Holistic wellness through the interconnected traditions of Yoga and Tantra.

Shiva as pure consciousness in Tantra and the master of all practices in Yoga.

Have you ever tried walking down a busy street while keeping your eyes fixed to the ground? For most, it’s a challenge because of the constant stimulation bombardment flowing through the five senses.

In today’s world, where stress, distraction, and disconnection are all too common, more people are turning to ancient wisdom for healing and transformation. Two powerful spiritual systems—Yoga and Tantra—when practiced together, offer a deeply integrative path toward emotional balance, inner peace and happiness and spiritual growth.

Though often seen as separate paths, Yoga and Tantra are in fact deeply interconnected. Together, they offer a sacred blueprint for using the physical body, breath, sound, intention, and energy to awaken Kundalini, balance emotions, clean up the subconscious and ultimately realize the Self.

The Unity of Yoga and Tantra

Yoga means “union”—a union of the individual self with the universal. Tantra, from the Sanskrit root tan, meaning “to expand,” emphasizes expanding consciousness through the body, breath, senses, and subtle energies. While Yoga often emphasizes restraint and renunciation, Tantra teaches that the body is not an obstacle but a sacred doorway to the divine.

Practices That Bridge Yoga and Tantra

Let’s explore how traditional yogic tools take on new depth and power when approached through the Tantric lens—and how they work together to awaken Kundalini and harmonize the five elements: earth, water, fire, air, and space.

1. Asana (Physical Postures): Grounding into the Elements

In Tantra Yoga, asanas are not just physical exercises. They are ritual movements that activate the five elements within the body.

Examples:

• Tadasana (Mountain Pose) to awaken earth element (Muladhara Chakra - stability).

• Utkata Konasana (Goddess Pose) to awaken the water element (Swadhistana Chakra - pleasures).
  

Tantric asana tends to be slower, intentional, and can be paired with breath awareness, visualization, and sometimes mantra.

2. Pranayama (Breathwork): Balancing Your Inner Currents

Pranayama directs prana (life force) through the subtle energy channels (nadis). In Tantra, it’s used to purify the body’s energetic system in preparation for deeper spiritual practices like meditation.

Examples:

• Nadi Shodhana (Alternate Nostril Breathing) to balance ida and pingala (lunar and solar energies), clearing emotional fog and calming the nervous system.

• Kumbhaka (Breath Retention) recommended to practice after Nadi Shodhana to prepare for meditation. This will reduce thinking and calm any negative emotions.
  

Try these before mantra or meditation to shift into sattvic (harmonious) energy.

The meeting of Shakti and Shiva at the crown chakra (art by: Pieter Weltevrede).

3. Mantra: The Sound Science of Transformation

Tantra sees mantra as a vibration-based tool to awaken divine energy and reprogram the subconscious mind. Mantras have seed (bija) sounds that correspond to things like chakras, deities, and elements.

  Examples:

• Om Aim Hreem Kleem - protection, fulfillment of desires, spiritual transformation. (tantric & vedic).

• Om Hrim Namah - balancing solar and lunar energies, clearing the mind, relieving stress. (tantric & vedic).

• Aum Krang Kring Krung Kalika Devi Shrang Shring Shrung Me Sub Kuru Kuru Kuru Swaha. Since this is a Kali mantra, it enhances confidence and courage and reduce worrying.  (tantric & bhakti yoga) (how to pronounce - by Peter Marchand)
  

Mantras are even more potent when paired with mudras and visualization, forming a complete inner ritual.

4. Mudras: Sealing Energy Flow

Mudras are hand gestures or body positions that direct prana within the subtle body. In Tantra, mudras are often used with mantras to awaken specific energies or chakras.

Example:

• Kundalini Mudra (interlocking hands with one finger extended upward) with the mantra “Soham” during deep meditation to stimulate Kundalini energy at the base of the spine.

  This combination helps move dormant energy upward, connecting root to crown through the central energy channel (sushumna nadi).
  

5. Visualization: The Inner Eye of Tantra

Tantric practices may use visualizations of prana, deities, light, yantras or the five elements for example to activate the subtle body and shift consciousness. This can be a self-practice or guided. Important is that you are imaging something to happen, not necessarily having to see it happen – wherever your attention goes, energy will flow.

  Examples:

• When a pranic visualisation is combined with the breath, it becomes a powerful practice for clearing your energy channels (nadis).

• Visualisations are often also combined with mantra for a deeper energetic effect.

6. Yoga Nidra: Resting into Being

Yoga Nidra, or yogic sleep, is a guided meditative practice that gently guides you into a state of complete non-doing when practiced regularly. In Tantra, it’s a way to dissolve emotional patterns, purify karmas, and prepare you for higher consciousness. The tantric practices of Nyasa (to place) and Visualisation are heavily used in many Yoga Nidra meditative practices.

