy. magic. yoga3s. astrology. alchemy. medicine. fol'lore. etc1 Tantric

elements have freely mingled ith the more orthodox Hind&ism and B&ddhism and some very exotic Tantric Sects have flo&rished at one time or another. some of hich 23ll /e loo'ing into later in this series1 Tantric elements have also /een a/sor/ed into more orthodox Hind& /elief1 The some hat amorpho&s nat&re of Tantra is neatly s&mmed &p /y Sri -ahendranath !ada)i. former adig&r& of the 6atha Sampradaya. hen he rote: 4a sannyasin has no r&les to 'eep. only a ay of life to live15 Of co&rse. this is only his opinion on the matter1 Deorge 7eston Briggs. in his /oo' Dora'nath " the 8hanphata 9ogis. lists the many r&les and reg&lations of /ehavio&r hich ere said to constrain this partic&lar sect of tantrics1 He then goes on to relate the ide variation in degrees of adherence to same r&les1 Again. there is a ide variation in ho individ&als perform their practices. even ithin a partic&lar sect or s&/0sect1 ;n)oyment of the sens&al pleas&res of the orld is a strong theme in some Tantras. yet the development of magical a/ilities thro&gh the practice of a&sterities remains a firm fo&ndation of 2ndian esotericism1 7esterners tend to associate 2ndian spirit&al practices ith the andering yogis or itinerant sadh&s. /&t the so0called path of the ho&seholder 0 of the individ&al ho see's spirit&al development hilst holding do n a )o/ or 'eeping a family is idely ac'no ledged as the most diffic&lt path to tread1 Some tantrics ere scholars. esta/lishing monastic retreats hich /ecame storeho&ses of learning. hilst others ere andering /ards or peasants1 7hen e attempt to foc&s on Tantra. it3s rather li'e trying to condense the vastness of history onto a fe sheets of paper1 Alain !ani<lo& has made a strong case for the relationship /et een the mysteries of Shiva and !ionys&s1 -any modern scholars of Tantrism no thin' of it as a medieval revival of Palaeolithic fertility orship. the s&rvival of the /eliefs " practices of the 2nd&s Valley civilisations. together ith the infl&ence of the village and tri/al c&lt&res hich ere excl&ded =/y /irth and caste@ from Vedic orship1 A strong theme in Tantrism is a re)ection of the caste system. and the principle of Svecchacharya 0 a Sans'rit term hich means to act according to one3s o n ill =i1e1 independently@1 According to Tantric Scholar -i'e -agee. the 6atha c&lt ere responsi/le for fomenting the 2ndian -&tiny. hich implies C&ite a different facet of tantrics than the &n orldly. ascetic image hich is common in the 7est1 Altho&gh de/ate as a common means for different sects to oppose each other3s vie s. it as not &n'no n for some sects to resort to more arli'e means to settle philosophical differences1 2n closing for no . then. Tantra is a h&ge field for investigation here it3s all too easy to ma'e C&ic' )&dgements /ased on only a s&rface appreciation of it3s complexities1 2n the next instalment of this series 2 ill loo' at some definitions of hat tantric magical practice act&ally consists of and o&tline some of the 'ey feat&res1

T o: !evotions " demonesses For this iss&e. 2 did originally intend to loo' at some of hat 2 considered the 'ey charactistics of Tantric practice. and then to go on to disc&ss some of the magical practices in Tantrism1 Ho ever. 23ve decided to. for the moment. concentrate on disc&ssing the magical or'. and ill ret&rn to the 'ey characteristics in part three1 The diffic&lties of approaching Tantric practice have /een compo&nded /y hat might /e termed the pse&do0imperialistic attit&de to non07estern magical systems1 Francis 8ing3s Tantra for 7esterners is a case in point1 8ing asserts that there are =at least on the s&rface@ many similarities /et een Tantric concepts and 7estern La/alah1 Hence his /oo' presents a :Ca//aliKed3 perspective on Tantra1 Fitting the &nfamiliar into familiar models may ell /e &sef&l &p to a point. /&t it /ecomes a limiting exercise1 An analogo&s sit&ation o&ld /e the efforts of early anthropologists to characteriKe shamanic /ehavio&r as :epileptic31 2t might ell fit the theory. /&t it doesn3t tell the hole story1 2 feel that. to approach Tantra. it is necessary to. at some point. examine orthodox Hind& c&lt&re. in terms of history. religion. and psychology 0 in order to get a grip on the context from hich Tantrism springs1 There is a tendency for 7esterners to treat Tantrism as an :added flavo&r3 to spice &p familiar magical practices. or for that matter. one3s /edroom antics = hich is the concern of many pop&list /oo's on the s&/)ect@1 !evotion and -agic The generic term for rit&al in 2ndia is P&)a. can /e translated as : orship3 or :magic31 According to Tantric doctrine. the p&rpose of rit&al is to &se special techniC&es in order to ma'e contact ith the higher states of /eing hich e call gods and other s&pernat&ral /eings ho can g&ide and assist &s in o&r efforts to progress1 The different orlds are in harmonic relation to each otherI and thro&gh rit&al action. they can /e made to respond. )&st as a stringed instr&ment ill respond hen one of its harmonics reso&nds1 Ait&al. com/ined of so&nd. forms. rhythms. gest&res. flo ers. lights. incense and offerings carries the operator to ard the orld of the divine. hilst the deity. also enchanted. is /ro&ght nearer1 Ait&al is th&s a /ridge to esta/lish and maintain this contact1 2t is f&rther held that. since the s&/tle orlds are many. the effects of rit&al may not al ays /e apprehended. and that res&lts C&ite contrary to the intent may res&lt1 Ait&al is therefore a potentially dangero&s instr&ment and. hether internal =mental@ or external =p&)a@. sho&ld follo a systematic ordinance1 All elements of p&)a are /ased on correspondences and s&/tle levels of relation1

2n 2ndic magical psychology. man /ecomes hat he orships. and his desire ='ama@ shapes the form of his /ecoming1 Those ho orship the gods /ecome godsI those ho orship Ancestors /ecome Ancestors1 those ho orship the elements master the elements. and those ho orship me gain me1 8rishna. The Bhagavadgita 7hen considering P&)a. e m&st /ear in mind that in Tantric -agical Psychology. all deities are manifestations of self1 This is not to say. ho ever. that e sho&ld regard deities in the sense of mere aspects of o&r psyche in the sense that F&ngian psychologists or 6e Agers might1 Th&s. /y performing P&)a. e: =a@ receive the /lessing of the deity =/@ develop a areness of o&r o n inner divinity1 Another point that sho&ld /e /orne in mind is that 2ndic magic is heavily /ased on the interplay of levels of correspondences. in very m&ch a similar ay to ho modern Ca//alah has developed1 Caref&l st&dy and personal research ith these correspondences and concepts ill enhance the experience of P&)a considera/ly1 2 o&ld go as far as to assert that st&dy of these concepts ithin the context of hat they mean in p&)a is s&perior to mere st&dy of them in isolation. since in p&)a. yo& can /egin to gain insights into ho correspondences and concepts relate to each other1 The Primacy of Three0fold ;xperience The Three0fold nat&re of experience is a primary concept in Tantric -agical Psychology1 For example. the tantric &nderstanding of perception is three0fold: The meas&re 0 The o/)ect to meas&re 0 The act of meas&ring1 Other significant triplicities incl&de: Creator =Brahma@ Preserver =Visn&@ !estroyer =Siva@I The three orlds. the three times. the 3 g&nas. S&n -oon Fire1 Th&s. /y performing p&)a. e are moving thro&gh a three0fold relationship ith the chosen deityI =a@ 2dentifying the deity as originating from ithin =/@ ;xternaliKing the deity. in order to experience it as separate from &s =c@ Ae02dentifying ith the deity in the light of the a/ove1 The o/)ect. or aim of P&)a is to esta/lish comm&nion /et een devotee and deity1

2 occasionally hear the comment that Tantric magic is :too devotional3 in its character1 This. 2 feel. springs from a mis&nderstanding of the nat&re of devotional magic and the tantric conception of the relationship /et een practitioner and deity1 2n P&)a. 2 as ta&ght /y my g&r& =J?p in the s ear /oxM@ to firstly to internally identify ith the chosen deity. thro&gh meditation. vis&aliKation. mantra. and 6yasa =the identification of different parts of the /ody ith deities. thro&gh to&ch@1 Secondly. to externaliKe the deity /y /reathing or pro)ecting it into a form =a stat&e or other

