Twelve

Health and
Healing

Earlier in this book, I described how some Neo-Tantrics and some traditional Tantrics often do not agree with one another. Those Neo-Tantrics believe that the key element of Tantra is movement of a special form of the body’s energy, kundalini. Along with traditional Tantrics, they believe that this energy can be caused to move up the Sushumna nadi through visualization, breathwork, ritual behaviors, sexual arousal, or a combination of these methods. They believe traditional Tantrics waste their studies and practices on relatively useless things such as spiritual aspects, religious rituals, deities, mantra, yantra, and other concepts.

Some of the traditional Tantrics, on the other hand, claim that by focusing primarily on the movement of the kundalini, the Neo-Tantrics miss out on the essence of Tantra. They also believe that Neo-Tantrics oversimplify and misrepresent Tantric concepts and techniques. To them, it’s as if the Neo-Tantrics think the fuel pump is the only important part of a car, while to them there is so much more.

Practitioners of Modern Tantra believe that both the Neo-Tantrics and traditional Tantrics have much to share. We want to take from both sides and not eliminate anything that is practical and good.

To begin this chapter, I’m going to look at the technology used by so many Neo-Tantrics for healing and maintaining health. These techniques are closely related to a subject from the previous chapter, the chakras.

Symptoms of Ill Health
Associated with the Chakras

The chakras are not physical things; they are pathways for energy to move between the five koshas. As pathways, they cannot become diseased, as some have claimed. They can, however, become partially or completely blocked. Later I’ll describe ways to unblock them. But first I’m going to share a chart listing the chakras and issues associated with blocked chakras.

Chakra	Location	Physiology	Physical	Non-Physical
1	Coccyx	Base of spine, legs, feet, ankles, rectum, back, perineum, excretory system, skin, immune system	Sciatica, rectal tumor or cancer, diseases of the immune system, malfunctions resulting in depression, bloating, general physical health	Grounding, family issues, safety, survival, self-esteem, trusting, social skills
2	Genitals	Large intestine, lower vertebrae, pelvis, lower stomach, kidneys, appendix, bladder, reproductive system, genitals, bodily fluids excluding blood	Gynecological problems, pelvic and lower back pain, painful sex, erectile dysfunction, anorgasmia, potency, urinary issues, prostate, childbirth	Guilt, power and control, creativity, ethics, honor, blame, going with the flow, openness, giving and receiving, impotence, tolerance, dealing with change, jealousy, devotion, spirituality
3	Solar Plexus	Stomach and abdomen, small intestine, gallbladder, liver, kidney, pancreas, adrenals, spleen, mid-spine, muscles	Arthritis, ulcers, pancreatitis, indigestion, eating disorders, liver problems, adrenal problems, diabetes, energy and drive	Fear, intimidation, confidence, self-care, decision making, defensiveness, risk taking, assertiveness, having “guts”, charisma, humor, anger

Chakras and Related Issues

Chakra	Location	Physiology	Physical	Non-Physical
4	Heart	Circulatory system, respiratory system, heart, lungs, blood, diaphragm, shoulders, arms, wrists, hands, ribs, chest and breasts, thymus	All heart problems, all lung problems, upper back, shoulders, breast cancer	Ability to love and be loved, resentment, grief, anger, bitterness, loneliness, forgiveness, hope, hate, compassion, balance, acceptance
5	Throat	Throat, neck, jaw, tongue, trachea, mouth, teeth, gums, esophagus, thyroid, parathyroid, hypothalamus	All mouth and throat issues, swollen glands, thyroid problems, joint problems, scoliosis, vocal problems	Communication issues, humility, expressing anger, binge eating and drinking, understanding new information, bringing in spiritual energy, self-healing
6	Mid-Brow	Lower brain functions, nervous system, eyes, ears, nose, pituitary, pineal body, lymphatic system, endocrine system	Brain problems including tumors, stroke, neurological disturbances, hemorrhage, headache, blindness (especially of the left eye), deafness, learning challenges, seizures, nose issues, insomnia, anxiety	Uncovering truth, intellect, accepting others’ ideas, learning abilities, intuition, fear of the unknown, imagination, accepting spiritual energy, surrender to higher will
7	Crown	Higher brain functions, head, muscular system, skeletal system	Sensitivity to sound or light, chronic exhaustion, depression, energy disorders, pineal gland problems, eye problems (especially the right eye)	Values, ethics, selflessness, seeing the bigger picture, spirituality, inspiration, liberation, confusion, hesitancy, unity, finding “true will”

Chakras and Related Issues

The first column in the chart is the number usually associated with the chakra, and the second column gives the chakra’s location. The third column reveals the organs, body parts, and other physiological aspects of the body associated with the chakra. The fourth column is a brief listing of potential physical issues associated with each chakra. The final column includes mental, emotional, and spiritual issues associated with each chakra.

You will notice that, on occasion, some of the physical and non-physical issues described for each chakra overlap. In such a brief chart, there is not room for an in-depth description of these issues. In fact, since this book is not centered on the chakras, you will want to do further research for a more in-depth explanation. However, if you take a look at the listed issues and relate them to the broad associations of the chakras, you should be able to develop a more complete understanding of these listings.

Chakra Healing Methods

Let’s assume that a person is suffering from asthma. Asthma is a challenging problem. Not being able to breathe due to constricted airways can be terrifying and life-threatening.

Very often, asthma is either caused by or triggered by psychological issues. Treatment is usually limited to drugs classified as bronchodilators, short-acting beta agonists, corticosteroids, etc. Sometimes a sharp doctor, realizing that these drugs are only masking the asthmatic problems and that the illness is a symptom of something else, will send a person to a psychologist. After a long term of therapy, they may discover the cause, and that cause may be related to fourth-chakra non-physical issues such as unresolved grief or anger.

Remember, however, that the bodies, or koshas, are not really separate. They interweave and are interconnected through the chakras. Release the psychological cause of the physical issue and that physical issue will decrease or be eliminated. Overcome the physical symptoms by clearing the energy and the original psychological issue will fade away. In this example, the feelings of grief or anger will dissipate.

