Tummo: the fire within to purify
Of course have to start saying I do tummo my way…..based on my understanding of the movements and I am sure Tibetan masters would not agree sometimes with how I practice…. Nevertheless…..
When I first began practicing Tummo, the meditation on inner fire, I didn’t know what to expect. I had read about its transformative power and its importance in Tibetan tantric practice, but reading about something and experiencing it are worlds apart. As I sat, starting withy the somewhat crazy movements of head and shoulders, my hands began to warm up, almost imperceptibly at first, like the faint heat of sunlight filtering through a window on a cold day.
Moments later, the warmth intensified, spreading through my palms, as I proceeded with the breath instructions. And then it began—waves of electric shivers rising from my pelvic area, cascading up my spine, washing over my body like a sudden tide. These were not the gentle chills of a cool breeze; they were alive, charged, and exhilarating. Intense and amazing. It just fucking works I thought.
The Energy Within
The shivers didn’t stop there. They seemed to spark a new rhythm in my body, and suddenly, it began to respond in ways I couldn’t have anticipated. Small, sudden jerks—a twitch of the arm, a shift of the shoulder—manifested as the tingling grew more intense. It felt as though my body, long accustomed to being held in rigid stillness, was now a vessel for something ancient, primal, and entirely my own.
This energy wasn’t random or chaotic; it was purposeful. It moved with intelligence, rising and falling, pulsing and expanding, as though it were clearing pathways I hadn’t known were blocked. With each wave, I felt more alive, more present.
A Meditation Beyond the Mind
Tummo isn’t just about warmth or energy; it’s about discovering the inner fire that transforms you from the inside out. Tibetan teachers describe it as “lam kyi mang-do,” the foundation stone of the path. This isn’t hyperbole. For me, the practice wasn’t just physical; it shifted how I understood reality itself.
As the heat and waves moved through me, I realized they weren’t “things” happening to me but expressions of something deeper—my own mind, my own life force, awakening. This isn’t the sentimental bliss we associate with fleeting pleasures. It’s raw, undeniable, and profoundly transformative.
Why Inner Fire is Different
Many meditations I’ve tried over the years rely on quiet focus, mental stillness, or cultivating a sense of peace. Tummo is different. It’s visceral, immediate, and undeniable. There’s no need for belief, no requirement to convince yourself it’s working. You feel it.
The heat is not just warmth—it’s the kundalini energy of the body coming alive, a volcanic eruption of potential that lies dormant within each of us. The practice of guiding this energy into the central channel is as practical as it is profound. It’s like opening a door you didn’t know existed, a door that leads to countless treasure rooms filled with realizations, clarity, and bliss.
Author in past century near Tibetan Border, northern part of Tibet, near Muktinath, where he was first exposed to Bon and Tibetan Wisdom.
Confronting the Challenges
Not every session was smooth. In the beginning, I faced discomfort—like nothing happening, moments of resistance from my body, and even feelings of impatience. But tummo isn’t about forcing results. It’s about allowing the fire to do its work, even if that work feels messy or overwhelming. I thought just go with it.
It’s said that Tummo is like an atomic force, blasting through delusion and confusion. I felt this power directly. The practice didn’t just warm my hands or send shivers up my spine—it burned away layers of fear, hesitation, and self-doubt, leaving me with a clearer sense of who I am.
The Bravery of Tummo
The Tibetan term for inner fire, Tummo, literally means “brave female.” This name resonates deeply with me. The bravery lies in facing what arises—whether it’s physical heat, emotional resistance, or the unsettling awareness of how much you’ve been asleep to your own potential. The “female” aspect points to the wisdom of nonduality, the ultimate union of blissful awareness with the understanding of emptiness.
Practicing Tummo taught me to embody this courage. It showed me that the greatest transformations happen not through avoiding discomfort but through stepping into it fully, trusting that the fire within knows how to refine and transform.
A Convincing Practice
I now know this: Tummo works. It convinces you in a way no philosophy or theory ever could. It’s immediate, direct, and undeniably real.
When I sit now, hands warming, shivers rising, and that internal fire burning steadily at my core, I understand why the great masters called this the foundation of the tantric path. It’s not just a technique; it’s a revolution in how you experience yourself and the world. It also enhances quite a bit the inner lights, the phosphenes happening.
Tummo doesn’t ask for belief—it demands experience. And in that experience, it transforms you. Whether you’re seeking bliss, clarity, or the ultimate wisdom of nonduality, Tummo is a door worth opening. And once you step through, you’ll understand why the masters called it incomparable. And it has been scientifically explored too, check the next Youtube:
Shunyam Adhibhu
breath4balance 