image@ in order to : orship3 the god or goddess. and finally. to rea/sor/ them after the completion of orship1 The tantric conception of deities is that they are /oth transcendent and immanent1 From a tantric perspective. the Hniverse is the em/odiment of the transcendent Shiva and the immanent Sha'ti1 ;xistence flo s from. and is. their &nion1 2n performing p&)a. my aim is often to offer a sacrifice to a deity. in order that she or he ill grant a /oon1 +itanies to deities often spea' of them :ma'ing the gest&res of dispelling fears and granting /oons31 2 c&rrently interpret the ord :fears3 as the o/stacles =:8leshas3@ hich hold me /ac' from attaining the /liss of the god0state =more on this in a mo3@I the phrase :granting /oons3 is the po er of the god or goddess to assist me in the removal =or. more acc&rately. integration @ of those fears1 The &nderlying process in this approach to p&)a is similar to that hich &nderlies most forms of rit&al magic1 A desire0form is made conscio&s =i1e1 stated@. and separated from the ego0complex /y offering or sacrificing it to the god or goddess ho is the foc&s of the p&)a1 Finally. the god0form is rea/sor/ed. and the realiKation of the desire0form ta'es place organically =some might prefer the term. :&nconscio&sly3 here. /&t 2 feel this is too limiting a concept@1 So ho does this or' in practice( +ast year. 2 performed a Danesha P&)a ith the general aim of finding myself the :right3 )o/1 6ot merely. :a )o/3. /&t the most appropriate for me1 Since 23m no riting this article at or'. yo& can /e ass&red that this as s&ccessf&l1 Ho ever. hat 2 feel is )&st as significant here is that the p&)a. and daily meditation on Danesha ena/led me to :dispell the fears3 aro&nd not finding a )o/. and everything that goes ith that 0 hich nat&rally involved a good degree of illed self0 or' as ell as the relaxed certainty that :something o&ld t&rn &p31 To orship a deity. a man m&st /ecome the Self of that deity thro&gh dedication. /reath0control. and concentration &ntil his /ody /ecomes the deity3s a/ode1 DNndharva Tantra 2 feel that some of the sC&eamishness that s&rro&nds this 'ind of devotional magic is d&e to the general /ac'gro&nd of monotheistic Christianity in modern occ&ltism1 After all. it3s one thing for magicians to invo'e one god for one p&rpose. and another god for another. /&t once yo& start invo'ing the same god for everything. it starts to loo' li'e religion =or mania@ 0 hich raises hac'les in some C&arters1 The ma)or 2ndian deities ho ever. are so m&ltivalent in their aspects and forms that it is C&ite possi/le to do this1 2t also means that the tendency of estern occ&ltists to categoriKe gods on the /asis of the Tree of +ife /ecomes &nst&c'1 Danesha is a good example1 One might arg&e that he has a F&piterean aspect. as he is associated ith ealth1 Ho ever. he is also -erc&rial. since he is a scri/e1 He also /attles demons =-ars@. r&les o/stacles =Sat&rn@. and is often given as the g&ardian of the -&ladhara Cha'ra =;arth@1 He has at least 3% pop&lar forms and there are more that can /e discovered thro&gh practical experience1 2 have disc&ssed devotional p&)a at length since it is the ma)or approach 2 have &sed to Tantric rit&al so far1 This is not to say that there are no other forms1 2n The ;arth

-other =$,>,@. P&p&l Faya'ar descri/es a 47itches3 Spell5 from the Atharva Veda hich involves familiar elements s&ch as the creation of an image of the target of the spell. the recitation of mantra over a period of days. and so forth:

4To propitiate the goddess. rites ere en)oined for the preparation of a 8&nda or fire0 pot. hich too' the form of a yantra. sym/olic of the yoni1 An o/lation of Dhee =Clarified B&tter@ and /ro n s&gar as offered to the 8&nda1 The itch p&t on garlands of red. s eet0smelling oleander. ore red garments. and lay facing So&th1 The mantra. called the hisper spell. as then &sed to invo'e: :Om reverence A&dra. Om. O p&ngent one. tho& of the p&ngent leaf. /lessed. As&ri reddish one. tho& of the red garment. O da&ghter of Atharvan. none0terrific one. non0terrific onder0 or'er. smite. smite. /&rn. /&rn. coo'. coo'. cr&sh. cr&sh. so long /&rn so long coo' &ntil yo& have /ro&ght =name@ into my po er1 Svaha13 Faya'ar. pG?1 The a/ove litany is &sed to invo'e the :As&ri 7oman3 0 a form of the goddess !&rga1 A more extreme form of rit&al is related in S&dhir 8a'ar3s Shamans. -ystics " !octors =$,,$@1 This is sadhana =practice@ directed to ards a demoness named 8arna1 The sadhna is carried o&t over three days /efore the ne moon1 2t reC&ires ten days of preparation. and a f&rther ten days of rit&al after the sadhana is completed1 For ten days the practitioner a/stains from all the sacred acts prescri/ed for a Brahmin1 He did not clean his teeth. change his clothes. and &sed the same dirty plate for each meal1 2n the three days of the sadhana itself. the practitioner satisfies his thirst /y drin'ing his o n &rine. and satisfies his h&nger /y eating his o n feces1 On the first night of the sadhana. the practitioner loc's the doors of his ho&se1 He lights eleven large oil lamps in his room1 He ears a string of fifty0fo&r /ones hich he has d&g &p from the cremation gro&nd at night. and holds a similar string in his hands1 Facing so&th. he /egins to recite =)apa@ a mantra $$J times1 He &rinates and defacates itho&t /rea'ing the repetition. and r&/s the shit and piss over his /ody1 Finally. the practitioner relates ho he is visited /y 4an attractive oman. t enty0five to thirty years old. completely na'edO51 She sits next to him. fondles his penis. smears /oth their /odies ith his feces. and disappears hen he has finished the recitation of the mantra1 On the third day. she 4incited5 him to have interco&rse ith her1 Hpon commencing his final period of )apa. she appears again. sits do n on his lap. and defecates " &rinates all over him. again. smearing him /ody ith her &rine and feces1 She then tells the practitioner 47henever 2 ant interco&rse 23ll come to yo& and yo& ill have to satisfy my desire1 7henever yo& as' a C&estion 23ll hisper the ans er in yo&r ear15 8a'ar3s correspondent rites that. as a res&lt of this sadhana. he can no longer perform the sacred tas's and rit&als of a Brahmin. /&t that his astrology /&siness has /oomed. d&e to the po ers of the demoness in giving him 'no ledge of his clients3 past and f&t&re and in dra ing more clients to ards him1 This rit&al is interesting for several reasons1 Firstly. it violently confronts and trangresses orthodox Hind& ta/oos concerning cleanliness and rit&al p&rity 0 in fact 2 o&ld thin' it o&ld have a similar effect on most esternersM Secondly. this sadhana is /ased again. on identification hich the entity hich is the foc&s of the practice1 The practitioner /ehaves in s&ch a manner as to /ecome accepta/le to the demoness. his practice c&lminating in a 'ind of hieros gamos hich. for the Brahmin. is as shamef&l as it is ecstatic1 The res&lt of this sadhana is that. hile he /ecomes prospero&s.

he has effectively /ecome an :o&tcast3 in society1

Ananda and +ila The term :lila3 is &sed to denote divine play. sport or dalliance. and the gods are often referred to as /eing in this state in their relationship to the Hniverse1 2n aspiring to the divine play of the gods. the tantric see's to /ecome &nfettered and &nconditioned1 2n playing. yo& leave /ehind the perception of the :ordinary3 orld. and enter a magical orld1 As divine players in this orld. the gods are )oyo&s. gracef&l and spontaneo&s /eings. ta'ing delight in the &niverse1 Aelated to this idea of divine play is that of :ananda3 0 hich is &s&ally translated as meaning :/liss31 7hen e try and approach /liss in this sense. e need to /e C&ite caref&l ith terms and distinctions1 For example. many people thin' of /liss states s&ch as samadhi as /eing characteriKed /y a f&g&e0li'e ithdra al from the orld1 B&t the tantric goal is not a/o&t retreating from the orld. /&t en)oying it1 For myself. 2 rather li'e the definition of Ananda given in 8a'ar. p$GG0$G#. /y a correspondent: 4The tr&e tantri' is al ays in a state of nons&ppression and en)oyment1 The p&rpose of every moment of life is to experience ananda1 Ananda is active en)oyment of everything that comes yo&r ay1 O A tantri' has only those desires hich the environment is ready. illing and in a position to satisfy1 This is not /eca&se he denies any of his ishes or rationaliKes them later. /&t /eca&se he has developed his capacity for attention and is intensely a are of here he is and hat he is doing at every moment of time15 Hence Tantric magic places great stress on enhancing a areness of one3s senses. of one3s physical presence. of the orld aro&nd &s. of identifying and integrating the fetters of ha/it. restriction. attachment 0 the :o/stacles3 hich impede &s from experiencing ananda1 Tantra is a path of Psychosomatic Alchemy. hich starts ith the /asic premises of sens&ality and orship. pleas&re. energy and compassion1 This alchemy is dynamic. demonstrating that the /ody is a seething ca&ldron of activity: ne&ral firestorms flic'er across the /rain in millisecondsI complex molec&lar transactions ta'e place ithin an instant. the heart sheds energy li'e a f&rnace1 Tantric magic encompasses all the so0called techniC&es of Dnosis. from silent contemplation of a co/ e/ at da n to frenKied ecstasy1 One of the core virt&es of Tantra is Compassion. arising o&t of empathic identity ith the species. the ;arth. and /eyond1 This em/edded :openness3 to the orld is metamorphic. deepening vision. strengthening the heart1 As s&ch. systems of control /ased on fear and /lind o/edience have al ays vie ed Tantra as s&spicio&s. if not seditio&s1

