Vishwa Yoga

Vishwa Yoga

Vishwa Yoga is a form of Tantric Yoga, for discovering and cultivating the purpose, power, and prosperity in all aspects of life. Vishwa is a Sanskrit name, it means the 'whole world'. Thus, Vishwa Yoga means - Yoga for the whole world. However, in Indian scriptures, 'Vishwa' is one of the names of Lord Vishnu as well as Lord Shiva. Thus the name carries an auspiciousness.

Yoga

Yoga is an ancient philosophy, practice, and state of the being. There are many approaches to yoga. Chances are, the Yoga you and everyone else you know who is into yoga, have been practicing some style of Hatha yoga. In fact, any type of yoga that includes bodily postures and/or breathing techniques is Hatha Yoga.

The word Hatha in Sanskrit literally means force or power, implying a practice requiring work on your part which is intended to liberate the dormant energies inside you. Also, the word Hatha is a combination of two separate "bija mantras" or single syllables. "Ha" represents the vital life force, pranic energy or sun/stimulating energy, "tha" represents mind, mental or moon/calming energy according to the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, one of the oldest and primary texts on Hatha Yoga. Yogis also translate "Ha" as the masculine or solar energy and "tha" as the feminine or lunar energy. Regardless, the point is that through this practice we bring balance to two opposing forces.

Most Yoga classes focus on asana or physical posture. Some with a strong emphasis on physical alignment to keep your body safe and injury free. Others focus on flowing from one asana to another to build stamina, strength, and heat. While others have a more mellow approach to restore the practitioner and reduce the wear and tear of life on the body. All these are great approaches and need to be practiced at some point, but a Yoga class with Tantric approach will have a slightly different approach.

Tantra & Tantric Yoga

The word Tantra (Tantric is an adjective which describes something coming from Tantra) is made up of two words: Tanoti and Trayati. Tanoti means "to weave, to expand, to stretch, to extend", while the word Trayati means "to liberate or free". Therefore Tantra (tan+tra) means to expand one's experience and awareness of everything, to extend the frontiers of apprehension beyond the material, and hence to attain spiritual knowledge and liberation. A tantric text called the 'Varahi Tantra' provides more than two dozen subjects of Tantra, such as  Consciousness, Spiritual practices, Yoga, Medicine, Science, use of Sexual energy as a means of higher awareness and much more. Tantra is a master ancient tradition, a system intended to teach us how to live life to the fullest. Yoga is the practical application of Tantra. As per Shiva Samhita, Tantra Yoga includes - Mantra Yoga, Hatha Yoga, Laya Yoga, and Raja Yoga.

The most popular form of Yoga today is different variations of Hatha Yoga including Vinyasa Yoga, Power Yoga, Hot Yoga, etc. But using the Tantric approach, for example in Hatha Yoga, using Asana as a foundation, you will seamlessly weave into the deeper practices of Pranayama, Mudra, Bandha, Mantra, Kriya, and Meditation. There will be a little guidance on alignment and some 'Vinyasa' (flowing from one asana to the other) and even some restorative/supported work. However, your experience with Tantra won't stop with the physical body. Through specialized breathing and meditation techniques you can build "sensitivity to the more subtle forces" referred as “prana” or “vital life force”. The ancient Hatha Yogis believed through learning to control prana, one also learns to control the mind. You will leave a yoga class feeling like you've cultivated vital life force and a clear mind.