Tantra3

The most sophisticated symbol that became associated with this Cosmic Process of Integration and The Sacred Marriage was the image of a pair of snakes intertwined in union around the "Tree of Life". Today, this symbol is known as the Caduceus. It can be still found universally associated with the idea of healing.

The Caduceus first appears as an engraving on a Sumerian cup, called the Liberation cup of Gudea, dated about 2,000 B.C.E.. Within this one symbol we can observe a multitude of associations and concepts, merging and uniting to form a profound message.

As we have seen earlier, for thousands of years the snake was a symbol for the dynamic and regenerative energies of the creative life-force. And as such, it also became associated with sexuality. With the Caduceus we see a pair of snakes, representing the Male and Female polarity united. Significantly, this union takes place encircling the "Tree of Life", which traditionally united the three Worlds: the Underworld, the Earth and the Heavens.

Given the interpretation of these individual symbols then, the Caduceus is almost self-explanatory: through the union of the Male and the Female polarity, that which was separated will be made whole and the harmony of the three Worlds will be restored.

The Caduceus is found in many diverse cultures of the world: Sumer, Egypt, Greece, India and even in the Americas. It is an archetypal symbol, a multi-dimensional image with its roots deep within the psychic and conceptual foundation of the human species.

As this symbol evolved between 2,000-1,000 B.C.E., it became increasingly associated with the internal processes of the individual, rather than with the external rituals of the community.

No one is sure exactly where this new interpretation of the Caduceus and the Sacred Marriage began, but more evidence points to India than anywhere else. India, after all, is one of the few places left on Earth where the ancient heritage of the Goddess still remains. This fact however does not rule out the possibility that this shift in interpretation may have originally developed in Mesopotamia, and gradually diffused along the many trade routes that were established between the two regions. Much of the culture in India developed in just this way.

Be that as it may, it is not really important when or where these metaphysical changes originally occurred. But how this process evolved certainly is most intriguing.

As we have seen, at one time the ancient temples of the Goddess served as places where individuals of the community could participate in the sexual sacraments. Within this spiritual context and over a span of several thousand years, gradually the ritual of the Sacred Marriage took on a new dimension of meaning and interpretation. It became internalized. That is, instead of seeing the God and Goddess only in terms of their external manifestations, as being "out there", the conscious process of mythic association turned inward.

This process of internalization served as a real breakthrough in Consciousness. For now the God and Goddess were perceived as symbols of a polarity within the psychic structure of each human being. It was believed that within each person, there resides an inner Male and an inner Female, an inner God and Goddess. And through the sexual sacrament of the Sacred Marriage, these two aspects of consciousness became united in ecstasy.

The Caduceus now became the perfect symbol to reflect this new internalized reality. The pair of serpents intertwined around the "Tree of Life", became associated with the polarized Life-Energy moving around the spinal column within the human body.

Just as in the mythology and rituals of former ages, where the priestess who represented the Goddess on Earth, would ascend the holy mountain of Ida to meet her lord and lover - the sky Father, here we find this same story completely internalized. The ascending feminine current of energy within the individual is now called Ida. It is perceived to rise from the base of the spine and into the head, where it unites with the masculine energy in a state of rapture.

The masculine energy is then felt to descend from the head to the base of the spine. It is known in Sanskrit as Pingala, which means "fiery, or red". In this way, Pingala may have some association with the holy mountain, as in the case of a volcanic eruption spilling its fiery stream down its sides. However, the masculine energy current eventually came to have its primary association with the Sun - just as the concept of the Male Deity became associated with the image of the Sun.

This fact is indirectly reinforced by the definition given to the word Ida, which has now come to be associated with the lunar image of a "cool refreshing drink".

With these interpretations we find an even deeper layer of symbolic images identified with the Caduceus and the Sacred Marriage. The feminine ascending energy of the body now becomes associated with the Moon, and the male descending energy becomes associated with the Sun. And just as with the earlier mythos surrounding the Sacred Marriage which was specifically enacted at the conjunction of the Sun and the Moon, here we find this new internalized perception of the Sacred Marriage consummated when the lunar and solar currents of the body are united. Thus, we have arrived at the original concept of Yoga.

