Lesson 29 - Q&A – Sleeping Lingam

From: Yogani
Date: Wed May 12, 2004 0:48pm

New Members: It is recommended you read from the beginning of this
tantra yoga archive, as previous lessons are prerequisite to this
one. The first lesson is, "What is tantra yoga?"

Q: About Siddhasana: I was actually thinking I was doing well – the
sitting didn't disturb my concentration at all... However, an
unpleasant incident occurred this morning:

I was sitting in Siddhasana during meditation and pranayama, as you
instructed: heel at the soft spot of the perineum, not too much
pressure applied, pressing mainly up into the perineum. As usual, It
didn't feel too awkward, or stimulated. Then, when I ended the
session, I had quite a bizarre feeling: I realized that my penis is
completely numb! Touching it, I didn't feel any sensation at all.
Rather horrified, I immediately got up and started walking hecticly
around the room (looking back at it from a few hours' distance, it
all seems quite comical, but was definitely scary at the time). After
about a minute I started to gradually feel it again. Now it still
feels a bit weird, but I guess it should eventually be okay.

Obviously, I was doing something wrong, somehow cutting the blood
supply to the area. Could you advise what had it possibly been, and
how may it be avoided in the future?

A: The numbness is from having the heel resting too firmly against
the root of the penis compressing it against the back of the pubic
bone, putting it to sleep. It isn't harmful. Just back up the heel a
little on the perineum and it won't happen. More austere versions of
siddhasana go for this all the time, killing any chance of erection
during yoga. It isn't necessary. This was discussed in the last
lesson on advanced siddhasana.


Q: About putting the penis to sleep – are you certain it is not
harmful? I do know that when an immense pressure is applied on a
certain nerve for a long period of time, it may eventually lead to
its corruption. I realize that in your recommended form of
siddhasana, the pressure isn't very severe. Still, I don't know how
may I monitor it during practice. I consider trying to get used to
the traditional, "complete" siddhasana pose – in which the body
appears to be more static and stable (not dependent on varying levels
of back support and leaning back). Do you recommend it?

A: The penis falling asleep is not more harmful than any other limb
falling asleep. Anyway, I don't recommend you sit in such a way that
it happens, and more formal versions of siddhasana without back
support, etc., may do that. If you are asking me if it is okay to
undergo physical effects from a way of sitting that I do not
recommend, there is not much I can say. Neither the numbing effect or
the formal way of sitting have much to do with our approach in the
lessons.

The advantage of using back support is that we can more easily
regulate both the angle and pressure of the heel at the perineum by
sharing our weight with the pillow behind us. It is easy to get the
right effect of siddhasana this way while maintaining comfort, so our
attention can go to spinal breathing and meditation. This goes for
both men and women.

If you want to go with formal siddhasana, that's fine, but I am not
necessarily the right one to ask about it. For whatever it is worth,
I think formal siddhasana is not harmful. I did it for many years
myself with no ill effects. But, along the way, I found that the same
results could be achieved without the extra effort, so I am for informal
practice of siddhasana, especially with so many people needing to
learn it for their rapidly advancing yoga these days. Siddhasana is
excellent tantra, so let's keep it as easy as possible for everyone.

The more preoccupied we are about things like that, the less
attention we have for the very important core practices of meditation
and spinal breathing. These require our attention. Siddhasana should
not require any attention at all, once comfortably established. It is
good to keep the priorities straight. I know you are in the formative
stages, and are detail oriented. Still, try and be as easy about all
this as possible. There are many more practices to come, and none of
them has to be done perfectly. It is the basic principles we wish to
take advantage of, without knocking ourselves out. This is supposed
to be fun!

You are doing very well, and your feedback is appreciated. Keep
going. Your persistence assures your success in yoga.

The guru is in you.

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