The role of breath in tantra: Exploring the healing power of conscious breathing

Ancient practices like Yoga, Tao, and Tantra offer techniques to harness life energy, primarily through conscious breathing. By focusing on the breath, we can transform lower energies like sexuality and anger into higher expressions of love and compassion. Tantra, as explained by Osho, embraces this transformation, using breath to elevate sexual energy towards spiritual awakening and super-consciousness.

It is a profound tragedy that millions—perhaps even billions—of people are unaware of how to align themselves with the powerful energy gifted to them by existence. While many unconsciously dissipate or disintegrate this energy, few understand how to harness, channel, and ride it toward a life of inner richness. This energy, bestowed upon us as a divine gift, holds immense potential. At its lowest level, it manifests as sex or sexuality—not to be condemned but understood—and at its highest, it transforms into super-consciousness, the ultimate state of ecstasy.
The true challenge lies in understanding that energy itself is neither right nor wrong. It simply is, waiting to be accepted, unblocked, and consciously directed. Without awareness, this energy may flow downward into expressions of sexuality, lust, and anger. But with conscious observation, it ascends into love, compassion, and sharing. The choice is ours. Ancient practices such as Yoga, Tao, and Tantra offer profound techniques to activate and channel this dormant energy, with a fundamental method being conscious breathing.

Conscious Breathing: The Key to Unlocking Energy

In the Vigyan Bhairava Tantra, the great yogi Shiva emphasizes the importance of breathing, offering simple yet transformative sutras. One such method states:
“When in worldly activities, keep attention between two breaths, and so practicing, in a few days be born anew.”
By becoming attentive to our breath, we can gently unlock the flow of life energy within. Conscious breathing not only relaxes our body but also fills it with prana, or life energy. This practice frees us from tension and transcends our physical and mental limitations. Deep rhythmic breathing floods the bloodstream with oxygen, nourishing every cell and igniting our inner vitality. Furthermore, this process transforms sexual energy, redirecting it toward mystical creativity and spiritual expansion.

Tantra: Embracing Life Fully

Osho, the renowned spiritual teacher, sheds light on the transformative power of conscious breathing. He explains that deep breathing naturally releases sexual energy, allowing it to flow throughout our being. Tantra, at its core, is about embracing life fully—expanding awareness with an absolute “YES” to what already is. It invites us to explore our energy through self-observation and conscious connection, preparing us for a mystical union with the whole.
Osho teaches the transformation of energy as a journey from the lowest rung of the ladder (sex) to the highest (super-consciousness). Conscious rhythmic breathing is the most important tool in this transformative process. He explains:
“To transform sex into spirituality is my basic approach.”
In the final sutra of breathing, Shiva offers profound wisdom:
“With utmost devotion, center on the two junctions of breath and know the knower.”
Through these practices, we can transform energy into a force that nurtures love, creativity, and spiritual awakening, creating a life of harmony and fulfillment.
Article by Sw Chaitanya Keerti, Editor, Osho World Patrika, & spokesperson.