Yoga and Tantra: How the Practice of Yogasana Aids Tantric Worship
In this blog, you’ll discover:
The true meaning and purpose of Tantra Yoga within the spiritual tradition
How Tantra Yoga differs from other yogic paths like Haṭha and Rāja Yoga
The role of the body, energy, and consciousness in Tantric practice
How Tantra and Yoga intersect, and how this union shapes spiritual evolution
Where to begin your journey through authentic Tantra Sadhana
What Is Yoga?
Today, the word Yoga immediately conjures up images of Asanas (postures) and Pranayama (breathwork). In the modern wellness industry, Yoga has largely been reduced to a tool for fitness, stress relief, and relaxation.
But in Vedic philosophy, Yoga is far more than a physical practice. It is a sacred discipline of mental stillness and inner union.
The Sanskrit word Yoga (योग) comes from the root Yuj (युज्), which means “to yoke, join, or unite.” It refers to the union of the individual self (Jivatma) with the Supreme (Paramatma).
The earliest known reference to Yoga is in the Rig Veda (5.81.1):
“yuñjate mana uta yuñjate dhiyo viprā viprasya bṛhato vipaścitaḥ...”
— Rigveda 5.81.1Translation:
The wise apply their minds and thoughts in unison. They perform sacred rites in honor of the vast, all-knowing Savitā, directing the cosmic order.
Yoga, then, is the harnessing of the mind—a means to align thought, energy, and action with higher consciousness.
Yoga as Inner Equanimity: Bhagavad Gita Reference
In the Bhagavad Gita (2.48), Lord Krishna defines Yoga as equanimity:
“yoga-sthaḥ kuru karmāṇi saṅgaṁ tyaktvā dhanañjaya
siddhy-asiddhyoḥ samo bhūtvā samatvaṁ yoga uchyate”Translation:
Be in a sustained state of continuous equipoise while performing all your daily duties, O Arjuna, abandoning attachment to success and failure. This balance—Samatva—is Yoga.
Yoga as Explained in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras
Maharshi Patanjali has codified his knowledge of yoga, its practices and benefits by encapsulating them in the form of aphorisms. They are called as yoga-sutras. He has given the clear definitions of yoga and its eight branches very precisely and scientifically in his treatise Patanjali Yogasutra in four different padas or sections, such as Samadhi Pada, Sadhana Pada, Vibhuti Pada, and Kaivalya Pada.
“yogah cittavrtti nirodhah.”
- Patanjali Yoga Sutra I/2
Translation:
Yoga is the arrest of the activities of the chitta.
He specified the eight limbs of Yoga as:
“yama niyama asana pranayama pratyahara
dharana dhyana samadhayah astau angani.”
- Patanjali Yogasutra II/29
Translation:
Self-discipline (yama), observances (niyama), posture (asana), breath control (pranayama), withdrawal of the mind from sense objects (pratyahara), concentration (dharana), meditation (dhyana) and absorption in the self (samadhi) are the eight limbs of yoga.
Forms of Yoga: A Journey Through Time
Yoga is not a single system, but a family of approaches. Ancient Indian scriptures describe several distinct yet interconnected forms of Yoga, each offering a different path to the Divine.
Mantra Yoga
The most ancient form of Yoga, Mantra Yoga uses sacred sound vibrations (mantras) to elevate consciousness. Found in the Rig Veda and Atharva Veda, it focuses on invoking divine energy through sonic resonance.
Jnana Yoga
The path of wisdom and self-inquiry, Jnana Yoga is rooted in the Upanishads and elaborated in the Bhagavad Gita.
“na hi jñānena sadṛiśhaṁ pavitramiha vidyate...”
(BG 4.38)
There is nothing more purifying than knowledge.
This Yoga leads seekers beyond illusion through discriminative insight (Viveka).
Karma Yoga
Karma Yoga is the path of selfless action without attachment to outcomes.
“jñāna-yogena sāṅkhyānāṁ karma-yogena yoginām...”
(BG 3.3)
Some follow the path of knowledge; others walk the path of action.
It purifies the heart and prepares one for inner awakening.
