Introduction Tantra ( work in progress)

In attempts to demystify in many ways some of the more esoteric instructions of tantra.  Itself being a esoteric and more mystical form of teaching which is also known as a magical body of practice. some of the practical methods and symbolic Methods will be brought to light with some explanation of why the practices are being used for mental and spiritual training and how this can be a very effective way for coming to a greater understanding of ourselfs and the relationship we have with our mental and spiritual reality. Action oriented areas of practice are geared for bringing about realisation in a instant so many of the methods and practices can seem a bit chaotic or intense. In Tibet the name for a portion of the various tantric practices is Vajrayana which means the lightening vehicle or Diamond Vehicle its aim is to bring the practioner to enlightenment in one life time. Its method is truely intergrative in that every experience is intergrated and used to bring one to realisations which lead to progressively higher stages of realisation of latent capacites and abilites of the persons own being. Interacting with the persons spirit, will, intellect, imagination and inspiration various physical practices even doing full body prayers known as prostrations as a way to bring the full body in to the practice all in attempts to interact with the practioners whole experienced reality. As the practioner advances the practices can have the character of taking alot more awareness and concentration to complete. The visualisations start out simply as a small object in a picture or various letters and can get progressivly complexe eventually returning to simiplicity with a different perception.These practices point the way in ones mind. The practices make way for actual experiences. Something happens with out any activity on your part. The interesting fact of how tantra is taught in progressive stages of action to non action and physical to more mental and spiritual is a very interesting progression in itself. Its in line with the idea that practice makes perfect and fallows the pattern of any other method of training the body and mind. weather it be a something like chess or basket ball  or as it has been in the past being the best warrior.
The Tantric path itself is a path of sages people already well versed in spirituality the men of the past that were classed as mystics, alchemtist and magicians. The transformation of emotions and the ablities to come to vaulabe information through the various insites and understandings that are provided in these traditions and the experiences they provide. which can bring about changes that can be seen by others. Which provide for the colorful refrences through out history of many of the great tantrics and yogis. As many aspects of mental and phsycial yoga are used in the tibetan tantric path.
The goal of this path is awakening to the highest potetnial of the mind-body and its interaction with reality a very interesting goal and many different methods for doing so. This goal is reminesent and similar to many of the other mystical paths around the world that aim at coming in to closer communion with what actually Ultimately exist. These methods can effectivly be used in our everyday lives small aspects of the overall practice can help with being more relaxed and understanding. Its froms of using divine qualities and identifying and unifying with these divine qualites is another very interesting process that will be talked about later on that has been used all through out the past to effect the mind in many dynamic ways. The process is quite different from brining a external force inward. Everything is apect of the reality itself we are intimately linked with nature it is our being so all of the aspects that are practiced with are aspects of ourselfs and our reality.


Meditation
A very practice a benefical way to start to get in to a rythum with meditation practice is to start with small incraments of time and gradually increase the time when ever you feel like it the most important thing is that you get some meditation time in each day no matter how short even if its just 1 to 5 minuets. With these shorter meditaiton times it is good to just relax and calm the thoughts. This is difficult for everyone at first but it gets progressivly easier as your body and mind get used to the feeling. It is good to have a comfortable or quite place to sit but not necessary it just makes it easier espically in the beginning to lessen the distractions. Also it can help to use a single point of focus in the mind such as the breath or a point on the body. As you focus on a single thing it can help to calm the mind down almost completely if the mind is calm and not being pulled in many different directions by various other points of focus in your life. You will have more mental energy and all of the subconscious energy that was being put in to these various thoughts and emotions settled. This also makes for easier focus and concentation on your point of focus. After all what we think about focus and concentrate on make up our lives so it is important to understand how and why different points of focus and concentration effect our lives.