AS TAUGHT BY KALI MA

Directions for Tummo Practice:

Tummo practice comes to us through Swami Rudrananda and is used to digest and release tensions, karmas, stuck emotions. He received this transmission when he was six years old and two Tibetan lamas approached him and installed a "vase" inside him and made prophecies about his future work. Later in his life he "discovered" this practice that is often in Tibetan Buddhism called the Vase practice. It is used to expand and strengthen the energy body and to draw in nourishing energy from a higher more refined source. We grow by drawing in nourishment, information and light, from higher energy, from the next level of being, from the next or higher dimension. It is traditionally done with eyes open, looking at a picture of a master, saint or your teacher, the picture of whom should be at least a foot away from you and a foot or so higher than higher than you. This practice may also be used in person, open eyed, looking at your spiritual teacher and drawing energy from them. It may also be used with eyes closed drawing energy from the universe, or from the teacher in their subtle form. In this way it is used as a Guru Yoga practice. The practice should be done gently, without straining the breath. The maximum time to practice is for 30 minutes twice daily, once in the morning and again in evening time. Practice should be done sitting up right in an easy crossed leg position with the hips propped up higher than the knees so that the spine can relax. Sitting in a chair is also acceptable if necessary.

Instructions:

Sit quietly, settling down and breath a few breaths, becoming present and relaxing yourself. Breathe until you can tangibly feel yourself breathing energy. The whole of the cosmos and the body is energy, as the teachings of Tantra Yoga reveal, as modern physics reveals, and as the experience of meditation reveals. Become aware of the energy centers of the body, where energy is concentrated, noticing each center until there is a tangible shift in energy. This should be done by sensitively feeling. Notice the root of the body, then the creative center at the level of the pubic bone, followed by awareness at the place a few inches below the navel, the center of the chest, the throat, the third eye area and then crown. Be aware in each of these areas until you feel a shift there, then direct your attention to the next center. Then notice, FEEL the place just above the crown. From that place, begin to inhale and exhale as if you are inhaling in the crown, drawing inward breath, awareness, space and energies. On the inhale you are drawing it down into the lower centers and allowing it to fill through the belly/low back. When you exhale, the energy and breath travels from the root up and out the crown, rising up and out. Breathe in this way in and down the central channel and up and out the central channel.

Part One: Inhale and hold the breath

Continue in this way, and on the next inhalation, draw in breath and energy into the center of the chest. Hold this breath in the center of your chest. Relax as you hold the breath, allowing the light to expand and relaxing the heart deeply. Pray to grow. Pray that your longing to grow would grow, surrender your heart to growth. Swallow, allowing the swallowing to help the chest relax more, and bring deeper awareness to the inner opening.

Part Two: Exhale a fifth of the breath

Then Exhale from the center of the chest up through the crown, exhaling a fifth of the breath up and out the crown, inhale again, drawing that higher energy down deeply into you from above the crown, into the crown, past your chest and down into your navel and lower centers.

Part Three: Hold the breath in the lower centers.

Hold the breath and energy in the lower centers, deeply relaxing and allowing it to break up any density there, dissolve any patterns, digest any stuck emotions, feel breath and energy permeating the lower centers. Fully relaxing as you hold this breath, while allowing it to expand within you as an inner light filling in through the lower centers and dissolving any darkness or density.

Part Four: Exhale up and out the crown

Exhale up and out the crown, allowing the breath to rise up the central channel, up and out the crown. As the breath rises, surrender and release any tensions. As the breath rises, opening and absorbing the energy liberated by the practice. The breath rises up and out of you as a fountain of light that moves up and through the central channel.

Part Five: Return to regular breath

Returning to the regular flow and pace of breath, but with great consciousness, drawing in energy and awareness as nourishment on the in breath, and exhaling out tensions, surrendering tensions, and resistance. When the breath comes in it is held for a moment and soaks into your being.

Part Six:

Repeat After a few minutes of deeply relaxing in this way, when there is a tension or distraction or more to digest, repeat the flow of the double breath cycles (part one through five). Approximately 8 double breaths per half an hour should be done.