The material on this page is an excerpt from the book "Secrets of Western Tantra" by Christopher Hyatt.

Contents

Warm-up methods

• Method One
• Method Two
• Method Three

Exercises

• Section One
• Section Two
• Section Three
• Section Four

Notes

The methods presented here will cause tremendous changes in your sexual and spiritual life, as well as every other aspect of your existence. Therefore do not undertake these exercises until you are absolutely certain that you are both ready and willing to change. Remember: by its very nature, all genuine spiritual change brings unpredictable results.

Be sure you have become expert at the warm-up exercises before you attempt the more complicated ones.

Please read these instructions at least three times, separated by at least one day. Do not perform more than two sessions a week.

As these movements and techniques are very powerful -- please make haste slowly

One of the warm-up methods should be used prior to each exercise section. Alternate warm-up methods as you choose, but do not omit any steps.

Prior to starting the exercises, make sure your bladder and bowels are empty and that two hours have passed since your last meal.

Note: The purpose of these exercises is to remove chronic muscle tensions. You will experience "explosions" of energy and some clonisms (tremors or shudders) if you do the exercises properly. Be prepared for this and do not be frightened when it happens.

Method One

Step 1. Sit, lie down or stand up. Makes Faces - stretch all the muscles in the face. Open your mouth as wide as you can, move the jaw from side to side. At the same time open your eyes as wide as you can. Move your eyes up and down and from side to side. This will begin to release tension, thereby removing obsessive thoughts which lie hidden in these areas. Make many different faces. Use a mirror if you wish. Do this for 5 minutes.

Step 2. Hum and chatter -- Hum from the depths of your belly. Use Om or just Um. Do this for 1-2 minutes. Now stick your tongue out and chatter DADA, MAMA, BABA. Stick out your jaw as far as you can and continue humming and chattering. Do this for 3 minutes.

Step 3. Pull your shoulders up as if you were trying to reach your ears. Hold for several seconds feeling the strain then drop them as low as you can. Repeat this for 2 minutes.

Step 4. With your mouth open take in a deep breath inflating your chest and pulling your stomach in and up. Hold for a count of 5 and then just let the chest fall and the belly relax. Repeat this 10 times allowing a count of 7 to elapse before your next inhalation.

Step 5. Turn your head from side to side as slowly and far as you can. Repeat for 1 minute.

Step 6. Lying down on your back, hold your legs about 4 inches off the ground and stretch arms and legs outward. Hold this as long as you can then let them drop. Repeat 2 times.

Step 7. With your mouth slightly open breathe rapidly, sighing as you exhale. Continue for 2 minutes.

Method Two

Lie down on your back. Take 10-15 deep breaths starting deep in your belly and working upward. Try to become aware of all the muscles you use in breathing. When you have completed this, slowly get up. Stand with your feet slightly apart and count to three. When you reach three let the top part of your body collapse forward and downward at you waist, like a rag doll. Do not fall, just let is collapse; do not force it, let gravity pull it down. Repeat this 10 times. When you are finished take a few deep breaths and feel the effect this exercise had on you. See if you can sense your pelvic region. Now repeat the same experiment this time exhaling rapidly through your mouth as you fall and breathing in slowly as you rise. Repeat this 10 times.

Method Three

Stand up with your feet slightly apart and bend your knees slightly (not too much) and then let the top part of your body flop forward. Do not force it -- just let it drop. While you're in this position, use a five count breath (through your mouth). Five in, hold five, five out, hold five. Repeat this three times and slowly straighten yourself up. Repeat this 5 times.

Now stand erect for a few moments with your eyes tightly shut. Become aware of any tension in your face, neck or shoulders. Mobilize these tensions by opening your mouth as wide as you can and distorting your face. Now close your mouth and continue on with the distortions. When you've done this for at least 3 minutes, tilt your head back as far as you can, and begin turning it very slowly from side to side. Some people might get nauseous at this point, so be prepared. If you experience the urge to vomit go right ahead, since the gag reflex is marvelous for reducing body tension.