The key to the healing, then, without spending months or years in therapy, can be the opening of the appropriate chakra. Blocked as the chakra is, and unable to allow energy to easily pass from kosha to kosha, body to body, the result on the physical plane, the manifestation of the problem in your physical body, is asthma.

Open the chakra and allow the energy to pass through easily, and the physical problem may quickly dissolve.

Unfortunately, I had to use the word “may” in order to be completely truthful. The idea that there is only one cause and the problem is only affecting one chakra is simplistic. Usually there are multiple causes, and several chakras, to a greater or lesser degree, are blocked.

Even so, working with the primary problem area can often have a cascade effect, opening all of the other constricted chakras and nadis.

Method One:
Color Visualization and Breathwork

Color healing has a long Tantric history. Using a combination of breathwork and color visualization, sending color-filtered energy to the area of the chakra, can result in a dramatic change.

Method Two: Using Physical Color

Although in some traditions burning a candle of a specific color is seen to energize a ritual or spell with an appropriate color, the candle flame’s color remains the same and is not altered by differences in the candle’s color. In a completely dark room, no matter what color candle you light, the light—and the light’s energy—remains the same.

You can easily obtain glass votive candle holders in a variety of colors. Burning a small candle in the colored glass will fill the room with light that is the color of the glass. In my experience, the more lights used, the more powerful the effect. As an alternative, you can use colored light bulbs or lights that have colored “gels” or lenses in front of them.

Method Three: Chakra Lenses

I previously mentioned that some time ago I obtained a set of stained-glass items called chakra lenses. These were cut to resemble the traditional shapes ascribed to the chakras, and the colored glass matches the colors assigned to the appropriate chakras. I have found that shining a bright light, such as a powerful flashlight beam, through the lens, so that the light falls directly on the area of the chakra, can have powerful results. The advantage over method two is that you don’t have to fill the room with ambient colored light just to treat one area.

Unfortunately, the glass used to make the chakra lenses was very fragile, and several of them broke. I no longer have them and have never seen chakra lenses advertised since I purchased my set. I see no reason why you could not use a piece of appropriately colored glass, perhaps a disc a few inches in diameter, in the same way. You could even use colored “gels,” as used in theaters and in light shows, directly in front of the bright flashlight.

Method Four: Vibration

As described in the previous chapter, you can vibrate the appropriate bija mantra directly in the area of the chakra. Allow the person being treated to breathe deeply, visualizing his or her breath going directly to the area of the chakra in question. This is also a very good technique for group work. With several people chanting the mantra together, the result is intensified.

The Neo-Tantric
Solution to Healing

Neo-Tantrics realize two things. First, simply working with a single chakra may not be enough to help a person. The chakras are connected to the nadis, or energy paths, and they’re all contained within the koshas, or bodies. To give a complete healing, and to keep healthy, the entire system needs to be opened so that energy can flow through it. And second, as you may recall, an important focus of Neo-Tantra is kundalini, the sexual energy. Thus, as part of this chakra-opening process, stimulating the energy with sexual activity can be healing. This technique has several steps.

Step One: Honoring

Begin the healing by honoring yourself. Both the healer and the person being healed should take time to honor their own bodies with purifying baths. Dress to honor yourself, your sensuality, and your sexuality, and to entice your partner. As you do this, give yourself positive affirmations. If you are seeking healing, you might say, “I deserve healing. I am a beautiful person. I am open to change.” If you are acting as a healer, you might say, “I can help this person heal. I am a powerful, beautiful person.”

Come together in a room designed for beauty, tranquility, eroticism, a healthy attitude toward sexuality, and overall health. Be sure there is water to drink. Take some time to discuss how you feel. If there are any concerns or issues you have, share them. Get them out into the open and resolve them.

When you both feel good about the healing about to take place, honor the person you are with. Tell that person that he or she is beautiful, deserves to be healed and healthy, etc. Be honest! Don’t make up things and say them if you don’t believe them to be completely true.

Step Two: Align the Chakras

Lie on your sides, face to face. Begin breathwork. On the inhalation, feel the energy and breath go down the body to the pit of your stomach. As you exhale, feel the energy and breath go up the spine, over the head, and out through the mouth and nose. Each time you exhale, make sure to sound the exhalation, saying, “Ahhhhhhhhhh … ” Continue as you look your partner in the eyes.

Still on your sides, looking into each other’s eyes, pull yourselves ever more tightly together. You will notice that the flow of energy naturally expands to include your partner. Soon you will sense that the cycling energy is combined with all of your bodies.

If you have not yet removed your clothes, now is the time to do so. Continue with the visualization, breathwork, and loud exhalations.

It is time to make the chakras receptive to the energy that is about to flood them. Use the bija mantras from the last chapter. Repeat each bija mantra until you feel that the appropriate chakras in both of you are stimulated, perhaps even pulsing. If you find there is a natural urge to kiss, caress, fondle, and erotically stimulate each other, allow yourselves to do so. If you haven’t done this by the time the crown chakra is pulsing, it is time to do so.

Step Three: Let the Kundalini Rise

Sexual activity will automatically cause the kundalini energy to rise through the chakras. Begin intercourse, but don’t focus on trying to achieve orgasm. Instead, surrender to the goddess Kundalini. Visualize her as a serpent of energy, uncoiling from the bottom of the spine and starting to rise toward the crown. You can encourage her with breathwork and visualization and by using the bija mantras.

There is no magick spell. Just sense the energy rising. Allow it to do so. If it becomes “stuck” at a chakra, that’s okay. Work with the bija mantra and color visualization of that chakra until it opens to the power of the kundalini.

When the kundalini reaches the crown chakra, don’t stop. Continue the breathwork and let whatever happens, happen. Keep up the breathing pattern. Eventually there will come a time to allow the energy to return. It may be a few moments later, or it may be hours later.

Repeating these steps will eventually clear the problem. Continuing this practice will help you obtain optimum health and avoid a return of the issues.

