yoga

1. Introduction: As a member of the British Association of Occupational Therapists I refer to the Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct [1] and Core Standards [2] specified by the College of Occupational Therapists. I also refer to National Service Frameworks[3] produced by the Department of Health and guidelines produced by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence[4]. Working within the National Health Service I rarely feel empowered to follow these standards or guidelines. This mismatch between professional ideals and working reality seems to be a never-ending source of conflict and emotional turmoil. To manage this conflict I refer to Hindu/Buddhist scriptures on the practice of yoga. Some essence of these has been summarised in a journal article titled ‘The Ayurvedic Model of Human Occupation’[5] in the Asian Journal of Occupational Therapy. This blog entry describes how I apply these scriptures to my working life, to manage my own well-being (that is threatened five days a week). It may make little sense to anybody that does not practise yoga. I would therefore encourage anybody that is interested to refer to the journal article.

Introduction: Recently a conversation thread in the British Association of Occupational Therapists’ internet discussion forum was started to brainstorm ideas for the treatment of sexual deprivation for patients in secure forensic mental health units⁽¹⁾. Tantra is a branch of yoga that offers possible avenues for resolution of this problem.

Tantric sexual practices are used to generate an awareness of the blissful state humans can achieve when they stop thinking. In general society sexual activity seems to be goal-orientated with a marked emphasis on the purpose of achieving orgasms^(2,3). In various cultures psychosocial pressure makes orgasms more difficult for females to achieve than males^(4,5). For this reason conventional heterosexual relationships have become a subject of resentment for some feminists⁽⁶⁾. During Tantric practices orgasms are circumstantial and irrelevant. Meditation is utilised during sexual activity to generate an awareness of bliss that makes orgasms obsolete. Most people require calm, still minds for effective meditation and will therefore find Tantric sexual practices incompatible with violence. The awareness of bliss generated by Tantra however, pales any bliss generated by conventional sexual activity by comparison. People who have experienced Tantric bliss will usually find conventional sexual activity unsatisfying and may find it distasteful. Experience of Tantra may therefore help people that have adopted antisocial practices in the pursuit of sexual gratification re-integrate into society. It is however unlikely to be effective for people who are using sexual violence primarily for the expression of power.

A basic assumption underlying Tantra is that everything in the material Universe is just a manifestation of emptiness. If for example, we compare a human hand to a raised toilet seat, superficially they appear very different. Looking deeper, on a sub-atomic level they both consist mostly of empty space. Even the particles that can be found within that empty space are just unstable and interchangeable manifestations of energy that cannot be said to exist independently of an observer⁽⁷⁾. A hand is therefore only different from a raised toilet seat in the way its energy appears to manifest, and this difference is only transient.

Extrapolating from the above, a human is essentially no different to an angel or demigod; they are all just appearances of energy. The appearance of the Universe depends entirely on our consciousness and the way we look at it. One person may experience the material universe as heaven while another experiences it as hell. As most people will find heaven more pleasant, Tantric techniques are aimed at moving an individual’s consciousness towards a permanent state of bliss. The first steps of this are the visualisation of oneself as a demigod and ones environment as heaven.

The techniques: Sexual techniques make up only a very small part of the Tantric meditation repertoire. There are two types of sexual techniques, which could be loosely termed internal and external. Internal sexual techniques are based on visualisation of sexual congress with a demigod or goddess. "Each Goddess bestows the five types of bliss: bliss arisen from seeing her beautiful body, bliss arisen from hearing her beautiful songs, bliss arisen from smelling her pleasant fragrance, bliss arisen from tasting her kiss, and bliss arisen from feeling the smoothness of her skin. We generate these five types of bliss and then meditate on emptiness, symbolized by the phenomena source"^{(8: page 144)}. The bliss generated by sexual union with a demigod or goddess far exceeds that which can be experienced with mere humans. For this reason, a person who practices these meditations may experience decreased sexual attraction to other people and a reduced sex-drive.

External sexual techniques are practiced with a partner. Popularisation of unauthentic versions of these has given Tantra a bad name in the West, where it has been associated with casual sexual activity. Techniques similar to those used in Tantra have been well described in books on Tao⁽⁹⁾. A key to these techniques is to focus ones awareness on the bliss generated by the physical sensations of the sexual activity, rather than the sensations themselves. Once the awareness of bliss is generated, it can be moved to different body parts, such as the head, heart or solar-plexus. To gain maximal bliss from these practices one must visualise oneself and ones partner as deities. If ones sexual partner is not also practicing Tantric meditation this visualisation may be very difficult to achieve.

Cautions for Tantric meditations:
• Clairvoyance is a side effect of advanced Tantric meditation. As Western psychiatry largely fails to account for or conceptualise a spiritual domain this is likely to be interpreted as psychosis.
• Advanced Tantric techniques produce visions as vivid as every-day reality. Some Tantric meditations may therefore be unsuitable for people who already experience hallucinations due to pathology.
• Tantric mediators are likely to find decreasing satisfaction from conventional sexual relationships as they advance along the Tantric path.
• Advanced yoga practitioners experienced decreased motivation for interaction with the material world. This may be observed as a gradual withdrawal from society and observable occupations.
• Generation of deities may be considered sinful by people of Abrahamic religions.

Benefits of Tantric meditations:
• Increased sense of well-being
• Reduced stress response
• Decreased sex-drive
• Dissociation of sex and violence
• Increased emotional and sexual independence
• Increased capacity for empathy an compassion
• Greater equity for sexually repressed individuals

Limitations of Tantric meditations:
Tantric meditations require practice before visualisations become vivid. Some people may lack the patience required for success with Tantra. A step-by-step authoritative and comprehensive guide to sequential meditations is available in:

Geshe Kelsang Gyatso (1995) Tantric Grounds and Paths. Ulverston: Tharpa Publications

There is a lack of research evidence for the therapeutic effects of Tantra. Traditional evidence is intrapersonal; try the meditations and see if you experience bliss.

V

References:
1. Bolton M. (2007) intercourse and occupation http://www.cot.org.uk/members/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=1682
2. Ensler E. (2001) The Vagina Monologues. London: Virago
3. Friday N. (2003) Women on Top. London: Arrow Books
4. Field K. L. (1983) Refuse Thy Name: Sexual Repression, Boundary Maintenance, and the Perpetuation of Privilege. Central Issues in Anthropology. 5(1):1-26
5. De Angelis B. (2002) What Women Want Men to Know. London: Thorsons
6. Roiphe K. (1994) The Morning After. London: Hamish Hamilton
7. Vicente M., Chasse B., Arntz W (2005). What The Bleep Do We Know!? London: Revolver Entertainment
8. Geshe Kelsang Gyatso (1995) Tantric Grounds and Paths. Ulverston: Tharpa Publications
9. Chia M., Chia M., Abrams D., Abrams R.C. (2001) The Multi-Orgasmic Couple: Sexual Secrets Every Couple Should Know.. London: Thorsons.