The word Yoga comes from the Sanskrit root Yug, which means "joining together, coupling or linking". The English word "yoke" comes from the same root word, as in "yoking together".

To further specify what kind of union was represented by this internal process, the word Hatha became particularly associated with Yoga. Ha represents the Sun, while Tha represents the Moon. Hatha Yoga then, quite literally means the union of the Sun and Moon. This of course refers to the union of the masculine and feminine polarities, the union of the Ida and the Pingala energy currents within the individual.

In the early stages of this mythos when the external Sun and Moon were united in the heavens, the cosmic mountain was considered the bridge from the Earth to the Celestial realms. The Queen, representing the power of the Earth, ascended the holy mountain to unite with her lover, the King who represented the power of the Sky.

The Tree of Life was also recognized as a sacred bridge between the Worlds. And as this entire story gradually became internalized, the Tree of Life and the Holy Mountain became associated with the spinal column within the body. In this new mythology then, the spinal column becomes The Axis Mundi - The Bridge Between The Worlds.

At the base of the spine at the perineum, the Earth Goddess is believed to reside. In India She is known as Kundalini, and is depicted as a sleeping serpent, coiled deep within the cave of the pelvic floor. The word Kundalini comes from the Sanskrit Kundala, meaning "a coil".

At the auspicious conjunction of the solar and lunar currents the Goddess Kundalini awakens, uncoils as a serpent of energy and ascend the Tree of Life: She rises up the spine to unite with the sky God Shiva, in the bridal chamber of the brain.

As a result of this Yoga or union, a shower of warm ambrosia (energy) falls upon all the realms down below, regenerating their life-energy, awakening their creative potential, spreading peace and harmony throughout the psychosomatic landscape. * * * Illustrations * * *

The Sacred Science

The sexual union of the Male and Female in the ritual of the Sacred Marriage became increasingly interiorized in its mythic associations, until there evolved this entirely new mythos of Yoga. The symbols that were once associated with the elementary phenomena of the Natural World, became re-interpreted in the context of the individual's psychosomatic structure. This interior dimension became the new stage on which the ritual of the Sacred Marriage would be played out; thus opening a door to an entirely new Reality.

Within the precincts of the early temples an extremely sophisticated technology of sexual practices were developed. And over the span of thousands of years of exploring this technology, there evolved a constellation of techniques to control and manipulate the creative life-force of the body. One of the ways this was done, was through elaborate dances. Another was through various physical positions as in the asanas or Yoga postures. At one time, these asanas numbered in the thousands.

Control of the life-force was also perfected through the use of special breathing techniques, known in Sanskrit as pranayama. The power of sound was also explored, by which one could bring about certain internal changes and states of consciousness through the use of specific sounds, words and chants known as mantras.

This Sacred Science composed of sexual practices, physical postures, breathing techniques and the use of sound, was the culminating fruit of a culture that had existed for well over 30,000 years. This was the Art and Science of Vamacara.

The ancient word Vama in Sanskrit has come to be connected with a wide range of meanings. Generally however, they all center around their associations with the Female. In fact, in one of is its many inflections Vama means "beautiful woman". Because of this primary association, it also has come to mean "left" or leftside, desire, striving after, wealth and fortune.

The word Cara or Kara means: to go, moving, movable, acting or practicing. In this sense it has become to be associated with the concept of a "Path", as in a "Spiritual Path".

In general then, we can define Vamacara as the "Path of the Beautiful Female", or the "Left-hand Path of Desire". This ancient perspective was born out of the rhythmic life processes of the Earth. Its spirituality was grounded in our biology, and soared into the open skies of our psychology. It represented a whole and healthy way of life, because it integrated all the many facets of human life into a meaningful and living Cosmos.

This Way of Life celebrated the mysteries of birth and death, and gave sacred meaning to all the life-transforming events within this spectrum. Sexuality was accepted in all its various manifestations as a gift of the Goddess and was perceived as a celebration of our unity: a union of sexual partners; a union of the inner Male and Female; and the union of the individual with the Divine.