Traditional Tantric Healing

Method One: Herbalism

The practice of using herbs for healing has been popular all over the world. There have been two basic forms of this system. The first is based on the magickal “law” of similarities: You can have an effect on B though the use of A, which in some way is similar to B.

Thus, an herb’s shape, color, taste, etc., can be used to help with an ailment that has some relation to those qualities of the herb. For example, if a person has a fever, using an herb that grows in winter and has a blue color can be of help.

Remember, however, that the Tantrics were spiritual scientists. They would observe the results of using those herbs, then continue using what worked and abandon what didn’t. As a result, there was a large pharmacopeia of herbs used effectively for healing in India over two and a half millennia ago. (There was also an extensive practice of surgery, and the ancient Indian physicians performed such things as plastic surgery, cataract removal, and oral surgery. They identified eight branches of surgical practice.)

Unfortunately, many of the herbs used are indigenous to India and not easy to find elsewhere. Therefore, rather than provide a limited introduction using a few of the herbs available in the West—and giving you an incomplete overview of the system—I respectfully suggest that you consider exploring Western herbalism. Be sure to note the difference between herbs that have been observed as having an effect and those that, due to following the law of similarity, only supposedly have an effect.

And, of course, remember that in the West, herbalism is primarily a complementary form of healing. Don’t stop following your doctor’s instructions. Use herbs to aid the effectiveness of medicines and techniques used by your doctor, as well as to maintain health.

One last point: some people think that because herbs are natural (whatever that may mean to you), they won’t have any side effects. This is definitely not true. Some can have extremely dangerous side effects. In fact, some herbs can counteract the effects of expensive drugs prescribed by your physician. For example, flaxseed and green tea can delay the absorption of drugs. Garlic and ginkgo biloba can increase the effects of blood thinners to a dangerous level. Ginseng can dangerously increase the effects of stimulants. Licorice root can result in a loss of potassium. St. John’s wort can negatively interact with antidepressants and legal narcotics. Valerian can increase the effects of sedatives. Brewer’s yeast can interfere with MAO inhibitors.

Right now, the herbal industry in the West is primarily self-regulating. As a result, there is often no way to tell the dosage of an herb you are taking. I’m not sharing this to scare you away from taking herbs! Rather, I’m suggesting that if you are taking any herbs, inform your physician. Do research. Herbs can be incredibly powerful drugs and should be treated as such.

I know this from experience. When I lived in San Diego, a friend of mine had to be rushed to the hospital because he was taking handfuls of various Chinese herbs. He was in the hospital for several days.

My own experience was more positive. As a result of a blood test, my doctor determined that my kidneys were not working properly. When another blood test a few weeks later showed increasing problems, I was sent for an ultrasound. The diagnosis was that I had “lots” of small kidney stones. If they didn’t pass, I’d have to experience even more painful and possibly invasive measures.

I went online and started looking for herbs that would supposedly help with the problem. I finally found a formula that seemed to have a lot of clinical studies backing its ingredients’ effectiveness. I started taking it. About ten days later, I had another blood test. Two days later, my doctor called. She asked how I was feeling. “Fine,” I said. She told me that she was unhappy with the test results and asked if I was well enough to get my blood tested again right away. “Sure,” I said. “Where would you like me to go?” She said I should go to the emergency room of a nearby hospital.

I drove there, and after waiting for hours, they finally admitted me and gave me a blood test to check on my kidney function. My only actual symptoms were mild low back pain and not having much of an appetite. I was on a bed when my doctor came in to see me. I sat up and said hello. She turned pale looking at me.

It turns out that my previous blood test had shown that my kidneys had actually shut down. She thought I would need dialysis or a kidney transplant. The test at the hospital, however, showed that my kidney function had returned to about 50 percent. They kept me in the hospital for three days for observation, but gave me no treatment for my kidneys. When I left, my kidneys were working at 90 percent. Today they’re functioning at 98 percent.

While I was in the hospital, I had an ultrasound. Before I was discharged, I asked my doctor what the results were. How many kidney stones did I have left? To my surprise, she very quietly answered, “None.”

“How could so many kidney stones have vanished so quickly?” I asked. She hemmed and hawed. She didn’t know. Maybe the first ultrasound had been inaccurate. She refused to believe it was due to the herbs I had taken. In fact, she even thought the herbs might have caused the kidney problems. I pointed out that the problems had been there for weeks before I took the herbs. She maintained her belief that the herbs were responsible.

My feeling is that people can get very upset if your magick works better than their magick. Herbs can be very powerful. They can be beneficial if you’re knowledgeable and careful, or dangerous if you are neither.

Method Two: Cupping

Cupping is an ancient healing technique. In chapter Five, I briefly described the marmas as points where three nadis intersect. Medically, they are also specific points where nerves, bones, tendons, veins, and arteries may cross or connect. A medically valuable feature of marmas is that they tend to be near the surface of the skin, allowing direct stimulation as a powerful healing tool.

In the past, one or more small glass or ceramic cups was used in cupping. The inside was doused in alcohol and set on fire. The alcohol would quickly burn up and the cup was then placed, mouth down, on a marma point.

Another method was to burn a piece of tissue held in the cup. Because of the use of fire, these methods were also referred to as fire cupping.

The heat in the cup would cause the air to expand. When placed over the skin, the result was a vacuum, drawing the skin up and into the cup. The result was a powerful stimulation of the marma, changing the flow of energy through the nadis and resulting in healing. Cupping was also used to help maintain general health and vitality.

A Vacuum Cup Being Applied to a Person’s Back

Today, cupping remains very popular in China. As a result, modern cupping sets come from China and are available very inexpensively. You can get a very nice set for fifty dollars or less. Modern sets are made of very strong plastic rather than glass or ceramic, and they use a vacuum pump instead of fire. Some of the cups have a magnetized piece of metal that comes to a slight point in the center of the cup. As a result, when vacuum is applied, the skin is sucked up into the cup and pressure is applied directly on the marma by the metal.