Three: The science of extremes 2t has /een o/served that Tantra is the 2ndian eC&ivalent to Satanism 0 in that Tantra is opposed to the orthodox Vedantic c&lt&re in a similar ay that Satanism is held to :oppose3 Christian c&lt&re1 7hile this identification may /e distastef&l to some readers. 2 o&ld propose that this is entirely appropriate if one considers ho Tantra is vie ed /y the modern 2ndian a&thorities1 Scholars too. partic&larly those or'ing in the shado of Sir Fohn 7oodroffe =Arth&r Avalon@. have consistently attempted to /anish the magical. s&perstitio&s. and sex&al associations of Tantra 0 hat Feffrey 8ripal =C&ite rightly in my vie @ terms its :seediness3 0 and elevate it to ards /eing a :respecta/le3 Sans'rit philosophy1 Some riters. /oth 2ndian and 7estern. are to this day insisting that the lingam and the yoni have nothing to do ith the penis and vagina1 -oreover. 7endy !oniger O3Flaherty points o&t that hilst Tantra is a reality for its initiates. it is nonetheless a fantasy for most Hind&s 0 a mythology of repressed desires &sed /y orthodox Hind&s in a similar ay that some Christians pro)ect a Satanic mythology 0 as a psychological dar' mirror1 !espite the c&rrent enth&siasm for elements of Tantric practice in 6e Age circles. Tantra ill al ays remain inherently :dodgy3 d&e to its emphasis on. and em/racing of extremes of /ehavio&r hich often seem. to the 7estern o/server. to /e contradictory1 -oreover. Tantra is still very m&ch shro&ded in mystery. despite the plethora of pop&list /oo's on the s&/)ect1 The scholastic st&dy of Tantra is diffic&lt d&e to the :closed0mo&th3 stance of its adherents and its esoteric c&lt&re1 +i'e chaos magicians. it is often diffic&lt to o/tain a consens&s from Tantrics a/o&t any aspect of /elief or techniC&e1 Altho&gh many fine st&dies of Tantric ideas are availa/le. ith fe exceptions these are restricted to the text&ally0/ased philosophical traditions s&ch as 8ashmir Saivism1 Dopinath 8avira). a&thor of Tantri'a Sadhana " Siddhanta. remar's that historical research alone cannot get to grips ith the :deep 'no ledge3 of Tantra. as to do this reC&ires an :inner gnosis31 2n other ords. Tantra cannot /e &nderstood f&lly from the o&tside1 Ta/oo " Transgression Tantra intentionally reverses and challenges /rahamanic c&lt&re thro&gh its images. sym/olism. and deli/erate rit&al &se of imp&re s&/stances =i1e1 meat. ine@ and illicit acts hich /oth transgress and transcend traditional Hind& normative val&es1 7hilst it is often claimed that Tantra is an anti0Vedic tradition. it sho&ld /e &nderstood that

the Tantric acts of transgression only retain their po er in relation to the orthodox social c&lt&re and religio&s tradition1 For example. let3s say e have a yo&ng Brahmin ho ishes to learn the secrets of Tantra1 The Tantri' might say. 4O'ay. yo& /ring a /ottle of ine. 23ll /ring a girl and some ra goat meat and e3ll meet do n the cremation0 gro&nd at midnight15 This simple sentence is replete ith transgressions for the Brahmin 0 the cremation gro&nd at midnight 0 the a/ode of demons. ho/go/lins and ghosts 0 the invitation to drin' ine and eat meat 0 and the invitation to parta'e of sex&al interco&rse :o&tside3 of the r&les of cast and society1 The tantri' initiation. in these terms. places the initiate :o&tside3 the mainstream society1 This alone /ecomes pro/lematic for esterners interested in Tantric practice1 For one thing. it is diffic&lt for &s to &nderstand ho shoc'ing tantric practices m&st have /een from the perspective of an initiated Brahmin. ho co&ld /e sent into a frenKy of self0p&rification at the mere sight of a lo 0cast person1 -eat and ine are simply not ta/oos in the est 0 e might choose a/stention from them and th&s im/&e them ith po er for rit&al p&rposes. /&t they are not ta/oo in the same. deep ay that they o&ld have /een for a Brahmin1 So it /ehoves the estern tantri'a to choose other forms of transgression1 The recognition and exploration of one3s o n. personal ta/oos and limitations are an important element of magical development. and the primacy hich tantri' magic places on this or' 0 8lesha0smashing 0 as it is sometimes 'no n. is for me a strength of this approach1 2t o&ld /e a mista'e. ho ever. to conf&se transgression ith opposition1 Altho&gh tantric initiation places the individ&al. effectively. /eyond the norms of his or her society. this sho&ld not /e ta'en to indicate that the tantri' is necessarily opposed to that society1 2ndian c&lt&re has. or at least had a place for those hose ay of life as /eyond the norm1 Tantri' initiates co&ld /e /oth feared as po erf&l sorcerers /&t at the same time. respected as holy men1 Again. a strong element in tantri' philosophy is the idea of service to one3s fello s1 7estern occ&ltism is littered ith individ&als ho feel themselves. /y the mere virt&e of practising magic'. to /e someho elevated from their fello /eings1 The romance of /eing an :o&tsider3 is attractive and sed&ctive. partic&larly hen it /ecomes a shield against confronting one3s o n shortcomings1 Anyone can declare themselves to /e an o&tsider in the safety of their o n home 0 it3s easy1 2n contrast. Tantric c&lts s&ch as the Pas&patas actively dre to themselves the contempt and a/horrence of their fello men /y /athing in dirt. /ehaving li'e madmen. and mast&r/ating in p&/lic 0 in order to create in themselves. it is said. a condition of passionless detachment from the orld1 Pas&patas or'ed hard at dra ing cens&re from other people. thro&gh the :six0!oors3 =dvaras@1 These ere: snoring or acting as if asleep hen notI sha'ing ones lim/s as tho&gh afflicted /y diseaseI al'ing as if crippledI ma'ing amoro&s gest&res openly to omenI acting foolishly. and &ttering senseless ords1 6ot &s&ally the /ehavio&r one associates ith anna/e0o&tsiders. ho are mostly far too concerned ith ta'ing themselves =and /eing ta'en@ serio&sly1 Asceticism " ;roticism The tradition of ithdra al from the orld thro&gh ascetic practices is a central and end&ring theme in 2ndian metaphysics1 The ren&nciation of the orld in favo&r of an isolated life in forest or cave has /een traced /y scholars to as far /ac' as >?? B1C1. =aro&nd the time hen the Hpanishads ere codified@ altho&gh there is evidence to

s&ggest that the methodologies of yoga ere 'no n to the civiliKations of the 2nd&s Valley =%J??0$>?? B1C11@ 7hile some sects and c&lts have practised severe a&sterities. Tantric c&lts are generally characterised /y an avoidance of ascetic practises hich are rooted in denial of the orld. or of mortification of the flesh for its o n sa'e1

The goal of the Tantric sadh& is not so m&ch to transcend the orld of form. /&t to immerse himself in it. all the /etter to en)oy the love0play of the Doddess1 2n the image of All that exists flo s from. and at the same time is. the &nion of Shiva0Sha'ti as represented /y the image of Ardhanishvara. the t in poles of Tantric sadhana. ren&nciation and erotic /liss. are &nited1 The ro&te to s&per0conscio&sness 0 4the realisation that everything is alive and significant5 =as 7illiam S1 B&rro&ghs p&t it@. or. in the ords of Aama'rishna. 4She Herself has /ecome ;verything5. reC&ires /oth periods of ascetic ithdra al and erotic &nion1 Shiva is /oth the -ahayogi and the lover of the Doddess. spending tho&sands of years in ascetic ithdra al. or eC&ally. in /lissf&l &nion ith the Doddess1 2n some tantric schools. initiates spent a long period &sing ascetic practices to :p&rify3 the /odymind in order to prepare themselves for /ecoming s&ita/le receptacles for the reception of divine force1 The idea that ascetic practices =in moderation@ have val&e seems to /e diffic&lt for some 7estern magicians to accept1 7estern c&lt&re is overly attached to instant gratification and o/sessed ith /eing :sex&ally3 s&ccessf&l1 Being sex&ally active is closely related to self0esteem in o&r c&lt&re. to the extent that admitting that one has pro/lems ith one3s sex&al feelings " identifications is something of a ta/oo in itself 0 partic&larly in the magical s&/c&lt&re here there is a common /elief that :s&ccessf&l magic'3 eC&ates ith a high sex0drive1 O&r sex&ality is felt to /e one of the most private areas of o&r lives. yet it is highly infl&enced /y :external3 conditions1 2n this 'ind of atmosphere 0 :not having sex3 can /ecome as m&ch of an act of magic' as any rit&aliKed cop&lation. and pro/a/ly more prod&ctive in the long r&n if one is simply responding to :s&rface3 gratifications. rather than act&ally examining one3s &nderlying complex of motivations and 'leshas1 -oreover. ascetic practices are &sef&l for sensitiKing the /odymind to s&/tle n&ances of experience and sensation that o&ld other ise pass &nnoticed1 Doddesses " sl&ts Tantra has /een m&ch0acclaimed /y modern neo0pagan riters d&e to the apparent eC&ality hich it gives to the god " goddess. male " female practitioner1 -&ch has /een said a/o&t the similarities of /elief and practice /et een Tantra and modern 7icca. for example1 2 feel that there is an element here of the 7estern eye loo'ing for reflections of hat it ants to see1 All too often. there is the ass&mption that goddess0 oriented c&lt&res give eC&al prominence to omen in their societies1 ;ven a c&rsory glance at modern 2ndia ill explode this myth1 7hilst tantric c&lts have elcomed female mem/ers. most researchers agree that it is inordinately diffic&lt for omen to follo a tantric path1 7hilst female g&r&s are not &ncommon. there is relatively little historical material availa/le on them. and the most famo&s is 4the Bhairavi5. the tantric g&r& of Aama'rishna1 She recogniKed Aama'rishna3s condition as one of potential sainthood rather than madness. and initiated him =less than s&ccessf&lly in some areas. according to 8ripal@ into tantric sadhana1 -oreover. the ma)ority of tantric texts are ritten from a male perspective or reflect male physiology1 Some tantric texts spea' of the efficacy of interco&rse ith lo 0caste omen1 This can /e read as a f&rther feint at the transgression of caste0norms1 Ho ever. it as generally /elieved that lo 0/orn omen ere more :animal0li'e3 in their passions 0 less a/le to control themselves1 This so&nds very li'e the male fantasy of the oman ho is

