The Equinox (Volume I, Number III)

THE EQUINOX drinking it he will fill his whole body with life, and “even though he is bitten by the serpent Takshaka, the poison does not spread throughout his body.”* Further the “Hatha Yoga Pradipika” informs us that: “When one has closed the hole at the root of the palate... his seminal fluid is not emitted even though he is embraced by a young and passionate woman.” Now this gives us the Key to the whole of this lunar symbolism, and we find that the Soma-juice of the Moon, dew, nectar, semen and vital force are but various names for one and the same substance, and that if the vindu can be retained in the body it may by certain practices, which we will now discuss, be utilized in not only strengthening but in pro- longing this life to an indefinite period.j These practices are called the Mudras, they are to be found fully described in the Tantras, and are made use of as one of the methods of awakening the sleeping Kundalini.t There are many of these Mudras, the most important being the Yoni-Mudra, Maha Mudra, Maha Bandha, Maha Vedha, Khechari, Uddiyana, Mula and Salandhara Bandha, Viparitakarani, Vajroli and Shakti Chalana. 1. The Yont Mudra. With a strong inspiration fix the mind in the Adhar lotus; * “Hatha Yoga Pradipika,” p. 53. t Fabulous ages are attributed to many of the Yogis. See Flagg’s “ Yoga,” chap. xxviii; and “OM” by Sabhapaty Swami, p. vi. t We believe this to be the exoteric explanation of this symbolism, the esoteric one being that Shiva represents the Solar or Spiritual Force, and Shakti the lunar or Bodily, the union of these two cancels out the pairs of opposites and produces Equilibrium. 92