Everything in creation is an aspect of God. Shiva, they say, has got bhoot, pesaach, devi, devta, sur, asur, yaksh, rakshas, manav, danav, jeev-jantu, everything. It is said that even when you harm someone who is bad, that has also originated from God, so you are harming God himself.

The entire creation is run on prana shakti. Prana is the shakti that exists in every spec of creation. Prana is a frequency, a vibration and it originates from Brahma, the subtlest frequency. When prana originated, the level of frequency started changing and prana divided itself into five frequencies, them being the five elements - prithvi (earth), jal (water), akash (ether), vayu (air) and agni (fire). These elements then combined together in various permutations and combinations to form different things in creation including our body.

Our body is a combination of the varying frequencies of prana in the form of five elements. Each one of us has all these five elements, though its different composition makes us different individuals. It is the reason why you look and think differently from your neighbour and your own self from a while back. It is these elements that makes a woman pretty and another one ugly; that causes one man to be healthy and another to be diseased and aged.

A potent technique, Tatva Shuddhi (Purification of elements) finds its description in Srimad Devi Bhagvatam. Detailed in the Sanatan Kriya, it helps a being by purifying the elements in the body and bringing them to a state of optimum balance through certain chants and etheric purifications. When the balance is attained, then you may alter the composition to change your form to as you desire'Ram or Krishna or bhoot or pesach' since all are eventually the same five elements.

Effects of Tatva Shuddhi

The immediate results are health, beauty, glow and attraction. As one progresses in the practice, you get an insight of the various manifestations of prana and subtler dimensions associated with each element. With heightened awareness changes are brought about in thoughts and body and then you are able to instruct the body to take the desired form and shape, and control the activities of the brain. It is through this heightened awareness that yogis are able to manifest thoughts and events at any given time or place, without even being present there physically.

Who can attend?

It is extremely important that the physical purifications are performed before touching the elemental constitution. If your nadis and chakras have not been strengthened by shatkarmas and pranayams, they might not be able to hold the force generated with the practice. The old adage, 'excess of anything is harmful', should be kept in mind. Excess prana can only be accommodated once the capacity to hold it is increased; otherwise there might be a short circuit due to the excessive energy and might kill the practitioner.

After at least 6 months of the practice of Sanatan Kriya should one attempt the highly potent practice of Tatva Shuddhi, under the guidance of a Guru. Another important requisite to all yogic/tantric practices, specially the advanced ones, is purification by means of service and charity.