Example: A Yoga Nidra practice that journeys through the chakras, using elemental visualizations and bija mantras (Vedic - Lam, Vam, Ram, Yam, Ham, Aum or Tantric - Lang, Vang, Rang, Yang, Hang, Aum) can be effective in harmonizing all five elements and induce a sattvic balance.

7. Meditation: The Gateway to Kundalini Awakening

Tantric meditation goes beyond quieting the mind. It’s a dynamic process of working with energy, sound, visualisation and awareness to awaken kundalini at the base of the spine. This is different than the flow of energy rising and falling in sushumna nadi. The Kundalini energy rises through a subtler nadi within sushumna nadi called brahma nadi. In my studies, this can happen in one of three ways: via specific pranayama practices of Kundalini Yoga, in experiencing extreme positive or negative emotions and thirdly through Samadhi (deep meditation). Whatever yogic or tantric meditative approach used, it will lead to the awakening of Shakti (divine feminine energy), which will rise up the spine to meet with Shiva (Pure Consciousness) at the crown of the head.

Awakening Kundalini energy through meditation example: To give an example here is pointless, since the meditation practice should be tailored to the individual. It is not one size fits all in other words. However, the meditation approach in a Tantric Yoga tradition could incorporate for example, the eight limbs of yoga, breath control, deities, yantras, mantras, rituals and even desires of the 7 chakras along the spine.

Eric performing a Naga ritual to aid in increasing energy, reduce inflammation & improve immunity.

8. Rituals: Everyday Acts of Devotion (Bhakti Yoga)

Rituals in Tantra are a way of honoring the sacred in everyday life. Lighting a candle, chanting a mantra, offering flowers—all become acts of conscious connection with the divine.

Example:

• A morning or evening practice of preparing an offering to the deity or deities in the form of a five elements ritual to prepare for the actual meditation is one of the most common practices in many cultures around the world. An offering could include a flower or leaf (earth element), a cup of water (water element), a candle (fire element), incense (air element) and a small bell (space element) to honor and connect to the deities of your meditation.

• Rituals in general help to anchor the spiritual into the material world, making your body and home temples of consciousness.
  

Tantra, Kundalini & the Five Elements

Tantra teaches that the human body is made up of and governed by the five elements:

• Earth (Muladhara): desire for stability

• Water (Svadhisthana): desire for pleasure

• Fire (Manipura): desire for status

• Air (Anahata): desire for love

• Space (Vishuddha): desire for knowledge
  

As Kundalini energy rises through the chakras, it activates and harmonizes these elements, moving the practitioner from density to subtlety, from form to formlessness, from separation to union with the Cosmic Self.

  Final Thoughts: Tantra Yoga is a spiritual opportunity

Combining Yoga with Tantra can  bring you back into a sacred relationship with your body, breath, energy, and emotions. It’s a path that doesn’t reject the world but sees all of life as a spiritual opportunity. Every breath, every posture, every mantra becomes a doorway to your higher Self. By integrating tantric and yogic practices like asana, pranayama, mantra, mudra, visualisation, yoga nidra, meditation, and ritual, you become both the seeker and the source.

Try This Simple Tantric Yoga Daily Practice (30 min):

See if it is for you and if not, continue to find the right blend of practices for YOU with your yoga teacher or Guru. If desired, set a gentle alarm sound at the end of 30-minutes.

1. Asana – Sun salutations using ‚Aum’ mantra aloud or silently upon each exhalation of breath (5 rounds). Come to comfortable seated position in either Half Lotus, Lotus, Burmese pose or Easy pose.

   
   

2. Ritual – 5 elements – place all items on altar elevated from floor slightly. Light 1 candle, pour 1 cup of water and place a leaf or flower in it. Light 2 sticks of pleasant and subtle smelling incense and ring a small bell or recite a mantra aloud like Aum three times.

   .

3. Pranayama – Kapalabhati (3 rounds).

   Monitor yourself for dizziness or lightheadedness and slow down or stop if needed. Nadi Shodhana (8 rounds). Option: 3-second Kumbhaka-breath retention if appropriate. Not for pregnant women or those with asthma, a heart condition or glaucoma.

   
   

4. Pranic Visualisation for Chakras – Visualise or feel a stream of white light energy inhale through the skin onto the base of your spine and exhale through the same point. Continue this visualisation for the remaining 6 chakras inhaling and exhaling 3 times into each chakra. Upon completion, visualise or feel light energy inhale through the crown of your head down to the base of the spine and exhale up the spine and out through the crown of the head 3 times.

   
   

5. Sit in stillness and silence for a few minutes before ending practice and enjoying your day.

The more you embody Tantra Yoga practices, the more you feel the divine pulsing within you, whispering: you are already whole, already home.

Thanks for your time.

Smiling back at you…

Eric

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