Into the Mystic

Still largely cloaked in mystery, ancient Tibetan yoga practices are slowly being introduced in the West, but teachers remain cautious about revealing their secrets.

By Elaine Lipson

Chaoul-Reich echoes this reflection on the adaptation of hatha yoga traditions, agreeing that teachers of Tibetan yoga must weigh the risks of compromising tradition against the risks of losing these practices altogether if they are not taught more widely. "Through the years we've seen many kinds of yogas, which were originally from Hindu sources, that seem to have been adapted for the Western mind, body, and lifestyle. Today we even see hatha yoga courses in gyms which seem to be just stretching exercises," Chaoul-Reich says. "Don't get me wrong—I believe it's a way that these traditions can reach more interested people that would probably not come if the methods were not adapted. I believe it's a challenge, too, to be able to instruct without corrupting the teachings, yet acknowledging the audience."

"I do have concerns that the complexity [of Yantra Yoga] will disappear," Katz says, "But I've come to the conclusion that Norbu Rinpoche, who is the guardian of this tradition, has the bird's-eye view. If he feels it's more important that it be practiced more accurately by a very few, he'll make the call. All the Tibetan teachers want to make sure these traditions are not lost, and so would like people to practice. At the same time, if it's not practiced as accurately as they would like, they have a strong feeling it's not worth it." The jury's still out, Katz says, on how much Tibetan yoga will be revealed in a much more public way.

Is It Magic?

If it seems startling that any tradition could remain so mysterious and little-known today, when virtually every culture and every corner of the world has been explored, it may reflect the power that these practices are said to have. As mentioned above, early Western visitors to Tibet reported yogis with phenomenal, almost unbelievable, powers. While trul-khor practices may have been only a small part of the spiritual landscape—and lifetime devotion—that made these feats possible, the movements are nonetheless considered to be powerful. While holding unlimited potential for healing and balancing the body, mind, and spirit, these movements were and are also considered possibly dangerous to those who use them recklessly or without adequate instruction. In the West, however, the current level of teachings available will not take students to dangerous extremes.

Theoretically it's possible to develop these powers through the practice of trul-khor and, in particular, the "unification of the sun and moon," Katz says. "I'm not aware of any current Western practitioners who have taken it to that level...but I do believe these practices are profound. Someone who was to devote his life, in retreat, to these practices could develop these kinds of capacities," Katz adds.

Most Westerners are, instead, at what Katz calls a "spiritual beginner" level, which limits our capacity for such extraordinary feats. Moreover, trul-khor can have negative consequences if performed improperly or with arrogance. "It's been described as a 'sharp path,' meaning it can cause negative health problems if it's done incorrectly," Katz says. "It really can't be done frivolously."

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