contin&ally sex&ally availa/le 0 illing to have interco&rse ith any male. any here. at any time1 F&rther. in some tantric schools. the classification of a person3s disposition as predominantly animal0li'e =pash&@ is highly )&dgemental against them1 2t sho&ld not /e forgotten that in 2ndian c&lt&re. omen may have po er =sha'ti@ /&t

men possess a&thority1 O3Flaherty disc&sses this at length in 7omen. Androgynes " other -ythical Beasts1 She points o&t =p$%#@ that the &se of a lo 0caste oman in tantric rit&al acts to :/alance o&t3 the po er relationships /et een h&man and divineI male and female1 The male practitioner receives /eneficial female po er for himself. hilst retaining his a&thority1 Contact ith a divinity. partic&larly a po erf&l. aggressive. erotic goddess. is partic&larly dangero&s in 2ndian psychology1 2n orthodox Hind&ism. danger lies in having contact ith that hich is more po erf&l than oneself1 F&st as h&man0divine contact is dangero&s. it is held to /e :harmf&l3 for men to have contact ith omen 0 partic&larly older omen 0 a pop&lar /elief in 2ndia and possi/ly one reason hy the vario&s goddesses are often orshipped in the form of teenage girls1 The complexities of sex&al politics is also important for 7estern magicians1 2t is all too easy for men to :idealise3 omen as goddess0fig&res. placing them on pedestals. hilst neglecting to examine ho they regard omen in their day0to0day lives1 Th&s one still enco&nters male magicians ho are :loo'ing for a sha'ti. or scarlet oman3 very m&ch in the sense of acC&iring a magical tool to assist them in their :Dreat 7or'31 Heavens for/id that the :sha'ti3 might have her o n ideas. or ill in the matterM The riter +o&is T1 C&lling even ent so far as to recommend that male magicians choose female partners ho have no 'no ledge of sex&al magic'1 One pres&mes that the converse 0 that female magicians co&ld :&se3 males ho ere ignorant of the Dreat 7or' as assistants did not even occ&r to the advocates of this approach1 As 2 mentioned in part one of this series. the general ass&mption 2 most often enco&nter is that of Tantric magic' /eing eC&ated ith sex&al shennanigans1 So men are often :eager3 to hear a/o&t hat o&r gro&p gets &p to. hilst omen are often ary1 After it /ecomes apparent that orgia is not on the men&. men tend to /e disappointed hilst omen seem to /e some hat relieved1 One3s &nderstanding of Tantra. as m&ch any other s&/)ect. ill /e colo&red /y the expectations one /rings to it. and hat one is see'ing1 2t sho&ld also /e noted that one3s &nderstanding of a s&/)ect changes over time. as one3s depth of experience changes. sometimes as a conseC&ence of magical activity1 An o/vio&s point perhaps. /&t one that is easily forgotten1 This is perhaps one reason hy there are so many in)&nctions that Tantric sadhana sho&ld not /e carried o&t itho&t a D&r&1 2t is not so m&ch that the D&r& imparts secrets. /&t that the D&r& gives one another perspective on an iss&e or sit&ation1 S&dhir 8a'ar. in Shamans. -ystics " !octors. gives a some hat am&sing example of a conversation /et een a yo&ng =$G year0old@ st&dent of Tantra and his g&r&: 4Can yo& tell me &nder hat circ&mstances yo& get an erection(5 4D&r&. 2 don3t 'no 1 B&t 2 often have an erection15 47hen yo& get an erection. hat do yo& feel a/o&t it(5 47ell. 2 feel pleas&re /&t 2 am also &ncomforta/le15 47hat do yo& do hen yo& get the erection(5

4Sometimes 2 go to the /athroom. r&n a hand over it till sperm is released and then 2 feel good15 49es. that3s fine1 This is one ay of doing it1 B&t this sho&ldn3t last1 7o&ld yo& li'e to &se yo&r hand forever(5

46o. hat 23d li'e to do is find a oman. p&t my erection in her and drive as hard as possi/le15 47hat do yo& thin' the oman thin's a/o&t that(5 42 don3t &nderstand hat yo& mean15 47ell she is not dead. is she( 7o&ld yo& have interco&rse ith a corpse(5 46o15 4Then she m&st someho participate in it1 She m&st have something for it. m&stn3t she( 7hy sho&ld she do it(O5 =8a'ar. p$J#@ For Tantrics. as ith other magical traditions. it is the intention po ering an action hich is all0important1 Smo'ing dope. drin'ing and f&c'ing anything that moves does not necessarily a sadh& ma'e1 The goal of Tantric practice is the radical deconstr&ction of the individ&al. in order to attain the ideal of the saha)a state 0 that of nat&ral spontaneity 0 &nfettered /y self0limitation or del&sion1 -ost 2ndian metaphysical traditions =apart from the B&ddhists and the -aterialists@ /elieve that this is the primal h&man condition. hich can /e re0attained thro&gh the vario&s practises and disciplines of sadhana1 As ith any s&ch ideal state. it is highly de/ata/le hether the saha)a state is f&lly attaina/le =partic&larly hen one considers that it can ta'e years of therapy or self0exploration )&st to :digest3 the 8arma of one3s childhood@1 7hat one does along the : ay3 of co&rse. is all0important1 Having met. over the years. n&mero&s individ&als ho claim to have :slain their egos3. :crossed the a/yss3. :attained Dodhead3 or /ecome :-ag&ses3. 2 sometimes feel it is more prod&ctive to :forget3 the goal and concentrate on correct practice1 2f nothing else. 'eeping the goal in the region of /eing relatively &nattaina/le /reeds an attit&de of h&mility. a C&ality hich seems to /e a/sent from the o&ld /e :god0li'e3 individ&als that one enco&nters from time to time1

Fo&r: The g&r&Pfa'ir or fa'er( The fig&re of the D&r& 0 Spirit&al D&ide. -aster or Teacher has /een greatly infl&ential on 7estern attit&des to the esoteric. and remains some hat controversial1 The pop&lar image of the g&r& as s&ccessf&lly lampooned in the recent BBC 2ndian comedy. 4Doodness Dracio&s -e5 as 4His !ivine Calmness Sri Onion Bha)i5 0 a rather portly. hite0/earded 2ndian man. ex&ding /enign grace and mo&thing empty spirit&al platit&des to a fa ning estern a&dience1 9et despite the prevailing mood of cynicism to ards spirit&al a&thority fig&res. hich has pervaded even &nto the lofty heights of the 6e Age comm&nity. people entering esoteric st&dies = hatever their form@ still see' o&t :teachers3. and there seems to /e plenty of individ&als ho are still eager to /e 'no n as :teachers31 Some say that the very idea of having :magical teachers3 is red&ndant in the modern. information0rich age1 2 o&ld arg&e that this is not the case. /&t that e perhaps need to re0eval&ate o&r expectations of hat esoteric teaching is a/o&t1 Teachers can /e something more than :'eepers of 'no ledge31 2n o&r information0rich c&lt&re. the role of the teacher shifts from someone ho doles o&t 'no ledge to someone ho may /e a/le to help &s steer a path thro&gh that information 0 helping &s to sort o&t hat is relevant for &s. and ho to ma'e it meaningf&l to o&r lives1 To /egin ith. 2 shall s'etch o&t my o n perception of the role of the D&r& ithin the Tantric corp&s1 2t may seem to /e some hat paradoxical that a system in hich the g&r& fig&re plays s&ch a primary role t&rns o&t fiercely independent. individ&alistic magicians1 As a /road generalisation. 2 o&ld say that the primary tas' of the g&r& to ards the aspirant is the a a'ening of the latent 'no ledge of divinity ithin 0 th&s opening the ay for the aspirant3s o n. integral realisation of Self1 Altho&gh it is recognised in the vario&s 2ndian schools and systems that this a a'ening to self0realisation may occ&r spontaneo&sly. &nmediated /y any external so&rce. it is ac'no ledged that s&ch occ&rrences are rare1 F&rther. it is generally accepted /y most Hind& schools of tho&ght that the li/erating divine grace hich flo s from the primal so&rce is not directly accessi/le to all1 2t reC&ires a mediating factor hich. on a h&man level is a D&r&. acting as an agent of the divine ill1 The aspirant is often en)oined to consider the g&r& as an incarnation of the S&preme +ord1 This does not ho ever. imply a slavish o/edience to the g&r& as it is so often perceived /y 7esterners as the role of the D&r& is to facilitate the aspirant3s development to ards tr&e independence1 2t is also recognised that the D&r& plays an important role in refining the aspirant3s self0realiKation1 There is a common misconception that moments of ill&mination eC&ate ith permanent enlightenment and li/eration from limitations1 2t is ell0recognised /y tantrics that :a a'ening3 alone does not eC&ate ith integral

