Amongst the many Ancient Indian practices tantra is the most mysterious and soul stirring philosophy ever created by man or woman. Secretive and controversial, tantra was embraced by Yogis and Yoginis.
Tantra is like caffeine. Like the morning cup of coffee transforms the reluctant sleeping mind into a force of unity and purpose, tantra is a formula. It is not a book, or a science or a philosophy that explains fundamental truth about reality. It is more like the formulae mathematicians use to solve problems of reality.
Tantra is a mechanism a ‘machine’ that joins the inner world of the subject with the outer universe near and far. That is its main purpose. It is a dynamic system like the doctor’s prescription or a self-help manual.
One does not have to be really ‘tantric’ or esoteric to follow such formulae. At its heart tantra is a sutra; it is at its heart knowledge. That means it is logical. One can follow it or reject it.
An ultimate fitness formula is like finding the Holy Grail today. There are many excellent systems of fitness but it is not possible to define any as the ultimate system. Different sports, require different standards of skill and power which is applied with its own specialized understanding. And sometimes different kinds of fitness regimen will contradict each other. Sports like power lifting, heavy weight boxing or wrestling have contrasting views of fitness when compared to sports like long distance running or cycling et cetera.
The variety of human achievement in sports requires very different standards, reasoning and understanding about the human body. A single theory that could cover the whole expanse of human achievements sounds like a plain contradiction.
But tantra is not a theory about the mind or the theory about the universe it is a metaphysical theory about the underlying connection amongst the two. It is really a metaphorical language that attempts to bind the physical and mental.
If Buddha showed us the path then walking that path is tantra. Physical fitness is not just a matter of training the body. Great athleticism is a combination of physical prowess and mental calmness. To follow any fitness regimen requires a resilient mind. And since tantra is a logical formula it needs a particularly open mind. It changes the way we perceive the world. It makes the knowledge practical. But, knowledge can be like beauty, it lies in the eye of the beholder.
Tantra defines life as breathe of air. In tantra that is the most basic element, it is not the soul or the mind or body, it is the ‘breathe of air’ which is considered to be the best definition of Life itself. In other places, breathing is represented by an arrow ready to be fired upwards. In history, archery was a revolutionary discovery. It was a decisive factor in winning wars, Genghis Khan’s horde, horse riding archers with excellent shooting skills, were one of the most ruthless war machines that wiped out cities from Mongolia till coastal Spain. And in India archery was only learnt by the royalty. And the ancient superheroes in India were archers. Making it like a cult of super men. Much like what Nietzsche referred to in his writing.
The metaphor of archery is basically a metaphor for self control. The bow and arrow represent breathing, or the ‘breathe of life’. There are many interpretations explained and archery as a symbol is also understood in many ways.
In the Tantric or Yogic traditions pranayama or breathing exercises are the first step into the practical aspects of these systems. And the purpose of these breathing exercises is to change the way we control our breathing. Common sense teaches us that we breathe with the ‘help’ of our nose. Pranayama purports to teach that the nose is only an opening where the air is inhaled and exhaled. Like the string on the bow, it is the diaphragm which is the real force in our breathing.
We must realize that human lungs are an organ there are no muscles within the lungs like the heart that aid its function. It is the diaphragm which is the main muscle that aids our breathing. In tantric traditions, it is the complete control over your diaphragm which leads to Kundalini, rising upwards. However, currently it is only the logical aspect of tantra which is under scrutiny, not its tantric aspects.
The control over the diaphragm completely revolutionizes the ability of the mind to control and push the limits of our body. In a manner of speaking, the difference between a running enthusiast and a professional runner is the control over the diaphragm. It is this basic difference that gives the professional athlete complete focus on her body movements and helps her utilize her body weight to maximize her efforts.
The control over the diaphragm is not only necessary for activities such as running, but breathing is essential in non-athletic skills like archery too. It facilitates the confluence of mind and body. But the diaphragm as a muscle is not a muscle like the string on the bow. It is a rhythmic muscle, and its strength lies in its rhythmic action.
The diaphragm cannot be strengthened in the conventional sense. As a muscle, the diaphragm is open to observation but it is not possible to control it as such. But utilizing the diaphragm at all times to breathe while following a fitness regimen helps one master the exercises faster and better. In common parlance, this is called ‘deep breathing’. To excel at any fitness program, the act of merely observing deep breathing can completely change how the body meets the challenge. One cannot push the diaphragm, it is only possible to observe it and to ensure that at all times it remains a calm rhythmic motion.
Perhaps the importance of the diaphragm cannot be underscored in our ability to sing. And perhaps sound is the only method to control the diaphragm. There is a primitive connection between our diaphragm and rhythm or music. And this connection is metaphysical and magical. It is not surprising that esoteric schools utilized this connection to sell far greater dreams.
Tantra’s ultimate fitness formula, therefore, is diaphragmatic or deep, breathing. It is possible to be following any fitness regimen, but at the basis of all fitness programs, it is our breathing that is the link between rising up to challenges or struggling through one’s routines. This is not a philosophy or an ideology this is a formula.
