During your yoga teacher training classes you will learn that Tantra yoga is not all about the Hanky Panky that some are lead to believe. Tantra yoga is more like that hidden secret than an exercise, and you cannot learn it from a book. You have to study it, absorb it and lean to practice from the gurus who hold the correct answers.
During your yoga teaching and practice, the gurus will sit calmly with purified minds. Through practice you will learn how to use your gifts of faith, purity, courage, humility and truthfulness.
Poses
Many of the Tantra yoga poses are similar to the traditional style poses. The difference falls to what exactly each individual can bring to the posture and your understanding of what is gained by practicing the poses. Relaxation also plays an important role in being able to access the full benefit of Tantra yoga practice. Tantra gurus will help guide you through the yoga movements, and teach you how to open yourself up to a more fulfilling and richer life.
Reputation of Tantra Yoga
Yoga teacher training will focus on the connection of two people through training but not the reputation of a sensual union between two partners. The basis of Tantra yoga falls way beyond the idea of sex. The goal of Tantra yoga is to be able to find harmony within all areas of yourself. Tantra yoga involves a variety of poses that will help you find your inner fires!
Considerations
The main focus which will be taught in yoga teacher training is that Tantra yoga is meant to harmonize the male and female components within each person in order to achieve strong creative wisdom and spiritual regeneration. Even though Tantra yoga does not tend to focus on the sexual connection between to people it can still be an effective method for helping to create a connection with your partner on a deeper level. Due to this fact, most of the Tantra yoga poses involve having two partners.
Poses
Here are some of the more popular poses that you will be taught during yoga teacher training that will help you build a strong routine from Tantra yoga:
Pelvic Tilt
Before you start this pose, you need to place on of your hands gently over your tailbone area. On an inhale, lift your tailbone up toward the ceiling and then tuck your pelvis towards the ground. Briefly, hold this position. During the exhale, tuck your tailbone toward the ground and slowly lift your pelvis toward the ceiling. Hold this pose briefly before you continue to repeat this sequence. When you being to feel comfortable with the tilting motion, you can remove your hands from your tailbone area and continue the motion. If you wish to add a more active tantric yoga pose to this movement you can add your chest and your shoulders into the move. As you begin to lift your tailbone on your inhale open your chest towards the ceiling and draw your should blades together. Then as you tuck your tailbone during the exhale, tuck your chest too and draw your shoulders together in front of your chest.
Yab-Yum
The yab-yum yoga pose help to align the chakras and energies of two partners. To start the pose the male partner begins with sitting cross legged on a cushioned yoga mat. The female partner will then sit on top of the man’s upper thighs and lock her ankles behind his back. At this time take a few seconds to adjust into the pose. Both partners should use their core muscles to maintain a straight back and be in an upright position. Once you have found a comfortable position both partners can use their core muscles to maintain a straight back and upright position. Slowly bring your foreheads together and slowly breathe in harmony. Open or close your eyes depending on what is more comfortable to you.
Downward Dog
To begin this pose you need to position yourself on the ground with both hands slightly in front of your shoulders and your knees beneath your hips. Spread your palms wide and turn your toes under. During the exhale extend your legs and lift your tailbone toward the ceiling. This pose and V position should give you strong extended arms, contracted abdominal muscles and strong extended legs. When you are in position you can have your partner move into the same pose behind you but facing away. Rather than having him rest his heels on the floor they should be on top of your heels. Hold this pose for thirty seconds.
Hercules
This pose begins while standing back to back with your partner and your arms extended out to the sides and holding hands. Buttocks should be against each other’s. The partner whose buttocks seem to be on top is considered the passive partner. Once you are in position the bottom partner straightens their legs and bends forward into a 90 degree angle, pulling the other partner into a back bend. Hold for several seconds before returning to the beginning position and trading directions.
This yoga style is meant to bring awareness and love back into a relationship with yourself and your partner. Through yoga teacher training you will be given the tools to adapt certain poses into a partner practice.