What has survived down through the ages of this Universal Science, are only bits and pieces of what was once a tremendous body of knowledge. Some of the existing fragments that we do possess, have been preserve in a collection of works and beliefs known as Tantra.

There have been various definitions for this word, but with very little understanding of the conceptual evolution behind it. In the early stages of the Goddess culture around 30,000 - 20,000 B.C.E., we find many statues of the Goddess with patterns of lines representing nets or webs. It was believed that just as the mother, out of the fabric of her own body, spins and weaves the physical form of her child within her womb, the Great Mother Goddess spins and weaves all forms out of her own self. Within her womb of the invisible and the unmanifest, she weaves the threads of the visible into the tapestry of all material forms.

It is within this ancient context that Tantra has its origin. In Sanskrit, the root word Tan, means "thread or web". Tra means "tool". The original concept was that of a tool, used for weaving the threads of Life into an integrated whole.

At another level of meaning, Tan has come to mean "expand", while Tra means to "liberate". In connection with this level of interpretation, Tantra can be seen as an ongoing creative process of integration that results in a continual expansion of consciousness. Through the integration of apparent polarities within the psyche, consciousness begins to shift from one dimension to another resulting in an expanding synthesis.

Not surprisingly, remnants of the Art and Science of Vamacara Tantra have been discovered in all of the ancient civilizations that have shaped our world today. With its holistic bio-spirituality and its life-affirming sexual practices, it was a tremendously potent source of creativity and inspiration within many cultures and religions.

Vamacara Tantra's spiritual ideals are Universal, because they are connected to the cyclic processes of the Natural World and remain grounded in the organic or biological life of all people.

Our Mother's Bond

The plain and observable fact that every human being has come into the world from a woman's body, served as a powerful analogy for the origins of all Life. And it remains an essential part of the metaphysical foundation of Vamacara Tantra.

In the Maha-Nirvana-Tantra, the Gods address the Mother Goddess by declaring:

"Thou art the Origin of all the manifestations; Thou art the birthplace of even Us... Thou art both the subtle and the gross, manifest and veiled, formless, yet with form. Who can understand Thee?"(25)

In the metaphysics of Vamacara Tantra, the bond that develops between mother and child continues to serve as a wonderful analogy to the relationship that develops between the individual and the Divine. In fact, the general components of the mother/child bonding process correlate with the four principles on which the entire metaphysical structure of Vamacara rests. These four principles are known as: Artha, Kama, Dharma and Moksha, and represent the primal ground from which Vamacara Tantra evolved.

Each of these foundational principles can be interpreted on many different levels, but each has its origins in our relationship with our mother.

The mother is the entire world to the newborn baby, providing everything the baby needs to grow and mature. The mother is the very source of nourishment and abundance. And because she unfailingly gives herself to her baby, this develops a sense of security and trust.

In the light of this primary bonding process, Vamacara also recognizes the Earth to be a manifestation or extension of the mother. All human beings, animals and plants are dependent on the life support systems of the Earth. The processes of the Earth are inherently connected with the life processes of the human body. The Earth is the source of our body, and She sustains and nourishes us from the abundance of Her body.

Vamacara further recognizes the inherent connection between the health of the land, and the health of the community. Fertility of the Earth, always meant abundance and wealth for the people. Anything that destroys or diminishes the ability of the Earth to produce food, has always been perceived as a loss of wealth, security and ultimately Life itself. This fundamental realization provided a sustainable economy for thousands of years and was the very foundation of what was considered a civilized society.

There is a direct connection between the words economy and ecology. In fact, they come from the same Greek word, oikos, meaning house or household. At one time it was universally recognized that in order to have a sustainable economy within the individual household, one had to have a sustainable relationship with the larger "household" of the Earth.

If we trace the Greek word oikos back to its Indo-European root we find the word, weik, from which we get the Anglo-Saxon, wicca, or in current English, witch.(26) Contrary to our popular mythological distortions, this association reveals a time when witches, the powerful females of the clan, were in charge of managing their household economies through their spiritual relationship with the Earth. This was seen as the ultimate source of power and wealth.