Bhakti Yoga
The Yoga of devotion, Bhakti Yoga centers on unconditional love for the Divine.
“ye tu sarvāṇi karmāṇi mayi sannyasya mat-paraḥ...”
(BG 12.6–7)
Those who surrender all actions to Me, with unwavering devotion, I swiftly deliver them from the ocean of birth and death.
Ashtanga Yoga
Also known as the Yoga of meditation, Ashtanga Yoga was codified in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras as an eight-limbed path:
Yama (ethical restraints)
Niyama (observances)
Asana (posture)
Pranayama (breath control)
Pratyahara (withdrawal of senses)
Dharana (concentration)
Dhyana (meditation)
Samadhi (absorption)
“Yogaścittavṛttinirodhaḥ”
— Yoga is the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind.
(Yoga Sutra 1.2)
Kundalini Yoga
Focused on awakening the dormant Kundalini Shakti, this Yoga stimulates the Chakras (energy centers) and elevates consciousness.
Haṭha Yoga
Haṭha Yoga emerged between the 10th–15th centuries CE and focuses on purification of the body and breath to prepare for higher meditative states.
‘Haṭha Yoga’ is derived from ‘ha’ and ‘ṭha’ yoga, a combination of 2 beeja mantras (seed syllables). ‘Ha’ represents prana, the vital force, and ‘ṭha’ represents mind, the mental energy. So, Haṭha Yoga means the union of the pranic and mental forces. When it takes place, a great event occurs in the seeker — the awakening of higher consciousness.
Of the many authorities on Haṭha Yoga, one outstanding personality is Swatmarama, who compiled the Hatha Yoga Pradipika (Light on Haṭha Yoga) as the science of purification. Pradipika means ‘self-illuminating’ or ‘that which illumines.’ Here it highlights that the text illumines a multitude of physical, mental and spiritual problems for aspirants.
Textual sources like the Haṭha Yoga Pradipika describe practices such as:
Asanas
Pranayama
Mudras
Bandhas
Shatkarmas (cleansing techniques)
Today’s Yoga studios primarily teach Hatha Yoga postures, though few emphasise its energetic depth.
The Shaiva Yoga text, Amanaska, dated from the 12th century, is a dialogue between Vamadeva and Lord Shiva. In the second chapter, the text mentions Raja Yoga. It states that it is so named because it enables the yogin to reach the illustrious king within oneself, the supreme self. Raja Yoga is declared as the goal where one experiences nothing but the bliss of the undisturbed, the natural state of calm, serenity, peace, communion within and contentment.
The Raja Yoga goal and state are synonymous with various terms, such as Amanaska, Unmani and Sahaj.
rājayogaḥ samādhiś ca unmanī ca manonmanī |
amaratvaṃ layas tattvaṃ śūnyāśūnyaṃ paraṃ padam || 3 ||amanaskaṃ tathādvaitaṃ nirālambaṃ nirañjanam |
jīvanmuktiś ca sahajā turyā cety eka-vācakāḥ || 4 ||salile saindhavaṃ yadvat sāmyam bhajati yogataḥ |
tathātma-manasor aikyaṃ samādhir abhidhīyate || 5 ||yadā saṃkṣīyate prāṇo mānasaṃ ca pralīyate |
tadā samarasatvaṃ ca samādhir abhidhīyate || 6 ||tat-samaṃ ca dvayor aikyaṃ jīvātma-paramātmanoḥ |
praṇaṣṭa-sarva-saṅkalpaḥ samādhiḥ so’bhidhīyate || 7 ||—Hath Yoga Pradipika, 4.3
Translation:
Just as with salt dissolved in water becomes one with it, so the union of Atman and Manas (mind) is denominated Samadhi,
When the breath becomes exhausted, and mind becomes Praliyate (still, reabsorbed), they fuse into union called Samadhi.
This equality, this oneness of the two, the living self and the absolute self, when all Sankalpa (desire, cravings) ends, is called Samadhi.
