The mandala practice was in other words a typical Tantric practice of harmonising one’s own energy and consciousness with the deity (White 2000), becoming what one already was: a deity. This practice of self-deification or perfection ‘ (siddhi) can be seen in a range of other Tantric practices. The mudra practice for instance was often about using special gestures and poses. These gestures symbolised a deity and by keeping the gesture for prolonged time – in perhaps deep meditation or using breathing techniques – the siddha (the adept) accessed the divine.
The same applies to the japa practice of muttering syllables (mantras) (Timalsina 2005). Japa was the endless repeating of a word, which was thought to cause the consciousness to vibrate in divine ways. This took place in nada-yoga: by using sound (nada), which resonates with the universe, the adept became that divine universe. In Tantra, mantra chanting was often tightly integrated with visualisation techniques. Visualisation can on its own similarly produce states of trance. Visualisation was mostly used in combination with other techniques – often with pranayama. In such instances the breath was for instance visually guided through various channels in the body in order to bringprana (representing Sakti) and consciousness (representing Siva) to resonate together.
ADVANCED Push-Ups on Toes Lie prone on the ball Yoga poses for weight loss and flexibility and roll out until your pelvis and thighs are off the ball and your toes are on Yoga poses for weight loss and flexibility top. Curl your toes under and stretch into a full push-up position, hands directly under your shoulders. Bend your elbows wide, keeping your body straight and the ball still, then straighten. Hop feet off ball to finish. Repeat to 10 times. 9 Yoga and Pilates on the Ball Yoga and Pilates are already great exercise systems on their own and, as I’ve said about Pilates, neither of them were created with the ball in mind. However, even the most dedicated and experienced yogi will find these new moves on the ball fun and challenging. Both yoga and Pilates are considered mind body systems because their goal is not to simply improve the look of your body, but also to fine-tune the way you relate to your body.
