Vigyana Bhairava Tantra with Nickie Short (Tulsi)
Report by Judith Lynch
The workshop was attended by 24 people. Nicki Short (Tulsi) presented a full day of yoga focussing on some of the practices from the teachings of the Vigyana Bhairava Tantra. Tulsi very kindly stepped in to replace the tutor we had booked (Nick Edge) who was unfortunately unavailable on the day. Both tutors are based at the Mandala Ashram in South Wales.
Initially, after a brief introduction to the day, we practised some interesting warm ups and asanas which focussed on bodily awareness, energising the core and breathing exercises. Tulsi provided us with the following text which describes the teachings and the specific practices (of the 112 there are!) which she expertly introduced us to during the workshop.
The Vigyana Bhairava Tantra (VBT) is comprised of 112 Dharanas/practices.
The focus is on simple practices that predominantly encourage a connection with spaciousness.
Vigyana – insight or science of the Self
Bhairava – Consciousness
Tantra – practical tools to change our perception
In modern life we often lack time and the VBT uses everyday situations to increase our awareness, potentially providing an opportunity to discover what we really are and to find the essence of each moment.
When we remember that space makes up 99% or more of all matter then we can start to feel a little less solid, potentially a little less stuck in life. We can start to experience the energetic spaces of the chittakasha (mind space), hridayakasha (heart space) and chidakasha (the universal space). We may begin to connect with the more subtle aspects of the Self and therefore change our perception of Self.
The specific Dharanas that we covered on the course:
Bhoochari Mudra – place one hand in front of the face with the thumb touching your nose-tip. Create some space between the thumb and index fingers. Put the other hand so that it is in front of the first hand with the index finger touching the little finger of the nearest hand, tucking the furthest hand thumb under the closest little finger. The furthest little finger is now approximately 12 fingers width from the nose-tip. The shoulders are relaxed and the arms and hands are parallel to the floor.
Bring your gaze to the furthest little finger tip. Have a soft gaze at this point for a period of time, then lower the hand keeping the gaze into the space where the little finger was. Try not to fix the gaze on any specific object.
Bring the hands back into bhoochari mudra and repeat as above once or twice more and on the final round as you lower the hands, close the eyes and become aware of the ‘felt’ space about 12 fingers width around the body (the Dwadashanta).
Dharana 1 – Coming and going breath – ‘insight may arise between two breaths. Be aware of the point from where the breath comes in, and the point into which the breath goes’.
Dharana 2 – Turning Breath ‘be aware as the breath turns from out to in, and again as the breath turns from in to out’.
Dharana 3 – Spontaneous breath suspension ‘Be aware of the inner space where the in-breath fuses with the out-breath. This can transform into ‘kewali khumbhaka’ where there are not thought patterns. Here, there seems to be no energy and yet it is the source of energy’.
Dharana 5 – Ascent of energy ‘ Visualise energy rising upwards from the mooladhara charka. Scintillating like the rays of the sun. Shakti becomes more and more subtle. Until at last She dissolves int eh dwadashanta. The Consciousness shines forth.’ We visualized the breath rising up the centre of the body and like a fountain energy and light cascading down to fill the space of the Dwadashanta.
Dharana 6 Piercing the chakras ‘Meditate on the lightening-like energy moving upwards successively form chakra to chakra. Ultimately this can lead to the osmotic identification with Consciousness’ We explored this Dharana in yoga nidra and also added in the bija mantras and colours of each chakra.
Dharana 8 – Rapid breathing and attention on the eyebrow centre ‘Rapdily pump breath energy into the forehead. Then concentrate on the eyebrow centre to free the mind of thought. In this way you can realise Consciousness, which is omnipresent.’
Dharana 15 – Nada Yoga ‘The subtle primordial vibration is like the constant flow of the river. Listen carefully to it and merge in Consciousness’. For this dharana we first practiced Bhramari pranayama for 9 rounds and then rested in the space and sound that remained.
Dharana 16 – Stillness underlying the mantra OM ‘chant the mantra om, or any other sacred mantra. Contemplate on the stillness and spaciousness at the end. Throughout this underlying stillness, merge with the plentitude.’
If you have any questions or would like further information about the practices please get in touch
Nickie.short@icloud.com or tel 07799 032824
If you would like information about upcoming retreats that I run with Nick Edge please see https://www.essentialnatureyoga.co.uk/ We currently have spaces for our retreat in Spain 11-18 May 2024, Glastonbury 9-12 January 2025 and Iona, Scotland 10-17 May 2025.
Thank you to Tulsi for her knowledge and clear teaching instructions introducing us to new teachings and yoga practices. Thanks to all who attended and also to the CYTA committee for organising the event.
Judith Lynch