Unfortunately, there is only one book on this powerful technique that is currently available and that I would recommend. It’s Traditional Chinese Medicine Cupping Therapy by Ilkay Z. Chirali, and its retail price is over sixty dollars. As the title indicates, it is based on traditional Chinese medicine rather than Indian medicine. However, cupping seems to have been brought to China from India, so you can get the concepts. I hope that more books on the subject will appear in the future. In the meantime, many acupuncture points equate to marmas, so books on acupuncture and acupressure can give you an introduction to this healing technique.

There is one even more extreme method of cupping. Known as wet cupping, it’s a combination of cupping and medical exsanguination, or “bleeding.” Using a sharp razor or knife, a cut is made over the marma. Cupping is applied, drawing both blood and skin into the cup. This is said to be very efficacious for some treatments. I have not worked with this.

Method Three:
Massage and Acupuncture

When the ancient systems of Tantric healing arrived in China from India, they grew and evolved. Although massage and marma puncture began in India, they became major aspects of traditional Chinese medicine. Although there are books on Indian massage, learning Chinese acupressure massage, also known as shiatsu, and even acupuncture can be highly appropriate and beneficial in the study and practice of Tantric healing.

I had been studying and helping teach acupressure with my teacher, Dr. Turk, for about a year when the book Do-It-Yourself Shiatsu by Wataru Ohashi was first published. At the time, there were no good beginning books on the subject, and this quickly became our textbook. If you want to learn this skill, I highly recommend this book. The acupressure points are similar to the marmas.

The Knowledge of Life

The previous techniques have all been focused on general forms and styles of healing. Their purpose has been to direct you in your further studies. Any one of these methodologies could be expanded into a book. Some of the topics are covered in many books.

The real key to health, of course, is not to become ill in the first place! With the exception of the results of accidents, whose treatment we can leave to doctors who are great at helping in such cases, illness, in many instances, can be prevented.

As described at the beginning of the previous chapter, for thousands of years Tantrics have observed humans. They learned much about health and healing. The healing system that developed is known as the Knowledge of Life, or Ayurveda. It is considered by many scholars to be the oldest healing science, and has been recorded as being practiced in India for at least 5,000 years. It is certainly much older than that.

Many books have been written about Ayurveda. They go deeply into the subject and total many thousands of pages. However, even a basic understanding of this system can help you keep healthy, and that’s what will be presented here.

As with everything in the universe, we begin with the elements that formed the universe, the five elements of nature. Since they form everything, it is inevitable that they form us, our bodies, too.

However, observation showed that the five-
element system didn’t accurately indicate our makeup. It turns out that there were three controlling factors, called doshas, that channeled or directed these energies. Air and ether formed the dosha known as Vata. Fire and water became Pitta. Water and earth became Kapha.

The basic qualities of the doshas are as follows:

• Vata—This is the controlling factor of bodily motion, so think of it in terms of controlling the circulatory system and the lungs. It also controls small movements such as eye blinks. When the energy controlled by Vata is balanced, a person is filled with vitality and creativity. If it is out of balance, it can manifest as anxiety or fear.
• Pitta—This is the controlling factor of the body’s metabolism, so think of it in terms of controlling nutrition. This includes all of the systems from digestion through absorption of nutrients. One of the things that is created with metabolic energy is heat, so Pitta is also a controlling factor of body temperature. When the energy controlled by Pitta is balanced, you will naturally have a feeling of balance and peace. You will be able to easily tap into your intuition and your intelligence. If it is out of balance, it can manifest as being short-tempered and filled with anger. In health terms, anger can cause all sorts of problems, from ulcers to a lack of healing of body wounds.
• Kapha—This is the controlling factor of the body’s growth. Fluid is necessary for things to grow, so the energy controlled by the Kapha dosha is involved with spreading moisture to all parts of the body. It moisturizes the skin and lubricates the joints. It’s also important for maintaining the immune system, as you need fluid to flush out many signs of illness and “dis-ease,” including excess mucus, phlegm, and white blood cells. When the energy controlled by Kapha is balanced, you will feel a sense of being cared for and a desire to care for others: true unconditional love. This also allows you to forgive others and yourself for real or perceived slights. Some people doubt the value of forgiveness, but it’s quite important. Forgiveness does nothing to the person you forgive, but it allows you to release your negative feelings and return to a position of personal power and control. If the energy controlled by Kapha is out of balance, the result can be feelings of insecurity, paranoia, envy, etc.

Your Constitution

Your health constitution, or prakruti, is with you from birth. It comes from your karma and your genes, the health of your parents, and your development within your mother. It’s also influenced by the time and location of your birth, as indicated by your astrological natal chart. Your constitution does not change. However, by knowing what is there, you can overcome its negative effects and enhance its positive aspects.

The Three Doshas

The major interpretation of your constitution is the ruling dosha. Please note that the following descriptions of the doshas as parts of your constitution are generalities. Nobody is purely of one dosha, and they can change from day to day or even minute to minute. Some people are so strongly blended that we can see in them blended types: Vata-Pitta, Pitta-Kapha, Vata-Kapha, and Vata-Pitta-Kapha. However, it is rare that people are quite so balanced. Usually one dosha will predominate and other aspects will be minor or only be associated with certain characteristics. So if someone is primarily Vata but has some Kapha characteristics, don’t become confused. In this case, helping the person obtain and maintain health may be based on determining the relative strengths of the major and minor doshas and seeing if they need your external assistance.