self0realiKation and that f&rther exertion is reC&ired 0 in the form of the physical " mental disciplines of sadhana1 The D&r& can also play an important role in assisting the aspirant to recognise )&st hat is happening d&ring the process of :a a'ening31 2n 48ali3s Child5. Feffrey 8ripal points o&t that it as 4the Bhairavi5 0 Aama'rishna3s female Tantric D&r& ho recognised the saint3s /ehavio&r not as signs of madness. /&t as his str&ggle to a a'en to ards self0realiKation1 Of co&rse. do&/t can /e cast &pon this as m&ch as any other aspect of the D&r&3s role 0 after all it as :Bishop3 +ead/eater ho recognised the yo&thf&l 8rishnam&rti3s :divine potential3 0 altho&gh after the scandals hich later roc'ed the Theosophical Society concerning +ead/eater3s fondness for teaching yo&ng /oys the sadhana of m&t&al mast&r/ation. many have said that +ead/eater as pro/a/ly not so m&ch attracted /y 8rishnam&rti3s a&ra. /&t his more physical attri/&tes1 6evertheless. it is &ndenia/le =at least to anyone personally familiar ith the tra&mas of :spirit&al a a'ening3@ that it is highly &sef&l to tal' a/o&t one3s strange feelings and moods ith someone ho is sympathetic and can at the very least say 4this is normal. yo&3re not going mad15 2t sho&ld /e recognised that )&st as there are :dodgy3 g&r&s o&t there. there are eC&ally :dodgy3 aspirants1 As Ao/ert Anton 7ilson once C&ipped 4A disciple is an asshole loo'ing for a h&man /eing to attach itself to15 F&st as modern occ&ltism is rife ith fra&d&lent teachers and masters. it is eC&ally rife ith &ndiscriminating individ&als ho are loo'ing for s&rrogate parent0fig&res to smooth a ay the complexities of the orld1 2ndeed. S&dhir 8a'ar has proposed that the appeal of contemporary :pop&lar3 D&r&s. /oth in 2ndia and else here. co&ld /e related to their role as parent fig&res1 He typifies the infamo&s Bhag an Shree Aa)neesh as an :ind&lgent3 father0fig&re1 7ithin the 6e Age Comm&nity =generally castigated /y occ&ltists as the so&rce of m&ch &ncritical acceptance of spirit&al dogmas@ there has arisen a so0called 4ne paradigm5 hich is decidedly anti0a&thoritarian1 ;xponents of this 4paradigm5 incl&de Foel 8ramer " !iana Alstead. a&thors of 4The D&r& Papers: -as's of A&thoritarian Po er5 and the contemporary mystic. Andre Harvey1 8ramer " Alstead attac' the :instit&tion3 of the g&r& system. not only on the /asis of recent scandals. /&t that it is inherently a/&sive and a&thoritarian1 They also attac' hat they call 4ren&nciate morality5 0 the ideals of selflessness. egolessness and self0sacrifice as /eing dangero&sly fla ed 0 that s&ch ideas lead people to do&/t themselves and so /ecome s&scepti/le to manip&lative fig&res1 The case of Andre Harvey is perhaps more interesting1 Harvey. a&thor of 4A Fo&rney in +ada'h5 and 4A Spirit&al A a'ening5 descri/es himself as 4a recovering g&r&holic51 He is nota/le for first /ecoming a fervent devotee of -other -eera. =an 2ndian0/orn and Derman0/ased Spirit&al Teacher ho is proclaimed /y her follo ers to /e an avatar of the Doddess@ and then p&/licly re)ecting her d&e to her apparent homopho/ia1 Harvey is also a critic of the :D&r& System3. saying that it 4'eeps people infantile. it 'eeps them slavesI it siphons off the sacred energy that needs to /e po&red into social )&stice and politics15 2 &nderstand that the :emergence3 of this ne :paradigm3 has led to a good deal of de/ate and ang&ish amongst 6e Agers1 At the core of this arg&ment is the implicit idea that the pop&lar perception of D&r&s as :p&re3 /eings ho have transcended h&man limitations is an &nattaina/le myth1 2t follo s then. that if the idea of :p&re /eings3 is a fallacy.

then the ideal of attaining s&ch a state as a res&lt of one3s o n spirit&al practice is called into C&estion1 Harvey ma'es this very clear:

42 thin' that the tr&e spirit&al g&ide admits that he or she is still in process. that they are al ays a are of their o n shado and of the limitations of their &p/ringing. their c&lt&ral conditioning. their partic&lar religio&s vie s1 The tr&e spirit&al g&ide never claims to /e &nified ith the divine15 !amning as this critiC&e appears to /e. 2 do not personally /elieve that it totally invalidates the f&nction of spirit&al g&ides. /e they termed teachers or D&r&s1 2ndeed. they say more a/o&t the perceptions that esterners have imposed onto the D&r&0 fig&re and the role of the D&r& in transmitting esoteric 'no ledge1 A message posted to an 2nternet disc&ssion for&m =follo ing the response to an intervie ith Andre Harvey@ ma'es some telling points: 4+oo' at ho m&ch energy is directed to ard Andre Harvey. invalidating hat he has to say: so m&ch anger to ard him. and so little to ard -other -eera for her cr&elty and hypocrisyM 2 recogniKed all these patterns of denial from my o n experience. and 2 s&spect many incest and other tra&ma s&rvivors did too1 D&r&s are falling li'e dominos these days1 Ho many more g&r&s m&st fall /efore e re0eval&ate o&r relationships ith g&r&s. therapists. and spirit&al teachers( even. o&r relationships ith each other( 7hen an a/&se happens. more than anything the victim needs a comm&nity illing to hear her experience. to 'no the tr&th1 This. &nfort&nately. is a rare experience indeed for a/&sed children. for incest victimsI for victims of sex&al a/&se and harassment /y g&r&s. spirit&al teachers. priests. psychotherapists. S&preme Co&rt F&stice nomineesI for /attered ives. ex0political prisoners. holoca&st s&rvivors. Vietnam veterans. tra&ma s&rvivors1 6o one really ants to hear a/o&t tra&ma and a/&se1 This isolation is &s&ally the orst in)&ry of all1 As a 4healing5 comm&nity. 2 thin' o&r greatest commitment m&st /e to face and 'no the extremity of h&man a/&seI to do so reC&ires facing o&r constant tendency to ard denial. a/o&t others and o&rselves1 The dynamics of a/&se permeate o&r relationships. o&r families. o&r politicsI /&t let3s start /y loo'ing at all the g&r& and therapist a/&se in o&r midst1 23d li'e to see the psycho0spirit&al comm&nity. and yo&r magaKine. ta'e this s&/)ect on1 2s it really healthy to 4s&rrender5 to a g&r&. spirit&al teacher. therapist( Are these 4chaste5 spirit&al comm&nities really healthy( -ay/e sex&ality is the litm&s test of a comm&nity3s integrity15 =C&oted from the 2ndian S'eptic page@ Harvey. 2 thin' has made an interesting point hen he spea's of the recognition of c&lt&ral /ias and religio&s /ac'gro&nd1 -any spirit&al :a&thorities3 do ma'e prono&ncements that are o/vio&sly /iased /y their c&lt&ral " religio&s /ac'gro&nd1 2 am occasionally as'ed for my vie s on !ada)i3s =the fo&nder of A-OO8OS@ in)&nction that the Tantric life is most definitely :not3 for anyone ho is not heterosex&al1 The C&estion is p&t to me that 4sho&ldn3t a g&r& have risen a/ove s&ch a limited vie point(5 To hich 2 can only reply that !ada)i. li'e any other fig&re. has to /e ta'en ithin the c&lt&ral context of his time1 Any person can only challenge an iss&e or /elief /y recognising that something is an iss&e in the first place1 2 don3t thin' it is appropriate to instantly leap to the s&pposition that /eca&se he said this. !ada)i as

therefore homopho/ic and therefore anything else he said or rote is immediately s&spect1 The hole thing )&st asn3t an iss&e the ay it is no adays1 7hilst 2 do not 'no the f&ll tale of Harvey3s allegations of homopho/ia against -other -eera. -ar' -ato&se'. a&thor of 4Sex !eath ;nlightenment5 says that he visited -other -eera ith Andre Harvey. and that the acc&sation of homopho/ia is &n)&stified:

42 do 'no that the idea that she3s homopho/ic is completely ridic&lo&s1 For Dod3s sa'e. e ere served /rea'fast in /ed together in her ho&se15 =L&oted from an 2ntervie ith Cliff Bostoc' p&/lished in Creative +oafing. Atlanta@

2ndian attit&des to sex&ality 0 partic&larly female sex&ality " homosex&ality are vastly different to those of modern estern li/erals1 7e sho&ld not forget that c&lt&ral /ias c&ts /oth ays /efore accepting &ncritically hat eastern spirit&al fig&res say a/o&t modern lifestyles1 Of co&rse. :&ncritical acceptance3 is all too often the case. and 2 am very m&ch reminded of a comment attri/&ted to a modern B&ddhist teacher that one sho&ldn3t leave one3s common sense /ehind along ith one3s shoes at the door1 The idea that the D&r& or Teacher is someho fla ed or displays all0too0h&man ea'nesses is apparently a hard lesson for some people to learn1 2 recall my first meeting ith an elder magician ho as later. to /ecome for me. a teacher0fig&re1 An old man carrying a /iKarre magical staff and ex&ding an other0 orldly air1 The ay he tal'ed and the ay others deferred to him =or so it seemed to me@ led me to /elieve that 2 had finally enco&ntered an :advanced adept3 2 co&ld learn from1 Fort&nately. 2 as soon disa/&sed of this idealistic pro)ection. as the :adept3 la&nched into a story of ho he had &pset some 2rishmen in a p&/ and that. sensing imminent confrontation. he had gone into the toilets. ripped off one of the 4/og0chains5 0 hich had a heavy porcelain handle. and gone /ac' into the p&/ hirling it over his head and sho&ting 4Come on. thenM5 This tale initially ca&sed me some conf&sion. /&t C&ic'ly led me a ay from p&tting him on a pedestal1 As 2 gre to 'no this elder magician. e had many interesting conversations1 He never accepted the la/el of 4teacher5 saying instead that e ere /rother0sorcerers. exchanging information1 7hen 2 ent to him ith an idea for some ne rit&al or techniC&e. his reply to my C&estion 47hat3ll happen if 2 do this(5 as invaria/ly along the lines of 42 don3t 'no 0 try it o&t and tell me a/o&t it after ards15 Th&s. rather than telling me hat 2 o&ght. or o&ght not to do. he ena/led me to find the confidence to stri'e o&t on my o n magical path. and al ays C&alified his interpretations of my experience as /eing merely his o n individ&al perspective and that he did not see himself as an :a&thority31 2n retrospect. 2 o&ld characterise my relationship ith this elder magician as that /et een a st&dent and mentor1 The term mentor derives from the Dree'. here -entor is the co&nsellor of Telemach&s. son of Odyesse&s1 2t has /ecome synonymo&s ith the notions of :a tr&sted friend3. an adviser. co&nsellor or teacher1 -entor3s tas' as not merely to ed&cate Telemach&s. /&t to prepare and develop him for the responsi/ilities he o&ld have to face as Odyesse&s3s heir1 A mentor is someone ho offers 'no ledge. insights or perspectives that are especially &sef&l to the other person1 For me. hat characterises the core of the mentoring relationship as opposed to the pop&lar vie of the Teacher or D&r& is that it is an intimate relationship. rather than a distant one1 To /e effective. the mentor m&st respect the &niC&eness of the other person. and see' to empo er them /y assisting them in the development of their o n a/ilities1 7e can see the res&lts of dysf&nctional teaching hen e meet so0called magicians

