The Fourth Yoga of Naropa: Clear Light Yoga

The idea of clear light and the experiences associated with practitioners who have had luminous meditation experiences is probably the most important theme in the Tibetan yogic worldview; experiences of luminosity are common to many other meditation practices as well. It is believed in the Tibetan view that at the time of death there is a universal experience of seeing a brilliant white radiance, which is considered to be the underlying reality itself. The belief is that an unprepared person is terrified by the brilliance of the void in its luminous form and flees, preventing true liberation; liberation results when the practitioner can unite with the clear light of the void without fear.

Almost all Tibetan practices are said to be preparation for navigating the death experience successfully. The Dalai Lama describes meditation as a means for the practitioner to achieve deeper and deeper levels of clear light during his or her lifetime. In China, Bodhidharma (470-543 A.D.), the founder of Zen, describes a number of clear light experiences in his famous Bloodstream Sermon. He says these experiences occur prior to complete enlightenment, which he describes as seeing your true nature or Original Face.

Tantric Sex

It is said that the tantric path can be a slippery slope without proper understanding and guidance. Without the amount of preparation, self-cultivation, and deep understanding of the principles involved, one will only be indulging in low-level desires and not truly experiencing the tantric path of ultimate freedom and awareness.

In ancient tantric texts from India we see that sex is viewed as having three distinct purposes — procreation, pleasure, and liberation. Spiritual seekers are able to use this most fundamental of human expressions to facilitate greater communication and trust levels with their partners, and are able to improve their health physically, emotionally, and psychologically. They can also use this powerful form of energy cultivation for further spiritual growth.

In India many types of sexual rituals were practiced. Some of them involved elaborate preparation and purification rites. In these rituals, the male and the female were seen as living embodiments of the primordial aspects of the universe—Shiva and Shakti. When they are joined physically these Shiva and Shakti energies are fused, resulting in a powerful energy field. This energy field then allows both the male and female to achieve higher states of consciousness as well as greater levels of health and spiritual insight.

An important part of this practice was seminal retention. It was believed that semen, being full of life-giving properties, was too precious to be lost.