The recognition of this primary bond with our Mother Earth became expressed in the Tantric scriptures as the principle of Artha, meaning both "Earth" and "Wealth". This basic principle represents the deep-seated feelings of connectedness, security and trust. If one is in accord with the principle of Artha, one realizes on an emotional level the organic and primal bond that exists between oneself and the Earth, and every being that lives upon Her.

Many aboriginal people all over the world are absolutely horrified when they witness the massive destruction of the environment, caused by their so called "advanced" neighbors. This is because these "primitive" people are still living with their bond to the Earth intact. The impact would be similar to that of a small child, watching his or her mother being killed. The loss is not just of one particular individual in the child's life, but a collapse of the entire world.

A major component in the bonding process is the development of our relationship with that part of the Earth with which we are most intimate - our physical body. Not only is our mother the source of our nourishment, but also the origin of our first experiences of pleasure and enjoyment. How this process unfolded for us, greatly influences how we continue to relate to our body.

Furthermore, if something happened to interfere with bonding at this critical stage, the growth of the brain itself may very well be impaired. It has been discovered that tactile stimulation and pleasure is absolutely essential for the proper development of the brain at early stages of growth.

In Tantra, this level of bonding is called Kama, meaning "desire, enjoyment or pleasure". It suggests that physical pleasure and enjoyment are absolutely necessary for all stages of human growth, be it biological, psychological or spiritual.

The very origins of self-esteem and self-worth are intricately involved with this level of bonding between the mother and child. All pleasurable stimulation sends a message to the child of acceptance and love. While all painful experiences send an equally powerful message of rejection and insecurity. These messages are translated not only in terms of the primary mother-child relationship, but the child's relationship to his or her own body as well.

If the baby has consistently been denied pleasurable stimulation and repeatedly received messages of rejection, not only will the development of the brain suffer, but personal self-esteem and self-worth will be undermined.

Furthermore, there is a great chance that pleasure and pain will become confused. And the experience of intimacy itself, will become associated with pain and insecurity. Unfortunately, this can remain as a dark subconscious undercurrent influencing all future relationships.

If on the other hand, the child receives an abundance of pleasurable stimulation and messages of physical acceptance, brain development will be greatly enhanced and the emotional stability of a positive self-image will be established. The experience of intimacy will be associated with pleasure and security. The child will be able to take delight in all forms of pleasure, and perceive these as the inherent qualities of his or her world.

As the individual matures, the fulfillment of desires will quite appropriately be perceived as the natural expression of enjoyment and pleasure. And because the individual has become emotionally validated through feelings of abundance, security and enjoyment, he or she is then able to easily expand the primary relationship with the mother to include others. And in most cases, this healthy expansion of the bonding process will eventually include a mate.

This next stage of development then, is also reflected in the Tantric principle of Kama. Here however, the Divine is no longer simply regarded as the Universal Mother but as the Hirodule of Heaven, the Consort who leads one into the life-transforming ecstatic realms, either as a physical partner, or as the inner mate of the psyche.

Within this unfolding process, sexual desire is recognized as a virtue. In fact, the word virtue originates from the Latin virtus, meaning: manly strength, virility or the power of the generative life-force. From the viewpoint of Tantra, the male who engages in a sexual relationship with one who he considers to incarnate the power of the Goddess, is known as a Hero, or Vira in Sanskrit.

The way of the Hero was seen as a natural process of spiritual maturation. He does not fear desire. He does not reject or suppress his sexual energy. He does not set out on a path of conquest.

Because he moves from a place of his own security and personal power, he is able to surrender to the feminine principles of pleasure and desire. He is strong enough to surrender to the Mystery of Life. He is not seeking to escape Life or control it. Rather, he is moved to embrace Life more completely.

As one is increasingly moved to surrender to the Mystery of Life, he or she begins to appreciate the next metaphysical principle of Vamacara Tantra, known as Dharma.

The word Dharma comes from the root word "Dhri", meaning to hold up, support or maintain. Dharma is the natural order of the Universe, the Cosmic Law that supports all things. It was originally perceived as the Law of the Universal Mother. And in almost every civilization, it was believed that the Mother Goddess was responsible for giving the rules of Life to human beings. Even today in our culture, we still depict Justice as a female holding a pair of scales.