		Vata	Pitta	Kapha
1	Body Type	Ectomorph	Mesomorph	Endomorph
2	Skin Character	Dry	Medium	Oily
3	Eye Qualities	Dull, dark	Green to gray	Blue
4	Mouth Size	Small	Average	Large
5	Lip Character	Small, thin	Average	Full
6	Teeth	Crooked or protruding	Small and yellowish	Strong and white
7	Personal Qualities	Little perspiration Poor long-term memory Good short-term memory Moves quickly Dislikes cold High energy for short periods Nervous Small appetite Imaginative	Light sleeper Heavy perspiration Assertive Self-confident Passionate Good memory Competitive Good manager Good communicator Likes intense flavors Dislikes heat	Easygoing Slow Graceful Deliberate thought processes Deep sleeper Large appetite Resistance to disease Business-oriented Loves food Dislikes cold and damp

Qualities of the Doshas

		Vata	Pitta	Kapha
8	Health Issues	Depression Hypertension Dry cough Arrhythmia Digestive issues Sexual dysfunction Cramps	Stubbornness Opinionated Pushy Skin inflammation Heartburn Eye problems Anemia Jaundice	Obesity Depression Respiratory problems Atherosclerosis Hay fever Allergies Colds
9	Seasons	Fall and early winter	Late spring and summer	Late winter and early spring
10	Tastes	Bitter, astringent (pungent)	Salty, sour (pungent)	Sweet, sour (salty)
11	Mental Strengths	Creativity, spirituality, peacefulness	Intelligence, good memory, discrimination, acuity	Nurturing, patience, compassion
12	Mental Challenges	Anxiety, fear, stress, forgetfulness	Anger, quick temper, controlling	Greed, envy, inability to forgive
13	Physical Strengths	Circulatory and nervous systems, physically dealing with emotions and reactions to situations	Metabolic and digestive systems, skin, clear eyes, sharp brain function	Reproductive and musculature systems, natural control of internal bodily fluids
14	Physical Challenges	Constipation and flatulence, dry skin, osteoporosis, PMS, hyperactivity	High blood pressure, acne, migraines, heartburn, GERD (acid reflux)	Obesity, congestion, allergies and sinusitis, tiredness or laziness
15	Healing Pets	Dog, guinea pig	Cats	Birds, large dogs

Qualities of the Doshas (continued)

Notes

Rows 1–8: Allow you to determine prakruti doshas through observation.

Rows 9–10: Both qualities enjoyed by a person of a particular dosha and qualities of a dosha itself.

Rows 11–14: Strengths and challenges of a person ruled by each dosha even though they may not currently be evident.

Row 15: If a person has a particular dosha imbalance, these pets will help bring balance to the energy.

Body Type

Ectomorph: Ethereal, thin, and petite, like Audrey Hepburn.

Mesomorph: Strong and tight, like Bruce Lee.

Endomorph: Strong and large, ranging from Russell Crowe to John Goodman.

Using the previous chart, you can determine the dosha(s) that form a person’s constitution (prakruti). For example, if a person is petite and doesn’t perspire, he or she is Vata. If the person has a strong, medium build with small teeth, the person is probably Pitta. If a person is overweight with breathing problems, he or she is probably Kapha.

If a person has an average-sized mouth with green eyes and loves to eat, that person is Pitta-Kapha. If a person is very thin, with white teeth and a large mouth, and has lots of allergies, the person is probably Vata-Kapha.

The following chart has three purposes. First, after you determine your primary dosha, it lists the types of foods that will best fit your constitution and enhance your natural skills and abilities. That doesn’t mean you should eat only these foods. Second, if you have an ailment, it shows what foods to focus on to counter the influence of a dosha. Thus, if you are experiencing skin inflammations (symptomatic of excessive Pitta), you could help yourself by eating foods that counter the influence of that dosha. Finally, the chart lists the foods that enhance and counter the controlling factors of the respective doshas.

	Vata	Pitta	Kapha
Vegetables to Enhance	These should be cooked, not raw: beets, carrots, garlic, green beans, onions, asparagus, turnip, sweet potato, radish. Small amounts of leafy greens.	Asparagus, broccoli, zucchini, cabbage, squash, green beans, celery, cauliflower, lettuce, okra, peas, bell pepper, Brussels sprouts	Spinach, radish, potato, asparagus, broccoli, beets, cabbage, carrots, celery, eggplant, garlic, leafy greens, peppers, peas, onions, okra, cauliflower, mushroom
Vegetables to Counter	Zucchini, mushroom, eggplant, broccoli, tomato, peas, celery, Brussels sprouts, potato, bell peppers, cauliflower, cabbage	Tomato, hot peppers, beets, carrots, radish, spinach, garlic, eggplant	Zucchini, sweet potato, tomato, cucumber, and other vegetables that are juicy and sweet

Doshas and Foods

	Vata	Pitta	Kapha
Fruits to Enhance	Apricots, plums, figs, grapefruit, peaches, avocado, coconut, lemon, grapes, bananas, oranges, cherries, pineapple. They should be fresh and ripe.	Apples, raisins, prunes, avocados, cherries, pineapple, pears, coconuts, figs, red grapes, melons, mango, oranges. All should be sweet and ripe.	Dried fruits, especially pomegranates, pears, mango, berries, apples, apricots, figs
Fruits to Counter	Dried fruits. Fruits that aren’t ripe, especially green bananas. Apples, pears, cranberries, and pomegranate, unless they are cooked.	Fruits that are sour. Fruits that aren’t ripe. Examples: persimmon, banana, sour cherries, papaya, apricots, cranberries, grapefruit.	Fruits that are sweet, sour, or really juicy, including plums, bananas, coconut, pineapple, papaya, dates, melons, grapes, grapefruit, avocado
Grains to Enhance	Wheat, oatmeal, rice	Barley, wheat, white rice, oats	Corn, rye, millet, buckwheat, rice
Grains to Counter	Millet, rye, buckwheat, barley, corn	Corn, rye, brown rice, millet	Wheat, oats
Dairy to Enhance	All okay	Ghee, butter, milk, egg whites	Boiled eggs, warm fat-free milk, small amounts of whole milk
Dairy to Counter	None	Cheese, sour cream, egg yolk, yogurt, buttermilk	Anything other than above
Meat, Fish, Fowl to Enhance	Chicken, turkey, fish	Turkey, chicken, shrimp	Turkey, shrimp, chicken
Meat, Fish, Fowl to Counter	Red meat	Red meat and fish	Red meat and fish
Beans to Enhance	Lentils, chickpeas, mung beans, tofu	Mung beans, tofu, soybean, chickpeas	All legumes excluding tofu and kidney beans
Beans to Counter	Anything other than above	Lentils	Anything other than above
Oils to Enhance	All	Soy, sunflower, olive, coconut	Minor amounts of sunflower, safflower, almond, or corn

Doshas and Foods (continued)

	Vata	Pitta	Kapha
Oils to Counter	None	Corn, safflower, almond, sesame	Anything other than above
Nuts and Seeds to Enhance	All, especially almonds	Sunflower seeds, coconut, pumpkin seeds	Pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds
Nuts and Seeds to Counter	None	Anything other than above	Anything other than above

Doshas and Foods (continued)

Living in Harmony
with Your Natural Constitution

If you are primarily Vata, you can enhance your life with a few basic practices:

• Keep a regular routine.
• Meditate for calmness and balance.
• Before taking a shower, massage yourself with warm oil.