Section One

Remove your clothes, or wear loose fitting clothing. Lie down on a very soft surface in a cool room. If your room is too warm turn up the air conditioning slightly, or turn on a fan. Coolness is very important.

Stretch thoroughly. Move you arms to your side and take a deep breath. Hold your breath, while doing a slow, controlled sit up. Let the breath go and flop. Repeat the breath, sit up and flop two or three times. Stretch again.

Get into the "breathing position". This means that you are to lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet solidly on the floor or bed about a foot from your rear end. Your knees should be about 18 inches apart. Your arms should be at your side.

Now begin breathing through your mouth. Make sure your mouth is held loosely open (about 1 inch). Inhale to a slow count of three, then exhale to a slow count of three.

We will call this "deep breathing". The inhalation should be full but not forced. Start inhaling from your lower belly. The belly should begin to expand first, followed by the chest. This is essential.

When the inhalation reaches its highest point, just let go saying "AH", allowing the chest and belly to collapse/contract on their own.

Make no voluntary movements as you breath. If you sense tension leave it alone. Allow what happens to just happen. Remember, allow a slow count of three while inhaling and begin exhaling by saying "AH". You should set a timer for 20 minutes. Then, just sense and feel your body for another 5 minutes. Verbalize only what you sense and feel. Make no interpretations at this time.

Now you will begin to combine deep breathing with other movements. As you do the following exercises you may at times notice that your breathing becomes erratic or even that you are unconsciously holding your breath. Do not allow this to continue. It is essential that you continue deep breathing throughout the exercise unless specifically instructed otherwise.

Again start deep breathing for at least five minutes. Continue deep breathing, but now open your eyes as wide as you can while inhaling and the exhale closing your eyes as tight as you can. Utilize just the section of your head from the eyes up. Do not move your jaw or change the position of your body. Do this for 5 minutes.

After you have done this, continue deep breathing but this time lift your head while inhaling and let it flop on the exhalation. (Be sure to have something soft to catch your head).

Some people get nauseous during this phase, so have an empty stomach or keep a pot handy. Set your timer for 3 minutes. After you feel comfortable you may increase the timer to 10 minutes.

When this phase is completed become completely aware of your sensations and feelings for five minutes or so. Be sure to verbalize what is going on. Again, no interpretations please.

Next, begin deep breathing again; on the inhalation push your lower jaw out as far as you can. On the exhalation, let it relax. Keep this up for 5 minutes. Allow any automatic grimaces to develop. Become aware of any heat that develops.

Relax for a moment or two. Begin deep breathing again. On the inhalation push your lower jaw out as far as possible, but this time growl like an animal on the exhalation. The growl should be as full and deep as possible. Begin to become aware of the origin of your growl. Do not do this exercise for more that one minute. When finished, relax for a moment or two.

If you are not already in bed, please lie down now. Lie supine (on your back). I want you to put the two exercises together along with a few other movements.

On the inhalation stick your jaw out as far as you can and at the same time raise your arms slowly behind your head. At the same time begin lifting your head toward your chest and growl, leaving your arms behind your head.

When you are almost finished growling and your chin almost touches your chest, clench your fists and fling you arms outward and sideways, hitting the bed. Be sure to let your head fall back on the bed.

Repeat this procedure six times.

It is very important to relax now. Give yourself a break. I would suggest at least ten minutes of just plain sensing and feeling.

You may now stop for this session or continue on with Section two. For beginners, I suggest that you stop.

Section Two

Begin by lying down and sensing and feeling your body. Do this for at least five minutes. Ten minutes is better.

Now begin deep breathing as described previously. Ten minutes of breathing will do.