This image most likely had it roots in the Egyptian concept of Dharma, known as Maat. Maat was personified as a beautiful Goddess wearing a feather in her hair. At the time of a person's death, She weighed their heart-soul against Her feather of Truth in the balance scales of Judgement.

In ancient Sumeria this principle of Dharma was known as ME. The ancient Chinese called it the Tao, or "The Way". To understand the principle it is essential that it be placed in its original association with both Artha, and Kama. Within this holistic framework, an individual recognizes his or her interconnectedness with, and dependence on the life-support systems of the Earth.

Through this basic realization, comes a natural desire to maintain a harmonious connection with these nurturing and self-sustaining processes. By remaining within this primal bond, one develops such a sense of security and trust that one is able to relax and enjoy the inherent pleasures of Life.

It is within this context that we find the original sense of Dharma. It was not determined by dogmatic rules set down in some sacred book, or imposed by the social structure. Because a dynamic bond with the Divine had already been established, first in the image of the Mother, then expanded in the image of the Lover, a sense of harmony with Nature was a tangible reality, and one's desires were spontaneously in accord with the creative flow of the Universe.

This was the psychological reality for all those who lived within the cultural matrix of the Goddess. It essentially meant that human happiness could be trusted as a guide for one's life. The natural flow of the Universe was perceived through a deep sense of belonging and well being. Everything was connected, and therefore everything was respected.

If there is one rule, or code of law that demonstrates this realization above all others, it is the idea of treating others as one would like to be treated. This idea is far older than any of our currently established religions and is firmly grounded in the principle of Dharma. The underlying assumption however, is that every individual has been adequately bonded through the principles of Artha and Kama, and is consequently healthy.

If these earlier stages of bonding have been somehow inadequate, then the individual's sense of self has been injured. Almost all neurotic and compulsive behaviors associated with sex, food, drugs and money can be seen as reflections of problems originating in the primary bonding process. If one's natural expressions of creativity are denied, then this same energy is unnaturally expressed in destructive ways.

It has been demonstrated many times through animal studies, that the suppression of physical pleasure results in a perverted expression of cruelty and aggression.

If the primary bonding of Artha and Kama has been adequately established in a person's life, the qualities of caring, affection, empathy and compassion have also been developed; only then will one's personal actions reflect a natural consideration of others.

As this principle of Dharma continued to evolve, there arose a level of maturity within human consciousness that blossomed like a beautiful flower. This flower is the concept of Ahimsa, "nonviolence" or "harmlessness". Ahimsa was widely considered in India to be Sakalo Dharma, the "entire law".

The rarified heights of this ethical concept were firmly rooted in the perception that each and every expression of Life is an individual manifestation of the Whole, and therefore connected and related to every other part. To injure any part of this web of Life would ultimately bring harm to all other life forms - including oneself.

As we have explored the principles of Artha, Kama, and Dharma we have seen the primary bonding process as a universal model for our relationship with the Divine. In this model, the Divine is first perceived as our nurturing Mother. As one further matures the Divine is eventually perceived as an indulgent Lover.

Within this context we have observed an unfolding process of psychological and emotional development. Associated with the Principle of Artha is security and trust; with Kama, enjoyment and the natural fulfillment of desires, whereby one develops self-esteem and a sense of personal power. Related to Dharma is the concept of Universal Harmony and the ethical principle of consideration for the welfare of others, be they humans, animals, plants or the Earth Herself.

Turning our attention now to the fourth and last principle of Vamacara Tantra, it is very important to remember that all these principles are interrelated and function as an integrated whole. To separate or isolate any one of them from their original cultural and metaphysical setting, presents an incomplete and distorted view. This is especially true when considering this last principle - Moksha.

When human beings made the shift from hunting and gathering societies to the agricultural communities of the fertile river valleys, their perception of Life dramatically changed. Because of their agricultural success people now had the time and energy to explore and develop in many new ways. Life was no longer tied down to the demands of physical survival, but was experienced with a sense of security and enjoyment. And it is within this kind of cultural setting, that we find the principle known as Moksha. Moksha means freedom. Freedom - not from Life, but Freedom of Life; in the sense of playful creativity, exploration, and the abandonment to the passion of experiencing Life in its fullest.