In the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Swatmarama does not worry at all about self-control and self-discipline in the form of Yama and Niyama. The order here is very different. He begins by saying that you should first purify your whole body — the stomach, intestines, nervous system and other systems. Therefore, Shatkarma comes first, i.e. Neti, Dhauti, Basti, Kapalbhati, Trataka, and Nauli. Hatha Yoga begins with these practices.
However, Shatkarma alone does not constitute the whole of Hathayoga. It says that after Shatkarma, you should practice Asana and Pranayama. Self-control and self-discipline should start with the body, which is much easier. Asana is discipline; Pranayama is discipline; Kumbhaka (retention of breath) is self-control. After this you should go on to practice Mudras like Vajroli, Sahajoli, Khechari, Shambhavi, Vipareeta Karani, and others. This way, it becomes possible to get into deep meditation. These practices induce Pratyahara and lead into Dharana, Dhyana, and Samadhi.
Tantra Yoga
Similar to all other forms of Yoga mentioned above which pave a path to the Divine, Tantra Yoga—albeit the most misunderstood form of Yoga in Western countries—is actually a path of integration.
It brings together the body, breath, mantra, ritual, and kundalini awakening into one complete system of spiritual elevation.
References to Tantra Yoga can be found in the Amritasiddhi and in scriptures of the Nath traditions, dating back to the 10th–12th century CE.
Unlike other Yogic paths that may emphasize renunciation, contemplation, or devotion, Tantra Yoga views the body and material world not as obstacles, but as essential parts of the spiritual journey.
Its practices are crafted to harmonize physical vitality with subtle energies, ultimately leading to the expansion of consciousness.
Tantra Yoga is also referred to as Kaula Yoga. As a system that unites Tantra and Yoga, it is rooted in an eternal formula based on Prana (Chi, or life-force energy) and the physical body.
This integration helps achieve a profound balance between these two forces—supporting the seeker in transcending the illusions of duality and accessing higher states of union.
In Yoga, life and consciousness are known as Prakriti and Purusha; in Tantra they are known as Shakti and Shiva. In Hatha Yoga, they are called Ida and Pingala, and in Taoism, Yin and Yang. They have their own names at different times, in different philosophies. This physical body as it is seen is the gross manifestation of the subtle, which is comprised of thoughts and emotions. The substratum and source of it all is pure consciousness, which is what we consider divine.
This means that the basis of the physical body is divine, and therefore, through the practices of Yoga, a process of transmutation of the physical elements of the body into non-physical elements can take place. Matter is convertible into energy, and vice versa. Similarly, this body is convertible into spirit and spirit is convertible into matter. This is the eternal play of Maya (power of illusion) and creation. As this is eternal, there is no reason why anyone should think that their body is impure or unholy, and choose not to focus on it. Tantra Yoga doesn’t recommend that approach.
There are examples of great saints in history who are said to have transmuted their body into light particles and then completely disappeared when they wanted to leave this earthly existence. There was nothing left of their gross physical body. According to Tantra Yoga, the body is not just flesh and bone, nor just marrow and myriads of secretions — it is a gross manifestation of the very subtle Shakti, polarised into Prana and Manas Shakti.
Yoga and Tantra or Tantra Yoga?
Tantra is a spiritual science — a sacred path to divine union.
The word Tantra comes from Tan (sensory or psychical) and Tra (expansion or protection).
Thus, Tantra is a method of expanding consciousness through the body — not to indulge, but to transcend.
Tantra Yoga, as mentioned above, is the path to achieving stillness of Mind, Body, and Soul through the integration of rituals, breath, mantra chanting, and Kundalini awakening.
Similar to Haṭha Yoga, it includes a series of Asanas (postures) and Pranayama (breath control techniques), but it places deeper emphasis on the energetic and ritualistic components of spiritual practice.
The energetic essence of Tantra Yoga stems from the worship of Shakti (dynamic, creative, feminine energy) and Shiva (static, destructive, masculine energy) — i.e., the balance of the dynamic and static principles of the cosmos, or the duality of nature and existence.
