Bhuta Shuddhi

Bhuta shuddhi is the very dynamic and systematic practice of tantra which transforms the elements, constituting body and mind, for the transmission of the atma shakti. Bhuta means 'basic element'. It is also known as tattwa. Shuddhi means 'purification'. According to tantra, body ,and mind are comprised of five primal elements known as earth (prithvi, water (apas, fire (agni, air (vayu and ether (akasha. !hese tattwas are the manifestation of the primordial 'Shakti', and it is due to them that this entire universe e"ists. #f course, we can understand each tattwa in its gross state as earth, water, fire, etc., but here the word tattwa or element applies to something much more subtle than that. !hese five tattwas comprise particular pranic vibrations of the one Shakti, $ust as white light is broken up into the different colours of the spectrum. In the body, earth earth tattwa represents solidity from the cellular structure% water tattwa, fluidity& blood, lymph fluid, etc.% fire tattwa, heat & appetite, digestion, thirst% air tattwa, motion & e"pansion and contraction% ether tattwa, subtle vibration and emotion. !he tattwas, as part of the mind and psyche, arouse the sense of smell, taste, sight, touch and sound. rom this level they connect to the corresponding organs, nerve ple"i and energy centres or chakras. chakras. In tantra, the practice of bhuta shuddhi is used for transforming the pranic flow of the tattwas back to their original unmanifest form as primordial 'Shakti'. As long as the prana flows outward through the sense organs, awareness will be engrossed in the e"ternal world. owever, if we can realise these tattwas or pranic flows operating in their subtle form, independent of e"ternal stimulus, then the e"perience, knowledge and illumination can arise from the inner dimensions. !he purpose of this practice, as in all tantric practices, is to free the consciousness from its attachment to e"ternal ob$ects in order to realise the true inner nature. Purification of the tattwas

!he first step towards this is purification of the basic physical, mental, psychic and pranic structure. In yoga there are various forms of purification which are meant to achieve this) prana shuddhi, nadi shuddhi, vak shuddhi, manas shuddhi, etc., but the practice of bhuta shuddhi, as described in the ancient tantras, covers the entire range of man's e"istence. In the 'Srimad *evi Bhagavatam' (+h. , it says that bhuta shuddhi purifies the body elements by 'respiratory attraction and replacement'. By concentrating on the yantra and bi$a mantra of each tattwa at its specific location in the body, the internal vital capacity and awareness becomes dynamic and active. At that time, sensorial awareness awareness drops as you merge into the realm of vibration and form within. -ou -ou are lead from the gross sensory e"perience to the root cause of attachment in this world& the ego, which is represented in the form or mandala of 'apa urusha', urusha', the sinful man, represented as a hideous dwarf living in the abdomen. By the use of the tattwa bi$a mantras and breath, you mentally purify, dissolve dissolve and reconstruct his being inside you into a golden egg, like hiranyagarbha. hiranyagarbha. !his actually helps transform your own individual ego. !hen, by considering yourself to be the supreme knowledge or consciousness (Shiva, you finally attain that state.

/hen you bring yourself back slowly in the reverse process, to the manifestation of Shakti in the elements and finally envisage Shakti in the mandala of *evi, both consciousness and prana become absorbed in the diverse manifestations of the one energy. The bath of fire

#n completion of the meditation, it is essential to wipe bhasma or ashes on the body for purification of the tattwas. In the ancient vedic and tantric tradition, bhasma is vital for arousing the higher consciousness and purifying the body. Bhuta shuddhi, done with the use of ashes and fasting during a particular time according to the solar0lunar phase, helps control the animal instincts and awaken the consciousness. !herefore, it is also known as ashupati vrata and Shiva vrata. Applying ashes is called the 'bath of fire', which burns attachment to sensorial e"perience and the lower nature. In the '*evi Bhagavatam' (+h. 1 it says that, 2!hrough this Sivovrata, Brahma and the other devas were able to attain their Brahmahood and devahood. !he ancient sages, including Brahma, 3ishnu, 4udra and other devas, all performed this Sivovrata. All those who performed it duly became sinless, though they were very sinful in every way.2 In this practice, it is important to use cow dung ashes, especially from the fire ceremony, and wipe them over 2the body, particularly the forehead, while repeating mantra. !hen say) '5arth is ashes, water is ashes, fire is ashes, air is ashes, ether is ashes, everything whatsoever is ashes'. In this way the vibrations of the mantra are transmitted throughout every cell in the body. Siddhis associated with the tattwas

In the process of awakening the vital capacity of the tattwas, particular characteristic signs of perfection arise. In tantra these are known as siddhis. In occidental countries they have been called supernatural, occult or magic powers, but it must be understood that these powers arise from within you as a result of your own effort to intensify and concentrate your mental and pranic energy. In atan$ali's -oga Sutras (6) 78 it says that, 2By sanyama or concentration on the gross, basic, subtle and interpenetrating states, and the purpose of the bhutas, mastery over them is attained.2 Awakening of the tattwas develops sensitivity to subtle vibration and to the higher faculties of clairvoyance, clairaudience, telepathy and intuition. In the 9herand Samhita (6) 81&:6 it says that, 2+oncentration of the prana for two hours in the earth tattwa brings steadiness% in water tattwa, destroys unbearable sufferings and sins% in fire tattwa, eliminates the fear of death% in air tattwa, gives the e"perience of flying in the air% in akasha tattwa, opens the doors to liberation.2 !he tantric te"ts also enumerate other attributes associated with the awakening of the tattwas. 5arth tattwa is responsible for levitation, freedom from disease, and creation of astral smells. /ater tattwa removes fear of water. It e;ualises the prana vayu and gives knowledge of unknown sciences, the power of astral travelling, and the ability to create various taste sensations. ire tattwa gives material wealth, detachment, the ability of transforming base metals into gold, discovering of medicines, entering another's body. Air tattwa gives knowledge of the past, present and future, fulfilment of desire, contact with

astral entities, ability of psychic healing, inner peace and harmony, compassion. 5ther tattwa gives knowledge of the 3edas, longevity, endurance without food or water, psychic pro$ection faster than the speed of light. !hese are the powers which are associated with the tattwas but they should not be delved in as it is very easy to be misguided by the phenomena of the subtle realm. It is necessary to put them aside and conserve your energy to arouse an even subtler awareness & that of the atman. Time of practice

!his practice should be done in the early hours of the morning after bathing, to purify yourself before the oncoming day. !raditionally it was undertaken as a sankalpa made before the guru to be done three times daily) morning, noon and sunset on a long or short term basis, e.g. twelve years, si" years, three years, si" months, three months, one month, si" days, three days, or even one day. It is said to &be most effective when performed in the months of Shravan (