Tandava – The Dance into Totality

The Dance into Totality

11/06/2016

.. a thousands of years old moving meditation from the Tantric tradition of Indian Kashmir

Tandava – as teached by Daniel Odier, master of Shivaist Tantrism from Kashmir – is a freely improvised, very slow and continuous meditative dance, without any voluntary action. It leads us into a deep relaxation that allows our body to tune in a very subtle way like a musical instrument, so that it can vibrate harmoniously with the vibrations of the Cosmos. This process of vibrating with totality is called „Spanda“ and is innate to us, but it cannot be manifested when we are tense and rigid on an emotional, mental or physical level.

It is mentioned in tantric scriptures of antiquity, that Tandava, a mystical dance which has four phases, is the oldest form of Yoga and thus the origin of all forms of Yoga we know nowadays.

The movements, which are carried by our breathing, are gentle subtle and unintentional, without any effort. That’s one of the ideas of the Kashmiri Yoga – no effort, no control, no resistance to space (and the flow of life). Every effort is replaced by awareness. The practitioner abandons all voluntary actions, to indulge into the unlimited Being and to play with his own (spatial) freedom and limitlessness.

After dancing, we are feeling harmony and unity with ourselves, our fellow human beings and the whole divine Creation. Out from this unity we then can begin to navigate through the Cosmos, with a wide and innocent heart.

Tandava does not require any previous experience or special physical skills. The simplicity, ease, and effects of this Yoga is amazing.