In this premise, the body is seen as a tool to awaken energy through four main practices:
Āsana – postures
Prāṇāyāma – breath control
Mudrā – gestures and energy locks
Śatkarmā – cleansing techniques
Mudrās can be as simple as hand gestures or more advanced combinations involving posture, breath, and muscular locks.
Śatkarmā, often referred to as Kriyā, includes purification practices that cleanse the body and open energy pathways.
Yogis or Yoginis practicing Tantra Yoga were the ones who shaped many of the postures and breathing methods that later became foundational to Haṭha Yoga.
It is fair to say that Tantra Yoga and Haṭha Yoga are not very different — they are deeply interwoven, both in philosophy and in practice.
Difference Between Tantra Yoga and Haṭha Yoga
In the Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā, Swami Svātmārāma of the Nath tradition compiled older knowledge of Haṭha Yoga, drawing from scriptures like Amritasiddhi and teachings of Gorakṣanātha.
The Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā went on to become one of the most influential scriptures on Haṭha Yoga, outlining four key aspects of the practice:
Āsanas (postures)
Prāṇāyāma (breath control)
Mudrās (seals or gestures)
Samādhi (meditative absorption)
Haṭha Yoga is also closely linked with Rāja Yoga, the primary meditative path described in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras. This connection reveals that Haṭha Yoga serves as a preparatory stage for achieving the higher states of consciousness that Rāja Yoga aspires toward.
Key Differences in Practice
Tantra Yoga and Haṭha Yoga are similar in many ways, but they diverge slightly in intention and emphasis.
In Tantra Yoga, the āsanas are directed toward activating the Chakras — the body’s energy centers — to stimulate the flow of Kundalini energy. This practice is typically integrated with breathwork, meditation, and Yoga Nidra, emphasizing the expansion of awareness and the liberation of the mind from limitation.
In contrast, Haṭha Yoga places more emphasis on Asanas as a physical discipline and the Shatkarmas for physical purification. Even though the final goal is to transcend the body, it considers physical purification an essential stepping stone to it—because when we sit in meditation, our awareness shifts to our body and its discomforts inevitably. To eliminate such distractions, six kriyas (Neti, Dhauti, Basti, Nauli, Kapalbhati and Trataka) are necessary for spiritual aspirants practising Haṭha Yoga.
Its focus is not on being body-minded alone, but on building steadiness and strength through postures that prepare the body to sit comfortably for long periods of Prāṇāyāma and meditation.
The focus is on building steadiness and strength through postures that prepare the body to sit comfortably for long periods of Prāṇāyāma and meditation.
Without this preparation, the body may become restless or uncomfortable, making it difficult to maintain meditative focus.
In summary:
Tantra Yoga is more energetically focused, working with rituals, chakras, and Kundalini awakening.
Haṭha Yoga is more physically preparatory, building the foundation for deeper stillness through posture and breath.
Both are paths to the Divine — just approached from slightly different starting points.
Yoga and Tantra in a Nutshell
In essence, whether it is Yoga Sadhana or Tantra Sadhana, both practices point to the same truth:
The union of body, mind, and spirit leads us back to the wholeness already within us.
Whether one begins with a simple āsana, as in Yoga Sadhana, or with a mantra, as in Tantra Sadhana, the end goal is the same—to cultivate balance, awaken inner energy, and live with deeper awareness.
Different Paths, Same Destination
Yoga, especially in the form of āsanas and the 8-limbed path, is widely popular today. It can be accessed through many mediums—yoga classes, online tutorials, books, or workshops.
Tantra Sadhana, on the other hand, is not an easy path for beginners. It requires deeper commitment, initiation, and often guidance, as the practices are subtle, intense, and sacred.
Begin Your Sadhana Journey
To truly learn and experience the power of Tantra Sadhana, you can download the Tantra Sadhana App—a revolutionary spiritual tool created by the Himalayan Siddha, Om Swami.
This app is all the Guru a devotee needs to perform various Sadhanas safely and effectively. Through it, you can experience a divine connection with the Superconsciousness right at your fingertips—and begin to unlock the secrets of cosmic balance and harmony.
Are you ready to connect to the Highest and Supreme version of your consciousness?
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