Foundation Practices of Tantric Yoga, Trimester 1 of 3
Course Material
Foundations of Tantric Yoga, Trimester I
- Bodily Awareness and Breathing 1
- Alimentation and Nourishment 1
- Opening the Subtle Body 1
- Training the breath and body together 1
- Purifying Actions 1
- Seats of Meditation 1
- Sanctifying the Body 1
- Auditory/Mental Tools 1
- Visual Yogas 1
- Sexual Energy Cultivation and Circulation 1
- Gestures, Seals, and Inner Attitudes 1
- Yoga of Sound 1
Video Testimonial:
Topics by Class Session
Introduction and Orientation
Class 1: The Complete Breath
Class 2: Breathing Subtle Energy / 4 factors that inhibit the physical breath
Class 3: the act of conscious eating/drinking
Class 4: food effects on the body and mind
Class 5: opening the body-consciousness, part 1: physical charana
Class 6: opening the subtle body-consciousness – subtle charana
Class 7: Sanctifying the Body, part 1: Nyasa
Class 8: Sanctifying the Body, part 2: Nyasa
Class 9: Seats of Meditation, part 1: exploration of alignment
Class 10: Seats of Meditation: finding the seat
Class 11: Training the Breath and Body Together
Class 12: Training the body and breath together, con’t
Class 13: Purifying Actions – Overview, Kapalabhati with Uddiyana, Tratak
Class 14: Purifying Actions con’t: Neti and the 9 Clearing Breaths
Class 15: The Visual Yogas: eye exercises, shambavi mudra
Class 16: The Visual Yogas: The five directional gazes
Class 17: Gestures, Seals, and Inner Attitudes: bodily mudras
Class 18: Gestures, Seals, and Inner Attitudes – the Secret Smile
Class 19: Yogas of Sound: internal sound – spoken vowels
Class 20: Yogas of Sound – vocalized vowels as nyasa, bindu visarga (“mnnng”)
Class 21 – Yogas of Sound: using external music
Class 22- Yogas of Sound – Nyasa as auditory laya (absorption)
Class 23 – Cultivating Sexual Energy as an Internal Experience
Class 24 – Circulating Sexual Energy
Summary Session: Foundations Trimester 1
If you are not the religious type Tao’s Tantra courses can be clearly understood within a scientific context. Tantra techniques are scientific methods to elicit various and specific responses from the body. The transformation of the body that results could be thought of as spiritual, or not.
Sound (mantra) and touch (nyasa) are introduced early on in the course as tools to fine tune the body. It all makes sense very quickly. If you are self conscious or concerned about the more “ritualistic” aspects of Tantra, Tao begins with uncomplicated and nonsectarian principles and practice. You can progress in your comfort zone.
The key concept of mudra becomes part of your practice from the beginning. It is much more than a hand gesture. Combined with tratak and shambhavi, you are already on the path of absorption and Samadhi.
Finally, Tao makes it plain that he is not trying to produce “cookie-cut” yogis. He constantly reminds us to experiment, experiment, experiment. This is not a doctrinaire path.
–Nick, Foundations of Tantric Yoga student, Miami
Well, my expectations have been greatly exceeded, to say the least. Not only did I open kundalini, but I’m now able to direct my energy much more efficiently, expand my consciousness, and still stay grounded . My compassion and love for all beings, including myself, has really increased. I can courageously explore my own psyche without getting stuck there, as it’s all part of the big picture. Whole new worlds have been opened to me. As I said, it’s hard to convey the gratitude I feel for all of this in words. I practice regularly now, and I’ve continued on with KAP 2 and Foundation Practices of Tantric Yoga – both excellent courses and highly recommended.
Tao, your teaching style is excellent. I appreciate the way you have fully researched everything you present, and your explanation of the background and meaning of all of the material is great, especially for a person like myself who likes to know the “why” behind any subject I’m learning so I can put it all together. Your encouragement, assessment, and follow-up helps keep me going, too. You are also compassionate to the world (for example, organizing the fund raising effort for the flooding in Pakistan) and I’ve never heard you say anything unkind about anyone.
It didn’t take long for me to realize that the reason why you are so great at this is because you live it and practice it. Thank you for dedicating yourself to the practices. I don’t think I would have had these great results if I had learned this from someone who hadn’t made the journey himself.
There’s ongoing support, videos, and feedback, and the students and instructors regularly encourage one another as they evolve in their practices. I’ve met some wonderful new friends here.
The integrity level here is extremely high. I was never put under any pressure, made to feel uncomfortable in any way, or told I should recruit anyone. There’s no dogma and this works with all belief systems. As long as you’re willing to do your part and practice, you will have a life-changing experience too.
Thank you for everything.
Sincerely,
Dianne Orcher
hypnotherapist, energy worker, NLP practitioner
Dianne Orcher
hypnotherapist, energy worker, NLP practitioner, Tampa, FL
Techniques Covered:
physical and subtle breathing mechanics:
-methods of freeing up breathing
–basic self massage
–solar plexus massage
–thoraccic sidebends
-pelvic breathing
-abdominal breathing
-thoraccic breathing
-clavicular breathing
-the yogic complete breath
-how to move and magnetize prana (qi) when breathing
-gentle resistance breathing:
–breathing with light weight resistance
–submerged breathing
Conscious Eating:
-methods of conscious eating and imbibing
-effects of various foods on body and mind… seeking a personal balance
Shat karma:
-dimensions of purification: biological, prana in the meridians, awareness itself
-neti
-tratak
-abdominal massage and uddiyana leading towards nauli kriya
Seats of Meditation/ Posture:
-purifying and establishing the circle & sphere of awareness
-spinal suspension
-joint alignment and release
-tension and relaxation
-sitting egyptian style
-crosslegged sitting with hips elevated
-corpse pose
Opening the subtle body 1:
basic charana (practice) and joint opening/ awareness exercises
Nyasa:
-using touch to place awareness in the body
-principles and benefits
-Basic applications for:
–pacification
–sanctification
–balance
–absorption
Mantra:
Introduction to sound, physiology, vowel sounds, japa, ajapa japa, mantra laya…
1) vowel and guttural sounds
2) bindu visarga
Visual Yoga 1:
Introduction to the visual yogas: eye exercises, emdr, tratak, shambhavi
Introduction to vyayam and sukshma vyayam:
cultivation and circulation of blood, ojas, prana: garuda squats, suryanamaskar
Introduction to sexual cultivation and circulation:
breathing and spinal suspension through arousal, releasing the ligaments and pelvic floor
Mudra:
Internal attitude as an emotional seal: Dr. Morris’s Secret Smile
Yoga of Sound 1:
Nada Yoga: an introduction to sound resonance in music and its effects on consciousness
intro – practice pieces (mp3 discs)
My truth is you have always come from a highly experienced and very thoughtful perspective, always learning, open and teachable,… always listening then thoughtfully strategizing (nearly instantly) possibly an answer to a question or where to bring closure to a newly introduced topic,…guided by experience, intellect and possibly even your “guides”.
You are different than most Teachers, possessing a combination of skills that few obtain especially in this Tantric Yoga space.
To truly teach, you must have learned well enough to know…then you must be able to articulate what you know in a manner that is adjustable depending on the audience.
You are that and more. Truth is if you taught a class on knitting (and I have no interest in knitting) I would be likely to take the class and soon enjoy crafting sweaters or whatever you do in that space. Thanks for being the valuable resource you are, have always been, and will continue to be.
Much Love and Gratitude
Bob J.
–Bob J., student, Foundations of Tantric Yoga, Los Angeles, CA