ho appear to /e little more than mirror0reflections of their teachers. ho lac' independent voices and hold the orld at /ay ith their /elief0systems hich =as Peter F1 Carroll once C&ipped@ 4act not even as cr&tches for the fee/le. /&t /ro'en legs for the incapa/le51 The tendency to teach magic to others :coo'/oo' style.3 rather than enco&raging individ&als to t ist techniC&es and theories so that they are relevant

to their immediate life experience. is responsi/le for m&ch of the /lin'ered. narro thin'ing of many modern occ&ltists1 2 s&spect that this is d&e to the fact that :teachers3 have a position to cling to. hich involves 'eeping st&dents aro&nd them rather than letting them go off and p&rs&e their o n interests1 Some of the /est -entors in comparison are those ho vie the mentoring process as a learning experience for themselves1 The idea of ageless isdom. passed do n from -age to 6eophyte is an endearing one. /&t is inacc&rate in a orld of constant. accelerating change1 -entoring reC&ires /oth or' and responsi/ility for /oth parties in the relationship1 2t is a partnership /et een -entor " st&dent. /ased on m&t&al respect1 Another C&ote from Ao/ert Anton 7ilson is apposite to the disc&ssion. that 0 4comm&nication is only possi/le amongst eC&als15 Both -entor " St&dent contri/&te " gain eC&ally from the relationship1 Ho ever. having said this. it m&st also /e recognised that /oth St&dents and potential -entors need to /e clear a/o&t hat expectations they /ring to the relationship1 For the relationship to /e effective. these expectations m&st /e made explicit1 -entoring is /ased on a friendly. informal relationship. and any attempts to extract firm promises from either side are li'ely to end /adly1 This is not to say ho ever. that some form of agreement /et een St&dent and -entor is not &sef&l1 2f /oth parties have made their expectations from the relationship explicit. then an agreement can act to remind /oth parties of specific o/)ectives hich have arisen from their m&t&al or'. and secondly. it can /e dra n on occasionally to clarify the /o&ndaries of the relationship to /oth parties1 This latter point is partic&larly &sef&l in -agical -entoring. here it is easy for the -entor3s infl&ence to extend /eyond the /o&ndaries of the immediate magical relationship 0 and often does. &nder a variety of g&ises and )&stifications1 The desire for this can come from -entor or St&dent. or may even arise &n/idden from the sharing of intense magical experiences1 Similar pro/lems are not &n'no n /et een therapists and clients. n&rses and patients. or teachers and p&pils1 9es. this sit&ation is open to a/&se. /&t need not necessarily arise1 2f e t&rn to ancient. rather than contemporary vie s of the D&r&. it /ecomes fairly apparent that st&dying ith a D&r& as often a tra&matic process1 There are many stories a/o&t Qen and Tantric masters /ehaving in a ay that is vastly different to the modern idea of the other0 orldly saint1 ASh6 JJ. riting in 6&it02sis Vol1 22 6o1$. reco&nts the story of a Qen master ho met every one of his p&pil3s C&estions ith a /lo from a heavy cane1 ;vent&ally. the p&pil sho&ts 4;no&ghM5 and )&mps &p and snaps the cane. and then realises ho &nnecessary his slavish o/edience to his master as1 2t seems to me that the old masters ere all too a are of the tendency of aspirants to p&t their g&ides on pedestals and deli/erately led them from a ay from /eing dependent. often /y reco&rse to rather extreme tactics1 ASh6 JJ also points o&t in the same article that -atsyendranath. hen dist&r/ed from his meditations /y o&ld0/e follo ers. responded /y 4getting dr&n'. an'ing and h&rling his shit at onloo'ers. only teaching those ho remainedM5 There are also a n&m/er of stories centred aro&nd the deeds of Dora'nath. the

primary p&pil of -atsyendranath. the fo&nder of the Adinatha sect of Tantrics1 Dora'nath. it is said. co&ld raise the dead. /&t &nli'e other great Spirit&al -asters. he often 'illed people first in order to demonstrate this po erM One of my favo&rites is a tale feat&ring Dora'nath and his master. -atsyendranath1 On their anderings. they came across a village here the local Aa)ah as overseeing the hanging of a rong0doer1 As chance o&ld have it. the rong0doer managed to escape his g&ards

and C&ic'ly made himself scarce1 Th arted. the angry Aa)ah declared that he as going to hang the t o tallest men in the cro d that had gathered 0 hich of co&rse as -atsyendranath and Dora'nath1 As soon as they ere /ro&ght /efore the Aa)ah. the t o /egan to arg&e a/o&t ho sho&ld /e hanged first1 -atsyendranath arg&ed that. as he as the master. he sho&ld /e h&ng first1 Dora'nath disagreed vehemently1 2ntrig&ed /y this &n&s&al eagerness in his victims. the Aa)ah as'ed them hy they arg&ed1 The t o replied that. /y cons&lting the holy /oo's. the sages and the movement of the stars. they had determined that the first person to /e h&ng in this place o&ld go straight to 6irvana1 Hearing this. the Aa)ah declared that if anyone as most deserving of s&ch a fate. it as to /e him and none other1 So he ent illingly to the gallo s and p&pil and master ent on their ayM +egends s&ch as these ill&strate that altho&gh -atsyendranath and Dora'nath ere credited ith s&perh&man po ers and isdom. they ere not &n0 orldly :p&re /eings3 in the ay that modern D&r&0fig&res are expected to /e1 This is very m&ch a modern conception and 2 thin'. one hich perhaps has overly /een infl&enced /y Christian0/ased attit&des1 2t3s too easy to slip into the attit&de that someone ho is revered as an incarnation of the divine or is an intermediary /et een the individ&al aspirant and the divine so&rce is god0li'e in the modern. Christian sense 0 distant. &ninvolved and perfect1 This is vastly different to ards. for example. the 2ndian0Tantric vie of divinities1 The Dods act from the position of divine sport or play =+ila@1 +oo' at Shiva for instance1 He smo'es dope. /ehaves li'e a madman. hangs o&t ith demons and corpses and is definitely an instance of a 4god /ehaving /adly51 Personally. 2 o&ld not /e a/le to ta'e serio&sly any self0proclaimed Shiva0avatar ho didn3t 'no ho to partyM The critics of the g&r&0system seem to have ignored the 2ndian esoteric schools hich pro/a/ly do not appeal to the : hite0light3 mentality1 2 o&ld agree ith 8ramer " Alstead3s critiC&e of 4ren&nciate morality5. hilst pointing o&t that the Tantric script&res ma'e very clear the limitations of s&ch self0negation and self0mortification1 A long0standing esoteric clich< has it that 4 hen the p&pil is ready. the master ill appear15 2t seems to me that there is not eno&gh attention paid to hat constit&tes :readiness3 and that people are all too eager to r&sh off and s&rrender themselves to an a&thority0fig&re =/e it D&r&. therapist or adept@ only to /e disappointed. hen. as +ionel Snell p&t it. they t&rn o&t to have :/ad /reath or andering hands31 As m&ch as e need to re0eval&ate the role of the esoteric g&ide or teacher. e need to recognise o&r o n complicity as individ&als in the matter1 Occasionally 2 as' my o n tantric g&r& = ho initiated me into the 6atha c&rrent 0 /&t only after e spent a year getting to 'no each other@ to send me a photo so 2 can revere him rit&ally1 He 'no s 23m not serio&s and 2 'no that s&ch reC&ests ma'e him sC&irm. yet at the same time 2 am ac'no ledging the insights. g&idance and friendship e have shared over the years. hich 2 freely ac'no ledge has shaped my magical development1 Andre Harvey. hilst calling for the removal of the Spirit&al :A&thority0fig&re3 is C&ic' to point o&t that hilst people sho&ld not =&ncritically@ p&t their faith in masters. this does not mean that spirit&al development is entirely a solo affair. and that 49o& a/sol&tely need a comm&nity spirit&al friends and g&ides51 To hich 2 conc&r1 2t is said that hen a prince as'ed -atsyendranath ho his D&r& as. he pointed to the roc's and trees aro&nd his place of meditation 0 hich 2 read as an in)&nction that one3s o n experience of life is the greatest D&r&. rather than /oo's or s&per0h&man. yet distant. a&thority0fig&res1 2nstead of loo'ing for teachers. see' friends and fello ship

