Tattwa shuddhi

Tattwa shuddhi is an ancient tantric practice for purification of the elements, published for the first time in this comprehensive text. Every individual is comprised of five basic elements. Through the process of tattwa shuddhi, the purification and transformation of these elements takes place.

Shuddhi Kriyas, also known as cleansing practices, are integral components of traditional Yoga and Ayurveda systems aimed at purifying the body, mind, and spirit. These practices help remove impurities, toxins, and stagnant energy from the physical and energetic bodies, promoting overall health and well-being.

The sadhana of tattwa shuddhi enables the inner power of the mind to be revealed as a potential bridge through which the aspirant crawls from the transience of objective experience to the permanence of inner reality. Essentially, tattwa shuddhi is a system designed to purify the whole of man's being.

The word tattwa is broken up into two syllables: tat meaning 'that' and twa meaning 'nesses'. Therefore, tattwa signifies 'thatness', which can be further understood as 'the essence which creates the feeling of existance'. Tattwa is also known as bhuta in the scriptures. Bhuta is another sanskrit term which has a wide range of connotations, but as its meaning coincides in part with tattwa, the two words are commonly used synonymously. The five elements are commonly referred to as pancha mahabhuta or pancha tattwa.

Shuddhi is the act of purifying and sadhana is the act of perfecting. Therefore, tattwa shuddhi or bhuta shuddhi sadhana can be understood as 'perfecting purification of the essence which gives rise to the feeling of existence'. Thus, it is a process by which we purify the subtle essence of tattwas of which the body is composed, as well as the underlying consciousness related to those elements.

The tantric tradition believes that the ultimate experience is preceded by many stages of purity. Not purity in a religious, moral or ethical sense, but as a scientific process created in the laboratory of the body and mind. The tantras talk about tattwa shuddhi or purification of the subtle elements: prana shuddhi, purification of the vital force elements; chitta shuddhi, purification of the psychological elements; deva shuddhi, purification of the divine elements; atma shuddhi, purification of the elements constituting the unconscious. Each of these practices is related to the unleashing of energy and separation of consciousness from matter. Tantra asserts that it is only when this happens that true spiritual experience begins.

Just as a potter fires his works of art in a burning hot kiln, tattwa shuddhi prepares an aspirant for the tempestuous and stormy path encountered through the higher practices. Whether you practise vamp marga, dakshina marga or kayla marga, hatha yoga, kriya yoga, kundalini yoga, raja yoga, or any yoga, you will have to incorporate tattwa shuddhi to give momentum to your progress in sadhana.

Meaning of purification

Through tattwa shuddhi sadhana, we purify the tattwas or the elements and also the senses and perceptions connected with them. The sense of hearing and auditory nerves are purified by repetition and mantra. The sense of sight and optic nerves are purified by witnessing the yantras and mandalas. The sense of touch and tactile nerves are purified by the application of bhasma through anga nyasa and kara nyasa. The sense of smell and olfactory nerves are purified by pranayama, and the sense of taste and gustatory nerves are purified by fasting or sattwic diet.

However, purification through tattwa shuddhi should not be conceived as physical purity. Purification in that sense is only for those of little understanding. Tantra lays greater emphasis on purity at the gross, subtle and causal levels of the mind. Physical purity alone cannot carry the aspirant to higher dimensions because it is related only to the gross body. Beyond the gross body there are several other bodies or planes of existence related to the hidden layers of the mind.

These are subjected to the influence of samskaras (latent impressions) which create sankalpa and vikalpa (thought/counterthought) in the level of the conscious mind. Any disharmony on those levels is immediately transferred to the respective bodies. Just as a physical disease arises out of neglect and carelessness towards the body, there are subtle and causal 'diseases' that build up in the sukshma sharira (subtle body) and karina sharira (causal body) through carelessness in the way we feel, think, react and interact with life.

We have learned how to combat physical disease, but how are we going to deal with the ailments related to other dimensions of our existence? These ailments are subtle and manifest indirectly. They are only tangible as fears, anxiety, neurosis, psychosis, depression, anger and frustration. When these emotions arise, they not only affect the conscious plane, but even the deeper levels of mind and body. As these are intangible and out of reach, we are unable to find a permanent remedy, so they begin to accumulate and gradually disturb our life and personality.

The body is an extension of the mind. One cannot easily define the limits of the body in relation to the mind as they are intimately interlinked. This creates an interdependence whereby they begin to affect each other. thus, most diseases are either psychosomatic or Som psychic in nature. As a result, the effects of physical disorders eventually disturb the mind and mental disorders create physical diseases.

As the mind is the governing factor over the bodily functions, it becomes necessary to aim at purification on the mental level as well as the physical level. It is in the mind that the germ or virus of infirmity is born and bred. So, when we talk of purification, we should first of all try to understand it in relation to the different layers of the mind. In this respect, let us try to understand what mental purification is. Is it merely the inculcation of virtues such as compassion, mercy and truth, or is there a purification of the mind which transcends even these virtues?

It is in the explanation of this theory that tantra stands apart from other philosophies. Tantra believes that no act or thought is impure in itself. The impurity lies in erroneous perception and judgement. Good and evil cannot be judged on the prejudices of a whimsical society, but on the basis of metaphysical truths. Through personal sadhana it becomes possible to understand impurity and how to understand it.

Without purification on the subtler levels of the mind, it is impossible to attain higher states of awareness, for a mind that is dissipated by thought/counterthought can never achieve one-pointedness and concentration. These oscillating tendencies of the mind can be reduced, either by harmonising the flow of prana in the body or by disassociating the intellect and ego from the consciousness, so that you become both experiencer and witnesser or sakshi.

Purification of the elements

Tattwa shuddhi is unique in that it deals with the process of purification from the grossest to the subtlest level. The first step of purification in tattwa shuddhi sadhana is bathing and cleansing the physical body, applying bhasma (ashes), fasting and diet control. The aspirant has to inculcate a particular attitude even to these mundane acts, for a tantric believes that all aspects of life should be integrated with higher awareness. The manner in which you sit, talk, comb your hair, wash your body, or perform any act, also reflects the inner state of mind. Therefore, the purificatory process in tattwa shuddhi is not just confined to one or two hours of meditation but extends throughout the twenty-four hours.

This first stage of purification in tattwa shuddhi sadhana should not be understood as 'disciplinary rules', but as a method to heighten your awareness. Thereby, these acts will reflect the inner harmony and joy of existence.

The next stage, which is a more subtle level of purification, is affected through the forces of mind and prana, from which the elements have arisen. These latent inner powers are awakened and directed towards the refinement of the subtle aspect of the tattwas. Refinement of the tattwas on the subtle level, as well as every other level, entails an increase of energy, so that the tattwas themselves vibrate at a harmonious frequency. This induces a state of equilibrium and equipoise, which leads to a deep inner awareness.

However, the causal level constituted by the tattwas is the most difficult to purify because it does not come under the influence of the conscious mind and thought. It requires a powerful force of concentrated energy to create a transformation on this level. This is attainable in tattwa shuddhi through repetition of the tattwa bija mantras and visualisation of their respective yantras. These have a profound influence on the causal body and unconscious mind and are able to purge the deep-rooted samskaras and archetypes that obscure the experience of unlimited consciousness.

Just as you bathe every morning to keep yourself clean, similarly, sadhana is like a spiritual bath that cleanses the dross of objective experience. Tattwa shuddhi aims at purification on this dimension of man's consciousness, where the empirical self is completely merged into the transcendental self. This alone is purification according to tantra.