Asian Arts Museum in SF is exhibiting 5000 years of Yoga, highlighting different phases in the development of many traditions. The expounders of Yogic traditions used various symbolism to share experiential concepts both within and outside the practitioner community. Yoginis are one aspect of this symbolism and they have been used to convey to the common folk facts surrounding powers which practices can bring to a Yogi. Yoginis are often portrayed as fierce to warn a greedy practitioner of the pitfalls of misusing such powers to manipulate and control fellow beings.
Human consciousness is vast. The ancient idea of a Yogini as a super natural being bearing a gift can be better understood today as a unique compartment in human psyche waiting to be untapped. Anyone can exude confidence and become more charismatic by unlocking facets of one’s personality. Personality development is challenging only to the level of negative concepts held within one's mind. Repeated experiences of the silence and stillness is the first tool to break concepts. Bouts of energy accompanying this is equally necessary to retrain the social brain. Practicing Yoga postures brings stillness and silence. This is the experience of almost every Yoga practitioner. However a combination of altered patterns of breath, advanced postures, Yantras, Mantras or Tantras expedite personality transformation. It is apt that the Asian Arts museum has chosen the phrase “Art of Transformation” to describe Yoga.
Few people explore Yoga beyond Yoga postures. Limited understanding of Yoga symbolism and fancy interpretations by authors in the fifties and sixties is the main reason for this hesitation. Yoga symbolism is intended to present the subtleties of the human mind which a neurologist or a psychologist of today can better relate to. Tantra in the west became synonymous with increasing sexual satisfaction whereas in Yoga literature it is a category of practices used to overcome obsessions. Similarly Mantra became branded with religion whereas Yoga literature values a Mantra for its vibration quality rather than its meaning. Recent research into Buddhist chants, Meditating using a mantra have cleared some of this confusion.
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As the mind settles more one is able to hold one’s goals in clear view through adversary and challenging situations. A personal mantra fills determination and focus beyond a meditation sitting in one's mind in the subtlest way, almost like an effortless hypnosis session. It is worth understanding mantra as a tool to meditation.
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