instead1

Five: The )oy of sects To close this present series of articles. 2 ill ta'e a loo' at some of the diverse Tantric sects hich have flo&rished in 2ndia and their infl&ence1 The term sect. in pop&lar &sage. implies a specific doctrine. a priesthood. and an excl&sive lay follo ing1 2n 2ndia ho ever. the sit&ation as =and remains@ m&ch more amorpho&s. /eing generally characterised /y m&t&al tolerance /et een different gro&ps and sects1 2n ancient times ho ever. it as not &n'no n for competitions to ta'e place. ta'ing the form of p&/lic de/ates or :miracle3 contests1 The image of the andering medicant con)&res many n&ances of mood and meaning in 2ndia1 Homeless. andering holy men. ith am&lets and r&dra'sa /eads aro&nd their nec's. rhinoceros horn ear0rings. ashes on their foreheads. &n'empt hair. singing praises of god. roaring li'e a /&ll. /ehaving li'e madmenI the appearance of hom in an 2ndian village co&ld /e /oth an image of profo&nd terror and potency1 To the yogi. 6othing is for/iddenI he =or she@ is free from society and it3s moralities1 The 9ogi is magician0sorcerer. master of alchemy. astrologer. )&ggler. poet. sed&cer of mind and heart. and also. an a a'ened one1 -ystical asceticism1the aim of hich is enlightenment thro&gh the mortification of the /ody as. and remains. a strong tradition in 2ndia1 After all. /oth the Da&tama B&ddha and -ahavira =fo&nder of the Fain sect@ doctrines originated from mystery schools here a&sterities =in vario&s forms@ formed the /asis for practice1 The fig&re of the ascetic appears in the oldest 2ndian literat&re1 The :mad3 m&ni is descri/ed in a hymn in the Aig Veda as: The -&nis. girdled ith the ind. 7ear garments soiled. of yello h&eI After the ind3s co&rse follo they. 7hen once the gods have entered them1 Vay& has t irled for himI for him He /rea'eth things most hard to /endI 7hen he. the hairy one. has dr&n' 7ith A&dra from the poison0c&p1

Alexander the Dreat is reported to have enco&ntered ascetics d&ring his visit to 2ndia in 3%G BC1 Practices of self0denial hich contin&e &p to the present day incl&de vo s of silence. standing constantly for years. standing on one leg. or holding one arm contin&o&sly in the air for years1 2t is /elieved that thro&gh s&ch practices. /oth ill&mination and magical po ers may /e attained1 These na'ed onder0 or'ers had their origins in the pre0Vedic traditions hich flo&rished /efore the Aryan 2nvasion and the esta/lishment of the Brahminic Tradition1 The PRs&patas The roots of the PRs&patas are lost in antiC&ity. altho&gh some scholars trace them to a !ravindian Sect. hich as driven &ndergro&nd d&ring the Aryan invasion1 There does seem to /e a general consens&s that the PRs&patas ere one of the earliest Saivate sects1 These ascetics /ehaved in the fashion of poor madmenI gi//ering nonsense. t itching. snoring. limping. ma'ing le d gest&res to omen. rolling in dirt. /athing in ashes and mast&r/ating in p&/lic1 By co&rting disfavo&r from others. the PRs&patas demonstrated that they had lost their attachment to pride and egotistical tendencies. in em&lation of A&dra0Siva1 The name of this sect is derived from PRs&pati =or Pash&pati@ the 4+ord of Animals5. a title given to the god A&dra =lit1 4roarer5@1 2n the convol&ted mythic cycles concerning A&dra. it /ecomes apparent that A&dra is very m&ch a ild god1 He accepts all 'inds of sacrifices. and often has to ma'e do ith the leavings of other sacrifices or li/ations that o&ld /e considered &nfit for other gods1 2t is considered that hat may /e vie ed on the one hand as mythic h&miliations of A&dra /y the other gods. sho&ld /e considered as acts of ascetic detachment on the part of PRs&pati. ho is also acclaimed as the s&preme 9ogi1 Th&s. the PRs&patas strove to attract the contempt of others as the path to li/eration1 Also. the ord PRs& or Pash& can /e translated as :/east3. and in Tantra this is a classification applied to those ho are entirely /o&nd &p in the fetters of attachments 0 the greatest of hich is 2gnorance1 The vo of the PRs&patas as th&s to remove the :noose3 of attachments1 The 8apali'as The 8apali'as &sed a h&man s'&ll as a food0/o l. /athed in the ashes from cremations. and ere /elieved to commit h&man sacrifice1 6at&rally. they inspired fear and distaste in the orthodox1 The term :8apali'a3 can /e translated as 4/earer of the S'&ll0Bo l.5 and these sadh&s orshipped Bhairava. the S&preme Beggar. a terri/le aspect of Shiva. ho carried ith him the severed fifth head of Brahma. hich he had c&t off. &sing his left th&m/nail1 2n expiation for his sin. Bhairava made the 8apali'a vo . hich as to roam the orld. /egging. &ntil the s'&ll fell from his hand1 An associated legend tells of the meeting of Bhairava ith a gro&p of forest0d elling sages1 The sages practiced a&sterities and tended a sacred fire. and they did not recognise Shiva0Bhairava. ho appeared as a na'ed mendicant. carrying only the s'&ll0 /o l1 He ho led and danced. appearing as a madman ith a /lac' face1 6ot only did this startling apparition dist&r/ the rites of the sages. he also attracted their omen to him1 The sages c&rsed the lingam of this s&preme /eggar. and it fell. transformed

into a pillar of fire1 Some variants of the legend say that another linga appeared to replace that hich had fallen. and hen the sages sa it. it too as c&rsed. and fell to earth in a /laKe of fire. only to /e replaced instantaeno&sly /y another linga. hich in t&rn too as c&rsed. and so on1 2n another. after the linga fell. Bhairava vanished1 2n a third version. Bhairava leaves the forest. accompanied /y the frenKied omen

of the sages1 He appears at the ho&se of Vishn&. here&pon his passage is /arred /y Visva'sena. Vishn&3s door'eeper. ho does not recognise Bhairava1 The &nfort&nate door'eeper is slain /y Bhairava. &sing a trident =the eapon commonly associated ith Shiva@1 Vishn& then ca&sed /lood to sp&rt from his forehead. in an attempt to fill the s'&ll0/o l hich Bhairava carried1 Bhairava dances on. carrying the corpse of Visva'sena and a s'&ll f&ll of the /lood of the preserver. &ntil he reaches the holy city of Varanasi =Banaras@. after hich he is li/erated from the s'&ll vo 1 This legend. complex as it is. is oven aro&nd the crime of /rahminicide 0 the 'illing of a Brahmin1 Bhairava is one of those paradoxical fig&res of 2ndian myth 0 he has /ro'en all fetters1 He has severed one of the heads of the Creator. 'illed the door'eeper of Vishn&. the preserverI he dances na'ed. accompanied /y omen =and in some versions of the myth. Vishn&@. and he appears as a fig&re of horror and ecstasy1 2t seems that yogis of the 8apali'a sect ere some hat feared. having a rep&tation for possessing a esome magical po ers. /&t rep&ted to carry off omen and ensnare victims for h&man sacrifice1 A161 Saltore reco&nts a legend that Bhairava once too' &p residence in the mo&th of Dora'nath and performed :religio&s a&sterities3 there1 Dora'nath as almost cho'ed. and only managed to expel Bhairava /y extolling his glory1 Saletore ta'es this legend as an indication of a possi/le connection /et een the 6athas and 8apali'as. hich is also noted in passing /y -1 -agee =a&thor of Tantra -agic'. Tantric Astrology. and n&mero&s translations of tantric texts@ in his 6atha FAL1 2n the Pra/odha Chandrodaya. the follo ing ords are attri/&ted to a iKard of the 8apali'as: -y nec'lace and ornaments are of h&man /onesI 2 d ell among the ashes of the dead and eat my food in h&man s'&lls1 2 loo' ith eyes /rightened ith the antinomy of 9oga. and /elieve that the parts of this orld are reciprocally different. /&t that the hole is not different from Dod1 111After fasting e drin' liC&or o&t of the s'&lls of BrahmansI o&r sacred fires are fed ith the /rains and l&ngs of men mixed &p ith their flesh. and h&man /eings covered ith the fresh /lood g&shing from the dreadf&l o&nd in their throats. are the offerings /y hich e appease the terri/le god =-aha Bhairava@1 2n classical literat&re. 8apali'as are occasionally moc'ed. appearing as dr&n'ards or evil sorcerers1 This vie of the 8apali'as as dr&n'ards is. at least on the s&rface. reinforced /y the follo ing C&ote from the 8&lanarva Tantra: 4The adept sho&ld drin'. drin' and drin' again &ntil he falls to the gro&nd1 2f he gets &p and drin's again. he ill /e freed from re/irth1 His happiness enchants the goddess. +ord Bhairava delights in his s ooning. his vomiting pleases all the gods15 The s'&ll carried /y the 8apali'a devotee as identified ith that of Brahma. and &sed for eating and drin'ing from1 !avid +orenKen. in The 8apali'as and 8alam&'has =$,#%@. feels that it as &nli'ely that the 8apali'a devotee o&ld resort first to /rahminicide in order to o/tain the :right sort3 of s'&ll. altho&gh he does say that the s'&ll carried had to /e that of a man of no/le caste1 Ho ever. /earing in mind the 8apali'as3 rep&tation for cond&cting h&man sacrifice. and their occasional martial ardo&r. e might dra o&r o n concl&sions as to the possi/le role of rit&al m&rder in