If you are primarily Pitta, try these practices to enhance your life:

• Practice breathing exercises regularly. This will help keep your system cool.
• Do physical exercise in air conditioning or during the coolest part of the day.
• Meditate regularly on compassion for others and for peace.

If you are primarily Kapha, here are some practices to enhance your life:

• Get up early and do some exercises.
• Vary your routine.
• Stay active.

For optimum health, you can follow, to the best of your ability, a lifestyle that is in harmony with the rules of this Tantric Knowledge of Life.

Mudras for Healing

I’d like to discuss one more aspect of traditional Tantric healing: mudras. The Sanskrit is usually translated to mean “gesture” or “seal” (in the sense of completing or “sealing” an electrical circuit to power a device). The word is also commonly translated as “symbol” or “attitude.” An important Tantric book, the Kularnava Tantra, says the word mudra comes from the root mud, which means “delight” or “pleasure,” and dravay, a form of the word dru, which means “to draw forth.”

In the book Sexual Secrets, co-author Nik Douglas says that mudras are “mystic hand gestures used to focus subtle energy, transmit teachings through symbols, and confer psychic protection.”

Mudras have always been shown in various paintings and statues of deities and spiritual personages. Buddhist and Christian imagery frequently features people with their hands in the positions of mudras.

Normally, the energy paths (nadis) and minor chakras in the hands and palms constantly radiate energy from the body into the environment. Mudras redirect the energy. In some instances, once the dissipation of this energy (prana) is changed through the practice of mudras, the mind becomes focused inward, resulting in the withdrawal of the senses from an outward focus followed by deep concentration. These are two aspects of traditional meditation.

How, specifically, does this work? When the fingers touch the palm, other fingers, or the thumb, a new circuit is produced that allows pranic energy (which would normally be squandered by being released into the environment) to cycle back into the body and up to the brain, the physical link between your body and mind.

Mudras can also be valuable for rousing the kundalini energy. Some mudras are performed while you sit and rest your hands on your knees. There is a pranic energy channel known as the “hidden path” (gupta nadi) that extends from both knees, up the insides of the thighs, and into the perineum. Mudra work with your hands on your knees arouses the flow of energy in this nadi and stimulates the potential kundalini energy in the root chakra.

It is by altering common energy paths that mudras can change the flow of energy, thus awakening innate therapeutic and magickal abilities that flow through the hands. Through regular practice of mudras, the minor chakras in the palms and fingertips are activated to their optimal level. This practice permits the free flow, in and out, of pranic energy, which you can use for magickal or healing purposes. When you have this mastered, a mere touch may induce trance, result in intense fascination, or heal someone who needs such help, including yourself.

After the previous complete explanation, it may be easier to simply say that the energy that flows through the fingertips is rearranged by a mudra and directed to achieve a desired goal. This energy is generally looked at in the following three ways.

Elemental Associations

First, the fingers can be associated with the magickal/alchemical/Tantric elements of air, earth, water, fire, and mind or spirit. Normally, the energy just flows off the fingers. However, if you blend fire and air by holding the tip of the index finger against the tip of the thumb, (with the remaining fingers extended), you are charging the spirituality of air with the energy of fire, making this an ideal position for meditation.

Chakra Associations

The next set of correspondences is with the chakras. If you put the tips of the pinky, ring finger, and thumb together, you are connecting the energies of the first (root), second (genital), and third (solar plexus) chakras. This is an extremely powerful position for generating energy, so it is naturally known as the energy gesture, or prana mudra.

Elemental Associations

Chakra Associations

Planetary Associations

Planetary Associations

The third set of correspondences links the fingers with their planetary counterparts. By taking the energy that starts things (Mars) and linking it to responsibility (Saturn) and affection (Venus), you have a powerful position for magickally empowering your desires to achieve and maintain something. Known as the Apana mudra, it’s brilliant in terms of health for getting rid of what isn’t needed in order to start something new. It supports elimination (Saturn) and stimulates the liver and gallbladder.

With meditative practice, you will eventually be able to experience the energy flows of the mudras. For balance, they link your individual energy to the cosmic forces that fill the universe. Mudras can balance the energy within your bodies (koshas) and enable the redirection of the energy.

What follows are examples of healing mudras you can use. Please note, however, that simply holding your hands in any position will do little. Practicing the mudras while using breathwork and visualization of the movement of the energy will bring success. And, of course, I need to repeat that these techniques do not replace the work of your doctor and you should not discontinue taking any prescriptions without consulting with him or her first. As a general rule, hold these mudras for three to fifteen minutes.

Yoni Mudra

The word yoni means “womb” or “source.” The Yoni mudra functions to balance the flows of masculine/feminine or solar/lunar energies. It invokes the primal energy inherent in the womb or source of creation.

Yoni Mudra

Use this mudra when you’re having difficulty concentrating or when you need to focus on physical or mental awareness. It’s also good for relaxing, both physically and mentally.

To form this mudra, begin by finding a comfortable meditative position. This can be as simple as relaxing into a chair with your spine upright.

1. Put the palms of your hands together with the fingers pointing away from your body. The thumbs and index fingers should form as large of an “L” shape as possible, with the thumbs pointing up.
2. Turn the middle, ring, and little fingers inward and interweave them.
3. Spread the palms and allow the thumb and index fingers to separate so only their tips touch.