This principle represents the primal motivation of all human beings, and is the dynamic and creative energy that has given birth to all cultures on Earth.

When a child experiences a deep sense of physical and emotional security, automatically his or her creative energies are released. The child who is secure will forget about food, sleep, parental attention or anything else, and become completely absorbed in play. This play however is intentional. It is internally motivated by the unconscious mind. The child is engaged in the process of learning, exploring and discovery. This natural process is the fuel for all future development. It is the mind-expanding drug that produces a profound sense of joy.

Watching a child play, you can observe how the eyes light up and the whole being suddenly becomes present. You can almost see the billion neural connections being formed; the mind weaving together associations and information into a complex neural network.

Without any books or teachers, the child is learning physics, the laws of gravity and motion, how objects fit together, and how they come apart, as well as their shapes, textures and colors. The child is exploring the almost infinite wonders of his or her environment.

This is the flow of Life's creative energies manifesting in a natural and unobstructed way. Human beings have always sought to enlarge their fields of perception, to extend their range of conscious awareness, and to explore new areas of understanding, not because we have to, or out of a grim sense of duty, but rather because this is the way we have fun. This is our greatest joy. And this is Moksha.

As this process matures in the life of an individual, spirituality is perceived as the conscious surrendering to the continuous unfolding process of creative expression. He or she then becomes a conscious participant in the Cosmic Play of Creation. Creativity is seen as the celebration of the Spirit in our lives, whereby we bless ourselves, one another and the Earth.

The spiritually mature individual becomes so integrated with this sense of creative play, that he or she may become involved in birthing something unique and wonderful in the world, be it an actual child or some creative expression of the hands or head. Nothing in Creation is insignificant or without a purpose. And so it is with any act of our creative efforts, no matter how small. This is how we nourish ourselves and others. This is how we all become more wealthy. As the Divine eventually becomes perceived as a Lover, the spiritually mature individual who is bonded to the Creative Principles of Life, is able to abandon himself or herself to the meditation of sexual play. He or she feels the freedom to express these creative energies in an infinite number of ways. To truly liberate the sexual energy of one's body and mind, is to liberate the creative energies of the Spirit in one's life.

These energies may manifests in an explosion of creativity, powerful enough to birth a new civilization, a new technology or a new piece of art. Whatever it is, as the Divine expresses Herself through our sexual and creative energies, we are transported beyond our physical boundaries, liberated from our small ideas of limitation, plunged headlong into the flaming core of Creative Desire that births and sustains the Universe.

This is the process of Vamacara Tantra, the weaving together of the forces of Darkness and Light, the Earth and the Sky, the Goddess and the God, the Female and the Male. This process of integration follows the observable processes of the Natural World, and the ever renewing cycles of the Earth which so beautifully reflect our own continuous process of unfolding potential.

This then is The Gospel of Vamacara, "The Path of Pleasure" which had its origins in the culture of the Goddess as far back as 30,000 years ago. Its message is the message of Creation itself, which is beyond our terribly small ideas of salvation and perfection. Vamacara provides the Ethos, the conceptual matrix out of which the Art and Science of Tantra Yoga could evolve. Vamacara rests on the foundation of complete and utter acceptance of the Natural World, eventually giving birth to the four great principles of Artha/Abundance, Kama/Enjoyment, Dharma/Harmony and Moksha/Freedom.

Being sufficiently grounded in this understanding, one is then able to enter into the practice of Tantra to help facilitate the actualization or expression of these four principles in one's life. Through Vamacara Tantra the goal becomes the process: an ever deepening relaxation into the universal unfolding process of Abundance, Enjoyment, Harmony and Freedom.

Vamacara Vol. II	History - A Spiritual Analysis	The Cannabis Papers
In Her Fields - Poetry to the Goddess	The Adventures of Habu - Stories for Children	Roderick W. Marling Biography

Vamacara Tantra

The Left-Hand Path of Pleasure

Volume I: Origins

Part III

The Caduceus