the c&lt3s rit&als1

The /asis of 8apali'a devotion appears to have /een /ha'ti in the form of personal devotion to Bhairava1 2f the critics of the c&lt are to /e /elieved. then the foremost method of rit&al propitiation of Bhairava as thro&gh animal or h&man sacrifice1 2t as =and pro/a/ly remains@ idely /elieved that a h&man sacrifice. /eing extremely gratifying to primordial deities s&ch as Bhairava or Candi. removes all transgressions from him ho ma'es the offering1 Self0sacrifice thro&gh a&sterities. practice of mental and physical disciplines and occasional self0m&tilations. also appear to have /een practised ithin the 8apali'a c&lt1 Since Bhairava. in the legends. appears to /e very m&ch of an ecstatic fig&re. one might concl&de that his orship also incl&ded dionysiac revelry1 There are also n&mero&s all&sions made to the effect that p&)a employing corpses as part of the c&lt3s practice1 7hilst many of these reports are do&/tless /iased. s&ch practices are ell ithin the corp&s of legends relating to Shiva0Bhairava3s love of corpse0gro&nds. and the legions of gho&ls. spirits. ghosts and demons ho attend him therein1 2n addition. it is clear that 8apalins practised sex0magical rites and so&ght the siddhis =achievements 0 i1e1 magical po ers@ thro&gh the practices of Hatha yoga. and. as already noted. ere 'no n as sorcerers of m&ch =tho&gh often ill0@ rep&te1 The 6athas The 6athas are considered /y some to /e the original sect of Tantric Sadh&s1 The term :6ath3 is a Sans'rit ord for +ord or -aster and is an epithet of Shiva. as the +ord of 9oga1 2t is tho&ght that the 6athas /ecame a distinct sect aro&nd 3??0E?? A!1 The t o m&st important fig&res in the legendary history of the 6athas are -atsyendranath. and his disciple. Dora'nath1 Dora'nath is often credited for devising or reintrod&cing Hatha 9oga in the >th Cent&ry A!. and also the no 0familiar concepts of cha'ras and '&ndalini1 Dora'nath /ecame a legendary hero0fig&re. appearing in many stories as a mysterio&s stranger. c&ring the sic'. /ringing rain. raising the dead1 He as later deified as an incarnation of Shiva. and there are several Temples dedicated to him1 -any of the 6atha s&/sects revere him as their fo&nder and the D&r'has. famed in /attle for their heroism. orship Dora'hnath as a god and he has many centres of orship in 6epal1 The 6athas ere great /ards. and many legends ere carried /y them from village to village in a mixt&re of song. dance. religion and magic1 They also carried the compassionate tr&ths of the B&ddha into Saivite doctrine1 Their monasteries /ecame repositories of art and literat&re concerned ith magic. palmistry. alchemy. astrology and divine ecstasy1 The 6atha c&lt as itself divided into a variety of s&/0sects. of hich pro/a/ly the most ell0doc&mented is the 8anphatas =lit1 :split0eared3@1 These yogis derive their name from an initiation d&ring hich a specially0chosen g&r& splits the central hollo s of /oth ears &sing a 'nife or raKor1 The slits are pl&gged ith ood and hen the o&nds are healed. large rings are inserted made from a variety of materials s&ch as metal or rhinoceros horn1 The origins of this practice can /e traced to vario&s so&rces 0 s&ch as Shiva3s earing of large earrings. or vario&s legends concerning /oth -atsyendranath or Dora'hnath1 According to some so&rces. the splitting of the ears is said to open a partic&lar nadi =s&/tle energy channel@ hich some yogis

claim res&lts in their hearing a constant h&mming noise1 2t is orth noting that the large. cylindrical ear0rings are 'no n as :8&ndal3 =i1e1 :coiled3@ recalling the 9oga of 8&ndalini0Sha'ti1

Deorge 7eston Briggs. in his /oo' Dora'hnath and the 8anphata 9ogis descri/es the preliminary initiation of an aspirant to the Sect =the ear0splitting comes later@ as follo s: The candidate is first closely confined for a period ranging from forty days to three to six monthsI that is. for a period of testing satisfactory to the g&r&1 !&ring this time. the candidate is tried as to his resol&tion and a/ility to carry o&t his &nderta'ing1 At the same time he is diss&aded from /ecoming a 9ogi. the g&r& pointing o&t to him the hardships that his initiation and his life as a 9ogi o&ld entail1 7hen the g&r& is satisfied ith the self0control and resol&tion sho n /y the candidate. a fast of t o or three days may /e prescri/ed1 Then. on the day chosen for the initiation ceremony. the candidate /athes and appears /efore his g&r&111 A t o0edged 'nife. ith hich the ears are to /e split in the second stage of initiation. is presented to the candidate three times. and he is again diss&aded from proceeding ith the ceremony1 The 'nife is dra n into the gro&nd. or laid do n /efore him and the candidate ta'es the necessary vo s over it. s earing not to engage in trade. not to ta'e employment. not to 'eep dangero&s eapons. not to /ecome angry hen a/&sed. not to marry. and to protect his ears1 The 6athas and A-OO8OS The 6atha tradition as introd&ced to the 7est /y Sri D&r&dev -ahendranath 0 !ada)i. the %3rd Adig&r& =chief g&r&@ of the 6athas1 !ada)i as /orn in +ondon in April $,$$1 From his early yo&th he had a deep interest in the spirit&al systems of the orld and in his t enties 'ne Aleister Cro ley. meeting him after the infamo&s F&stice S ift li/el case1 Cro ley advised the yo&ng see'er to learn a/o&t the patterns of the ;ast1 B&t the Spanish Civil 7ar. in hich !ada)i fo&ght in the 2nternational Bridge. and then the Second 7orld 7ar. intervened1 2t as $,E, /efore he left the shores of Britain to arrive penniless in Bom/ay1 Here he as introd&ced to his g&r& in the 6atha tradition and initiated as a sadh& =holy man@1 For the next 3? years !ada)i andered so&th east Asia as a penniless sannyasin1 His travels too' him to Bh&tan here he received initiation as a lama of the 8argy&pta SectI -alaysia. here he /ecame a Taoist priest and st&died the 2 ChingI Ceylon here he as for a time a /hi''h& of Theravada B&ddhismI and Thailand here he lived as a hermit1 He as also initiated into the Httara 8a&la tantri' sect and the Saha)iya c&lt of Varanasi1 !ada)i as 'een that the isdom of the 6athas sho&ld have a ider expos&re. and in $,#> he initiated another ;nglishman. Sri +o'anath ho. in $,>%. fo&nded A-OO8OS 0 the Arcane and -agical Order of the 8nights of Sham/hala1 Over the next fo&r or five years. international mem/ership of A-OO8OS gre to over %?? individ&als1 There are no a ide cross0section of individ&als or'ing in the 6atha tradition across the orld. many as lone sadh&s and some r&nning small in0gro&ps and clans1 There is a thriving natha presence on the internet. and a great deal of tantric material can /e fo&nd on the 7orld07ide 7e/1 The core of the 6atha philosophy is enshrined in the term Svecchacharya1 Svecchacharya is a Sans'rit term hich can /e &nderstood as 4the path of doing one3s

ill15 The a&thor Bernard 7al'er has commented that it is synonymo&s ith Aleister Cro ley3s in)&nction 4!o 7hat Tho& 7ilt15 Tantrics /elieve that it is o&r conditioning 0 the del&sions and artificial limitations hich e place &pon o&rselves 0 that

prevent &s from realising o&r hidden. radiant nat&re1 -&ch of 6atha practice then. is aimed at loosening o&rselves from the :8leshas3 ='nots@ hich /ind &s and prevent &s from &niting ith the Shiva0Sha'ti ithin1 A doer of Svecchacharya follo s no r&les other than to do his or her o n ill1 2n the 6atha tradition there are no rigoro&s reg&lations regarding hat one sho&ld or sho&ld not do1 As !ada)i once commented 0 4A Sannyasin has no r&les to follo . )&st a ay of life to live15 6on0sectarianism is also a core element of the 6atha tradition1 Therefore. for a 6ath. all paths are eC&ally valid and deserving of respect. even if they are not hat e choose to do o&rselves1 -&ch of the sectarianism e see in modern occ&ltism is /ased on &nthin'ing pre)&dice or the desire to /e 4Aight5 hich necessitates seeing others as 47rong15

So&rces The Amoral 7ay of 7iKardry 0 !ada)i The Complete 8ama S&tra 0 Alain !ani<lo&. Par' Street Press The ;arth -other 0 P&p&l Faya'ar. Peng&in Boo's. $,>, Dora'nath and the 8anphata 9ogis. Deorge 7eston Briggs. -otilal $,>, 8ali3s Child: The -ystical and the ;rotic in the +ife and Teachings of Aama'rishna. Feffrey F1 8ripal. Hniversity of Chicago Press. $,,J The 8apali'as and 8alam&'has: T o +ost Saivite Sects !avid +orenKen. -otilal $,#% A +ect&re On Tantri'a 0 -i'e -agee =printed in Vitriol magaKine. $,>#@ The Philosophy of Sadhana. Be/a Brata SenSharma. SH69. $,,? The Serpent Po er 0 Arth&r Avalon. !over Boo's Sex&al -agic' 0 8aton Sh&al. -andra'e of Oxford The Siddha L&est for 2mmortality. 81V1 Qvele/il. -andra'e of Oxford. $,,G Shamans. -ystics " !octors 0 S&dhir 8a'ar. Hniversity of Chicago Press. $,,$ The S ord and the Fl&te 0 !1 A1 8insley. -otilal Banarsidas P&/lishers Tantra 0 2ndra Sinha. Hamlyn The Tantras: Part One 0 8aton Sh&al. 6&it02sis 6o1, Tantra -agic' 0 -andra'e of Oxford The Tantric Tradition 0 Agehananda Bharati. Aider Boo's. $,#? 7omen. Androgynes and other -ythical Beasts. 7endy !oniger O3Flaherty. HCP. $,>? The 9oga of Po er 0 F&li&s ;vola. 2nner Traditions +in's

Fifth Aeon ;gregore Tantric Home page Occ&lt e0/oo's