Yoga

Yoga, with its roots stretching back over five millennia, is a profound and complex system of spiritual, mental, and physical practices. Today, yoga is globally recognized for its benefits to physical health, yet it holds profound spiritual insights that reach far beyond its contemporary utility. As more and more Westerners are engaging in the practices of yoga and even become certified teachers in the different yoga traditions, a surprising phenomena is emerging. Many Western practitioners of yoga are finding that they have become possessed by spirits or demons in the process of working with the breath, the postures, and the manipulation of subtle body energies. In this essay, I will explore the intricacies of yoga within two distinct philosophical frameworks: Tibetan Buddhism and Kashmir Shaivism.

Yoga and Tibetan Buddhism

Tibetan Buddhism is the form of Buddhism practiced in Tibet and neighboring regions, marked by an emphasis on Tantra and a rich body of meditative practices. Yoga plays an integral role in Tibetan Buddhism, especially in the Vajrayana and Dzogchen traditions.

In the context of Tibetan Buddhism, yoga often refers to the inner yogas, such as Tummo (inner heat) yoga and dream yoga, as well as physical exercises like prostrations and yogic postures and breath retention. The ultimate aim of these practices is to liberate the practitioner from the cycles of birth and death, to awaken to one’s Buddha-nature – the inherent enlightened state. 

Yoga and Kashmir Shaivism

Kashmir Shaivism, also known as the Trika tradition, is a non-dualistic philosophy that emerged in the valley of Kashmir in the first millennium CE. This tradition places an emphasis on the recognition of one’s own divine nature, which is referred to as Shiva.

Within the framework of Kashmir Shaivism, yoga is a method to realize and experience the nature of the self as Shiva, or universal consciousness. Yoga, in this context, does not simply refer to physical postures (asanas), but encompasses meditative practices (dhyana), breathing exercises (pranayama), and moral principles (yamas and niyamas).

One of the key aspects of yoga in Kashmir Shaivism is the notion of Spanda, or the divine creative pulsation. It is the primordial vibration that animates all of existence. Through yoga, one can become aware of this internal pulsation, which reveals the unity of the individual with the cosmos. 

Comparative Examination

Both Tibetan Buddhism and Kashmir Shaivism view yoga as a system for inner transformation, leading to the recognition or awakening of the practitioner’s true nature. However, their conceptualization of this “true nature” varies. While Tibetan Buddhism strives towards awakening the inherent Buddha-nature, Kashmir Shaivism emphasizes the realization of the self as Shiva. 

Despite their philosophical differences, both traditions share an understanding of yoga as a path to liberation. They both use yoga as a method for transcending the dualistic perception of reality, moving towards a direct experience of unity or non-duality. Although this sounds positive, it should be noted that yoga is fraught with dangers and it is likely that practicing it opens portals to possession by spirits or demons.