with

Christopher Tompkins 

Dept. of South & Southeast Asian Studies, UC Berkeley

Recorded Live on March 12th, 2023 at the ‘Green Yogī’ in Berkeley, CA

($35.00)

(click here to ACCESS)

VIDEO CHAPTERS & TOPICS -

I. Introduction: The Sanskrit Alphabet & Its Fundamental Role in Tantric Yoga 

II. Tantric 'Gāyatrī Mantra' invocation practice and discussion 

III. William 'Oriental' Jones and his great Sanskrit Discovery

IV. The Sonic Seed (Ṃ, 𑆁) of the Sanskrit Alphabet

V. The Womb (Yoni) Meditation & its Technical Significance in Ucchāra Practice

VI. The Womb Meditation - how to defeat Fear, Death, and Time

VII. Anāhata ('unstruck sounds') -the importance of Vowels in Ucchāra Practice 

VIII. Ahata ('struck sounds')- understanding the obstacle of consonants in Ucchāra practice 

IX. Ucchāra 101 - the Problem with '-M' when vocalizing 'AUṂ, OṂ' ( ॐ)

X. Epilogue: ‘OṂ PARA SHAKTYAI NAMAH’  - A legendary Ucchara session recording, from the Archives

CLASS PREVIEW ~ The Central Role of the Ucchāra Technique in Tantric (‘Hatha’) Yoga Practice.

The term Ucchāra (‘Elevation’) refers to the core technique of the little-known scientific system of sound-based Yoga prescribed in the Tantric scriptures. The sole purpose of the Ucchāra exercise tap into a sonic current of healing life-force that is drawn down into the body. With practice, we are taught that the full liberating power of this descending force is revealed in the 3rd eye center of the yogin, where it manifests a ‘spiraling coil’ of blissful light (Kundalinī).

CLASS PREVIEW ~ Mastering the Sanskrit Alphabet in Tantric Yoga Practice.

Success in Tantric (Haṭha) Yoga is grounded in mastering this Ucchāra (‘Elavation’) Practice, which in turn requires a basic education in the sonic fundamentals of the Sanskrit (‘refined’) language.

Specifically, the yogī must master the proper articulation of a prescribed series of Sanskrit letters representing the ‘un-struck’ sounds of the Alphabet. Each of these series of letters respectively coalesces into a single, mono-syllabic syllable (seed mantra) which is vocalized with a single out-breath.

Ucchāra, the defining feature of Tantric Yoga, is thus comprised of a simple, yet highly potent vocalization exercise performed with a specialized 4-part prāṇāyāma practice and choreographed with other yoga techniques refined by the Tantrics.