Tantric practices

thumb|Shakti, the feminine power, is often personified as an aspect of Devi

thumb|An image of the Buddha in samadhi from Gal Vihara, [[Sri Lanka]] thumb|Statue of a meditating Shiva, [[Rishikesh]]

thumb|Kundalini, chakras, and nadis

right|thumb|upright=1.15|Tibetan board carving of the ḍākinī Vajrayogini

Tibetan religious item

In Indian religions, ''' (Sanskrit: '; fulfillment, accomplishment) are material, paranormal, supernatural, or otherwise magical powers, abilities, and attainments that are the products of yogic advancement through sādhanās such as meditation and yoga. The term ṛddhi (Pali: iddhi, "psychic powers") is often used interchangeably in Buddhism.

thumb|Ashtamangala: first row (left to right): parasol, pair of golden fish, conch; second row: treasure vase, lotus; Last row: infinite knot, victory banner and wheel.

devotional tool in Buddhism

thumb|270px|Seal design with the word Mahāmudrā ("great seal") in Mongolian 'Phags-pa script

thumb|A Bhutanese Buddhist woman doing Japa, with [[Japamala]] Japa () is the meditative repetition of a mantra or a divine name. It is a practice found in Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism, and Buddhism, with parallels found in other religions.

school of yoga

psycho-spiritual constituents of living beings, according to various esoteric, occult, and mystical teachings

mythical creature

thumb|Loving Couple, Maithuna, Eastern Ganga dynasty, 13th century Orissa, India Maithuna (Devanagari: मैथुन) is a Sanskrit term for sexual intercourse within Tantra (Tantric sex), or alternatively for the sexual fluids generated or the couple participating in the ritual. It is the most important of the Panchamakara and constitutes the main part of the grand ritual of Tantra also known as Tattva Chakra. Maithuna means the union of opposing forces, underlining the nonduality between human and divine, as well as worldly enjoyment (kama) and spiritual liberation (moksha). Maithuna is a popular ic

highly restricted sexual practices found in Hindu and Buddhist tantra

thumb|280px|A section of the Northern wall mural at the Lukhang Temple depicting both Tummo (inner fire) and [[Phowa (transference of consciousness)]]

magic involving sexual activity

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style of tattooing popular in Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar

set of advanced Tibetan Buddhist practices

Phowa (, ) is a tantric practice found in both Hinduism and Buddhism. It may be described as "transference of consciousness at the time of death", "mindstream transference", "the practice of conscious dying", or "enlightenment without meditation" (). In Tibetan Buddhism phowa is one of the Six yogas of Naropa and also appears in many other lineages and systems of teaching.

thumb|upright=1.2|Chöd practitioners at Boudhanath stupa

Shaktipata () or Shaktipat refers in Hinduism to the transmission (or conferring) of spiritual energy upon one person by another or directly from the deity. Shaktipata can be transmitted with a sacred word or mantra, or by a look, thought or touch – the last usually to the ajna chakra or agya chakra or third eye of the recipient.

thumb|upright=1.2|Ganachakra, Nurpur, Himachal Pradesh, India, Panchamakara or Panchatattva, also known as the Five Ms, is the Tantric term for the five substances used in a Tantric practice. These are (alcohol), (meat), (fish), (grain), and maithuna| (sexual intercourse). Taboo-breaking elements are only practiced literally by "left-hand path" tantrics (vāmācārin-s), whereas "right-hand path" tantrics (dakṣiṇācārin-s) do not follow these.

Level of realization within Tibetan Buddhism

Tibetan Buddhist tradition involving the creation and destruction of mandalas made from coloured sand

Tradition in Shaktism and tantric Shaivism

Tibetan meditation practice

Vāmācāra (, ) is a tantric term meaning 'left-hand path' and is synonymous with the Sanskrit term vāmamārga. It is used to describe a particular mode of worship or sadhana (spiritual practice) that uses heterodox things to sublimate for spiritual growth.

thumb|300px|Tibetan painting depicting Indian Buddhist Mahasiddha|Mahasiddhas and yoginis practicing karmamudrā

thumb|upright|Gankyil Unicode symbol (U+0FCB), ࿋, as rendered in Jomolhari (typeface)|Jomolhari font.

Vajrayana practice involving visualization of mental images of a deity

Mahāyoga (Sanskrit for "great yoga") is the designation of the first of the three Inner Tantras according to the ninefold division of practice used by the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism.

Anuyoga (Devanagari: अनुयोग 'further yoga') is the designation of the second of the three Inner Tantras according to the ninefold division of practice used by the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism. This schema categorizes various stages of practice, and Anuyoga specifically emphasizes the completion stage of Tantra. As with the other yanas, Anuyoga represents both a scriptural division as well as a specific emphasis of both view and practice. Anuyoga delves into inner practices involving the subtle body, chakras, prana (subtle energies), nadis (energy pathways), and consciousness (bindu). It

elements or principles of reality