I have a few questions out in the forums, and I don’t intended to dilute or water down. I will circle back with responses as I do appreciate you all and your time!
My question is simple this time and could be stemming from overthinking.
Is there an experiential advantage in cupping the genitals vs holding the hands in jnana mudra during sitting practices?
I’ve tried both on and off, and feel the energy moving with both methods BUT the idea of “Advance Tantric Sitting Practices” has my interest. I’m not sexually active currently but I am also very fond of the idea that Advanced Siddhasana and cupping the genitals can aide in better tantric spiritual encounters in the future. Maybe even bring on ecstatic conductivity faster??
“Cupping of genitals” is something that was mentioned in Tantra Lessons T24 and T28 on tantric masturbation and advanced siddhasana, in both cases related to personal preference in siddhasana for coaxing sexual energy higher up in the neurobiology. It is a rather obscure technique, not central to the practice of siddhasana, and not directly related to hand mudras, which are about ecstatic energy flow higher up in the body, discussed in Lesson 135 (with Plus additions).
So whether you are inclined toward one or the other of these (or both) is a matter of what is going on in your practice, and particularly how your inner energies are flowing. The cupping method is an assist for increasing upward flow in advanced siddhasana, whereas the hand mudras are more for regulating and balancing ecstatic energy flow that is already occurring, in the arms and upper body especially.
As always it is your call, according to your experience. All the best!
To cup or not to cup, or any other hand placement, is an individual choice made in a present moment, depending on which feels natural at the time. Hand gestures should not be a distraction from your meditation, so if you find it so it would be prudent to place your hands differently. The gestures themselves will not spur conductivity to arrive any sooner, only a dedicated and disciplined routine can promote that.
Thank you yet again for your time, insight and response. I sort of felt within that it was more of a pull in direction and preference, rather than a right way to be. Of course, I must ask as the inner guru within is often curious!
The practice of cupping the genitals does feel much more assuring and comfortable for me. I’d even say it feels more balancing and energizing. I will follow the inner call instead of falling into the mental juggling. I switched over to cupping from the hand mudras after reading the T24 and T28 lessons. It’s been some time, for some reason, the idea of touching the fingertips arose again. However, I do feel the direct stimulation of the upward flowing energy will align best in my case.
Also, in a way I feel once I’ve experience advanced Siddhasana and cupping the genitals during sitting practices, it is hard to go back or do it any other way.
This is great, and brought a smile to my face. That would’ve been a much more suitable title!
I totally agree, and felt it is a matter of preference than what should be done. I don’t feel the act of cupping is distracting at this stage, in fact after comparing the two (hand mudra and genital cupping) it feels much easier to feel and focus on the energy within while cupping during Siddhasana.
I feel more aligned to the cupping and it does feel like “home” in a way. I believe my wavering in thought stemmed from a current inability to retain semen/ sexual essences long term (past two weeks). I’m still working on this area as well. Shamefully, I don’t even feel like I’ve experienced the true full pleasure/benefits of cupping and Siddhasana due to orgasm, at a more frequent level than I’d like. Hoping this gets better with time and practice though.
Hi! Reno,
I asked Tristan how to hold my hands, that was during teacher training, he said to lay them in my lap, palms up, one on top of the other, thumbs touching.
During my kundalini phase I tried cupping of the genitals because I figured it was the male equivalent of stimulating the yoni, it did help a bit.
Now I went back to resting them on my lap, it all about comfort.
Once Prana flows with ease overstimulation can be a problem.
Hope I helped
alain
Thank you for your response, this is great insight. I appreciate you!
Recently in my sitting practices I’ve been switching between cupping the genitals, and jnana mudra. This has been over the course of a week or so. I’ve noticed the same findings you mention. When cupping during SBP and DM I’ve noticed my internal energy is a lot fuzzier. It’s like it’s cluttered and harder to feel the spinal nerve and find the solar center. At least this is what it feels like.
On the flip side, when I’ve used the hand mudra I’ve noticed it is immediately much more soothing and comfortable. More importantly, it’s like my internal sense it’s much clearer and I have more control. It’s like I’m able to feel and get “in touch” with my energy much easier during sitting practices.
Perhaps I’ve reached the stage where the energy is moving and flowing enough to benefit from closing the circuit in the hands. I’ll continue practice and see how it all unfolds.
All the best!
That was actually a quick answer to the question, and is a hand position that can be used during meditation, pranayama, and samyama that will work well for everyone. It is very balanced energetically and does not do anything especially dramatic. This is usually a good thing.
However, there are a number of other hand positions that can be used that can be beneficial during different stages on the spiritual path. One is chin mudra, with the hands on the knees. That is this one:
That mudra tends to cause prana to flow upwards from the hands, re-entering the body at the higher centres, so is an uplifting and activating meditation position. Then there is the same position but with the palms turned to face downwards. That can be more grounding, if that is needed, as the prana from the hands will go into the legs and then either into the Earth, or up to the root chakra, or both.
Cupping is more sexually stimulating for both men and women, as the prana from the hands goes to the genitals, and from there usually to the first and second chakras.
All of these hand mudras can be used whether sitting cross legged, or in siddhasana, or half-lotus or full-lotus, or kneeling, or sitting in a chair.