As a variation, you can do this without turning the fingers inward. The thumbs may be crossed or have their pads touch.14

Hridaya Mudra

Hridaya is a Sanskrit word for heart, so this mudra is known as the heart gesture.

Physically, this mudra is good for heart ailments of all kinds. Mentally, it helps you unburden your heart by releasing pent-up emotions. It is very good for bringing calm during emotional conflicts, even strong ones, that happen between you and others, or just occur within yourself.

The Hridaya mudra diverts the flow of universal pranic energy from the hands (which would normally merely discharge into the environment) to the heart. Thus, it can also help increase the vitality of your heart.

To form this mudra, begin by finding a comfortable meditative posture. Rest both hands in your lap, palms up.

1. Curl your index fingers so they touch where the thumb meets the palm.
2. Touch the tips of the middle and ring fingers to the tips of your thumb.
3. Allow the pinky to remain outstretched.

Hridaya Mudra

The middle and ring fingers relate to energy paths that are associated with the heart. Touching them to the tip of the thumb closes or completes a pranic circuit, which is why this mudra is a heart energizer. It diverts the flow of pranic energy from the environment to nadis associated with the heart.

Ganesh Mudra

Ganesh, of course, is the elephant-headed deity who helps you to overcome obstacles. This mudra will help stimulate your heart activity and strengthen the heart and the muscles associated with the heart. It can also help open the bronchial tubes.

Ganesh Mudra

This mudra can be formed while sitting in a meditative position or while standing.

1. Hold your left hand in front of your chest. Your thumb should be pointing down and your palm will naturally face outward. Bend the fingers so the tips are pointed toward your wrist.
2. Position your right hand with the thumb up, the palm toward you, and the fingers pointing toward the wrist.
3. Now grasp the curled fingers of the left hand with those of the right hand. If your hands have dropped, move them back to the level of the heart, directly in front of the chest.
4. While exhaling, use your strength to vigorously attempt to pull the hands apart but without releasing the grip. This will tense the muscles of the upper arms and chest area. Hold in this tensed position for as long as it is comfortable.
5. While inhaling, let go of all the tension. Feel your arms, chest, and shoulders relax.
6. Repeat six times and then, still holding your hands in this relaxed position, place both hands on the sternum, the breast bone between the ribs. While in this position, focus on the feelings you get in this part of your body.
7. Repeat this mudra but with the hand positions inverted: your right palm now faces outward with the thumb down and the left palm faced inward with the thumb up.
8. As in step F, repeat the exercise six times in this position, then move your hands to rest on the sternum.
9. Remain in silence for a while. Working with this mudra once a day is enough.

Pushan Mudra (Right Hand)

Using the Ganesh mudra can open your heart chakra, allowing you to be more available to accepting and sharing love and caring. Many people think of love and caring as a weakness. However, to be loving and caring means you have enough confidence and inner strength to let down your guard. This mudra can enhance your courage, confidence, and openness toward others. It’s an excellent Tantric remedy to overcome shyness.

Pushan Mudra

Pushan means “nourisher” and is a title of the solar deity Surya. Without the power of the sun, plants would not grow and we would have little to eat. So Surya is, indeed, the deity of nourishment, as well as the sun.

The Pushan mudra has the hands separated and holding different positions:

Pushan Mudra (Left Hand)

1. Begin by assuming a comfortable meditative position.
2. The right hand may rest on the knee.
3. The tips of the right thumb, index finger, and middle finger meet.
4. The right ring finger and pinkyremain extended.
5. An alternative is for the right hand to assume the Prana mudra (see upcoming section) wherein the tips of the thumb, ring finger, and little finger touch at the tips while the index and middle fingers are extended.
6. The left hand may rest on your other knee.
7. The tips of the left thumb, middle finger, and ring finger touch each other.
8. The tips of the left index and pinky remain extended. This, by itself, is called the Apana mudra (see upcoming section).

The Pushan mudra enhances the energy currents that are responsible for absorbing and utilizing the nutrients in your food. It can also help in the elimination of wastes. Without oxygen, the nutrition in food is meaningless, so this mudra also helps with breathing, breathwork, increased absorption of oxygen, and the effective release of carbon dioxide from the lungs.

This multipurpose mudra also has a relaxing effect on the solar plexus, including such organs as the stomach, liver, spleen, and gallbladder. I like to refer to this as the “biofeedback mudra,” as it regulates energies in the autonomic nervous system, a process that, until the acceptance of the viability of biofeedback, most scientists thought was impossible.

Being a mudra that helps with nutrition, the Pushan mudra can also counter responses that harm nutrition. Thus, it is great for relieving mild or acute nausea, motion sickness, flatulence, and that sensation of being overly full that you may feel after consuming a large meal. Needless to say, this is an ideal mudra to practice after a Thanksgiving feast with relatives.

This mudra has been called a “general energy pump,” as it will help stimulate functions of the brain such as concentration, memory, logic, enthusiasm, etc., with increased nutrition.

Finally, the position of the right hand activates energy in the pelvic floor while the left hand directs it upward. Do this up to four times per day, but only five minutes each practice. However, in a crisis (such as when you feel nauseated), use when needed.

Bronchial Mudra

Breathwork is important for Tantra and yoga, so having mudras that help open the breathing passages are logical. Curiously, I’ve not found the Sanskrit name for the Bronchial mudra, so it may be a modern technique. Even so, I’ve found it works quite well.

Bronchial Mudra

To form the Bronchial mudra, again begin by finding a comfortable meditative position. Keep your hands about four inches in front of your body. When your arms get tired—and trust me, they will—place your hands on your thighs and bring your focus to your pelvic area well below the lungs.

1. Place the little finger of each hand at the base of the thumb.
2. Place the ring finger of each hand on the upper thumb joint.
3. Place the middle finger of each hand on the pad of the thumb.
4. Extend the index fingers.