Raise you hands straight up in the air over your chest. Inhale, then stretch the left arm and relax the right arm as you exhale. Then inhale, stretch the right arm and relax the left arm as you exhale. Continue alternating arms. Reach for the sky as you say "AH" with every attempt. Reach up as high as you can, as if your greatest desire was just out of reach. To help you get the feeling of this movement you might say the name of a person who you would like to make contact with. Sometimes "Maamee" or "Dadee" can create the desired feeling, or just yell "Give Me!". Learning how to yearn is very important both in releasing repressions and to help you learn devotional sexuality. It is also important in later Tantra work and Devotional Prayer.

Continue with this exercise until your arms begin to get tired. Now, just let go. Relax.

Next, repeat the above movement except this time reach up with both arms at the same time on the exhalation and relax both on the inhalation repeating either the name of a significant other or a Divine name (IAO pronounced EEE-AAH-OOOH, will serve well for most students).

Repeat this movement until your arms become very tired. Be sure to reach as high as you can.

Now treat yourself to some fun food such as ice cream, cake or pop corn. If you choose ice cream, be conscious of the Melting Sensation.

Section Three

I must again warn the reader at this point that these movements are designed to open up areas of consciousness filled with psycho-spiritual energies. Proceed slowly. Do not lust after results.

This is a good time to discuss journals. If you are serious about your personal work a special journal should be on hand to record the results of your work. This might include feelings, thoughts, dreams, divinations etc. which have occurred after you have begun your practices. This record will be essential if you desire to go further in your Tantric practices.

Lie down and begin deep breathing for 20 minutes.

Begin by opening and closing the eyes as described in Section One for another five minutes.

Begin by opening and closing the eyes as described in section one for another five minutes. Relax, sense and feel your body for ten minutes.

Now breathe backwards. This means on the inhalation pull your belly in and pull your chest up making the sound of a wheeze. (This should sound similar to someone who has a very bad chest cold.) Hold the breath for one or two seconds and let your chest collapse. Relax for one minute and repeat the backwards breath 5 times. Relax again and repeat 5 times. Do 6 more sets. You can increase the breathing movements to 10 times as well as increasing the sets to 10 when you become comfortable with this movement.

Relax and treat yourself to some gooey goodie.

Section Four

Begin deep breathing for 15 minutes. Then as you continue breathing, on the inhalation slowly tilt your pelvis toward your face. On the exhalation let it drop. Repeat this for 15 minutes. Do not tilt any part of your body except your pelvis.

Now slowly bring your knees together on the inhalation and let them fall open on the exhalation. Continue this for 10 minutes. If your legs, or for that matter anything else, begin to quiver or shake, just allow this to happen. (And by the way, congratulations.)

Now rest for at least 10 minutes, sensing and feeling your body.

Begin breathing again, this time with your legs flat on the bed. On the inhalation lift up your right leg and on the exhalation strike the bed as hard as you can with it. Now do this with the left leg. Alternate legs for 5 minutes. If the circumstances allow, give out a loud shout as your leg strikes the bed.

Now relax. Sense and feel your body for at least 15 minutes.

Important Notes

• Begin with the movements in Section One and work you way through each section to Section Four. Do not begin from Section Four and work your way backward.
• Sections one and two can be practiced together.
• Sections three and four should not be practiced together until you feel comfortable with the results of section one and two.
• Start a journal and use a tape recorder during your sessions.
• No session should be longer than one hour.
• If you have medical problems consult your doctor before undertaking the movements.
• You will be shaky for at least ten minutes after your sessions. Do not drive or operate dangerous equipment.
• After six months of practice you can try a grand session of four hours using all the movements in the described sequence.
• After a year of practice you can begin to mix up the movements when it suits your needs.
• These are bio-psycho-spiritual exercises and only individuals who have chosen to take the Path toward enlightenment and self development in the most profound sense should undertake these movements.
• If you have any questions about the movements please feel free to write. Please keep the questions simple, short and to the point.
• These movements can and should be used entire life. Not only will they help decrease depression and anxiety, they will continue to bring you insight and new energy.

Last revised: 05 February 04
page by Oliver Crow