Interesting thread on the practices of Tantra and how they relate to sexual energy that is retained by celibacy.
I will add a couple of comments below, based on my understanding and intuition of these practices.
I will add a couple of comments below, based on my understanding and intuition of these practices.
The practices of Tantra ultimately derive from the Sāmkhya philosophical framework, on which they are grounded. Sāmkhya views all natural phenomena as a manifestation of two underlying forces: Prakriti (expression) which is feminine, and Purusha (experience) which is masculine.
At the abstract level, Prakriti and Purusha are not bound to biological sexes. They are both present in all forms of nature, whether male or female, or indeed whether living or non-living.
However, they are amplified in very specific and individualised ways in various beings.
However, they are amplified in very specific and individualised ways in various beings.
The biological sex is considered one specific manifestation of this deeper underlying polarity. The natural order of things is to obscure this polarity by entropy i.e, to be mixed up with no outer effect.
Similar to magnetic dipoles or electric dipoles in a high entropic state.
Similar to magnetic dipoles or electric dipoles in a high entropic state.
However, at a lower entropy state, there will be an outward manifestation of this polarity e.g, a magnetised iron bar. This is “Śakti”. The Sāmkhya system views all forms of natural energy as different variants of this Śakti. Maintaining low-entropy is essential to guard Śakti.
Living organisms are particularly good at creating and maintaining low entropy envelopes. Biological sex is one manifestation of this phenomenon.
Thus, men and women have amplified expressions of Prakriti and Purusha, but in very different ways, and which vary with time and age.
Thus, men and women have amplified expressions of Prakriti and Purusha, but in very different ways, and which vary with time and age.
The amplified expression of Prakriti is of the nature of “Āpa” (water) and that of Purusha is of the nature of “Agni” (fire). This relates to the Sāmkhya understanding of the 5 senses, and how close they are to the core experience of Purusha.
In men, the Śakti of Agni is amplified when they retain Śukra (semen) by maintaining celibacy. This is a process of controlling not just sexual desire, but all bodily desires and thoughts in the mind.
In women, the Śakti of Āpa is amplified when they menstruate or give birth.
In women, the Śakti of Āpa is amplified when they menstruate or give birth.
In the spiritual sense, both these Śaktis are considered extremely beneficial, if they are applied in the right manner.
Agni burns down barriers of illusion that obscure true conscious experience.
Āpa carries one forward, discards one’s past away, but also nourishes the body.
Agni burns down barriers of illusion that obscure true conscious experience.
Āpa carries one forward, discards one’s past away, but also nourishes the body.
It is possible for either men or women to develop these specific types of Śaktis. However, they have a certain edge, at specific times of their lives, to access one of them: men who maintain celibacy for at least a month, or women who are menstruating at the end of their month.
Why a month? Āyurvēda describes how various bodily fluids are formed consecutively from the others in the order: food, phlegm, blood, fat, bone and semen. Each preceding fluid is considered to carry the necessary replenishment for the latter. Semen is replenished after one month.
If there are impurities in these fluids, they can be replaced if one leads a chaste life for that period of replenishment.
For women, their expression of sexual energy (which is the egg) is also replaced in a month.
So a Vrata (vow of chastity) is maintained for that long.
For women, their expression of sexual energy (which is the egg) is also replaced in a month.
So a Vrata (vow of chastity) is maintained for that long.
The ritualistic practices of Hindu temples (indeed, their architecture and iconography) are an encoding of these Tantric practices to aid devotees maintain their Vrata. They are not places of congregation for prayer.
Naturally, they adopt practices that are extremely diverse.
Naturally, they adopt practices that are extremely diverse.
So I find particularly absurd that the Supreme Court of India (with zero knowledge or accreditation in these systems of Tantric philosophy) is barging in to destroy them, like in Śabarimala.
What business does this have in a secular state? Absurd beyond belief !
What business does this have in a secular state? Absurd beyond belief !
It is fine to not believe in these ritualistic/religious ideas. But why impose your own half-baked understanding of whatever on what others are practicing !?
This one-sided arrogance is clear to even neutral observers. Such interference is not tolerated in any other religion.
This one-sided arrogance is clear to even neutral observers. Such interference is not tolerated in any other religion.