Thus, the pinky, ring, and middle fingers of each hand form a line up the thumb of that hand, while the index fingers are extended. For an acute attack of asthma, in addition to any prescriptions you have, begin by using this mudra for four to six minutes followed by the next mudra (the Asthma mudra), and hold the mudra until breathing normalizes. If you have chronic asthma, practice this mudra for five minutes, five times a day.

When I was very young, I had acute attacks of asthma and had to be rushed to the hospital for injections of adrenaline several times. Often, physical problems have psychological causes. I came to realize much later in life that my asthma had been caused by feelings of anger and abandonment by the death of my father when I was six. Some people with respiratory problems also suffer from feelings of inner loneliness, isolation, sexual problems, and sadness. These feelings may be successfully played down (and thus ignored) with humor. Using this mudra can help people keep their sense of humor but become aware of and face their issues.

Another indicator of such feelings is shallow breathing. When you run or exercise, you have to exert your strength, and without proper respiration, you can’t develop a healthy pool of inner strength. When breathing is limited, weakness also occurs in the emotional body. Fear, sadness, discontentment, and exaggerated sensitivity are the consequences. Again, using this mudra opens the breathing passages and allows a person to understand these issues, confront them, and become victorious over them.

When you practice the Bronchial mudra, breathe slowly. Allow the air to fill you from the bottom up. 
Pause between inhalations and exhalations for as long as it is comfortable. 
Don’t strain. Most people, when doing breathwork, focus on making the inhalation as long as possible. Don’t worry about that! Instead, focus on extending the exhalation for as long as is comfortably possible.

Asthma Mudra

This is a companion to the previous mudra. Although you can do it by itself, it is most effective when used following the Bronchial mudra. Use the Asthma mudra to calm down your breathing.

Asthma Mudra

Begin by finding a comfortable meditative position. Perform the Bronchial mudra for four to six minutes, as just described.

1. Hold your hands in front of you, about two inches apart, with the thumbs toward you.
2. Curl the middle fingers inward.
3. Press the fingernails and upper knuckles of the middle fingers together.
4. Keep other fingers and thumbs extended.

Even if your breathing has not calmed down and your bronchial passages opened from using the previous mudra, it will have started the energy moving properly. After no more than six minutes of the Bronchial mudra, move to the Asthma mudra. Stay in this position and focus on your breathing, as described for the Bronchial mudra, until your breathing is calm and the sense of fear and desperation has fled.

Prana Mudra

Also known as the Pran or Life mudra, the Prana mudra activates the root chakra, the locus of the source of the kundalini. It also increases general vitality, reduces fatigue and nervousness, and improves vision.

The Prana mudra is also practiced using both hands. Begin by sitting in a comfortable meditative posture.

1. Place the tips of the thumb, ring finger, and little finger together. Note that this is not the pads, it’s the tips. To do so requires you to curl your fingers and thumbs.
2. The index and middle fingers remain extended.

The Prana mudra increases your endurance and assertiveness. It gives courage to start new projects and the strength to see things through. It may also be used against eye diseases. Clear eyes are often a sign of having a mental outlook that emphasizes a clear mind. This implies having clearly structured thoughts and ideas.

Prana Mudra

For an alternative form of this mudra, put your thumb onto the fingernails of the other two fingers instead of on their tips. This has the effect of causing both hemispheres of the brain to function equally, become active, and complement each other.

Either form of the Prana mudra—combined with a conscious, slow, and gentle way of breathing, as described earlier—has the effect of being as stabilizing, calming, and secure as a boat anchor. This is perfect for any form of meditation.

Apana Mudra

I already discussed the Apana mudra (also known as the Apan mudra) a bit in the previous section on planetary associations, as it can be combined with another mudra to form the Pushan mudra. Here, both hands take the position.

As usual, begin by sitting in a comfortable meditative position.

Apana Mudra

1. On both hands, place the pads of the thumbs, middle fingers, and ring fingers together.
2. Extend the pinkies and index fingers.

This mudra supports the removal of waste materials and toxins from the body and eliminates urinary problems. It stimulates the energy of the liver and gallbladder. When needed, practice this mudra for five to forty-five minutes once a day, or use it three times a day for fifteen minutes each.

On a mental level, the practice of this mudra creates the ability to develop vision. That makes this an ideal mudra to use in preparation for any method of divination, such as astrology or palmistry. It’s also good for preparing yourself to face new challenges.

Shankh Mudra

As described in chapter Seven, the shankh is the Sanskrit name for a conch shell. So this mudra is also known as the Shell mudra. It helps to eliminate chronic or acute problems in the throat. There is also something very calming about it.

When preparing to work with the Shankh mudra, find a comfortable sitting position.

1. Hold the left hand with the fingers forward and the thumb upright, so the index finger and thumb form an “L” shape.
2. Encircle your left thumb with the four fingers of your right hand.
3. Your right thumb rests on top of the right index finger. 

4. Pivot all of the extended fingers of the left hand up and touch the pad of the right thumb to the pad of the middle finger of your left hand. 


Shankh Mudra

Together, the two hands look like a conch shell. Hold your hands a few inches in front of your sternum. Do this as often and as long as you want, or use it three times daily for fifteen minutes each practice.



When you perform this mudra, chant Om several times. Take a deep breath and chant slowly and clearly on the exhalation. After your last chant, listen to the silence within yourself for several minutes.

As I described in chapter Nine, the actual conch trumpet (shankh) may be sounded as part of the opening of rituals. With this mudra, the same is true of your inner temple, the temple through which the divine light may shine. Using the Shankh mudra opens your inner spiritual temple just as sounding the shankh opens the physical temple.

These are just a few of many mudras that can help you with healing. There are so many mudras available that an entire book could be written. Indeed, my favorite book on this topic is Healing Hands by Acharya Keshav Dev and Acharya Vikrmaditya.

14. I describe a different type of Yoni mudra in Modern Magick. It has a different focus and turns the attention inward by using the hands to close the eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. One of the challenges in understanding Tantric writings is that, depending upon the context, the same word or expression, such as Yoni mudra, may have different meanings.

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