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     Hi,
        This is only my understanding as ive discovered it.
    
       Tattwa= principle
    
       from the base of the tree of life we start with
        
                       1. Principle of Innocence and Wisdom
    
                       2. Principle of the Guru
    
                       3. Principle of Seeking, the highest of which is to
                                                seek God.
    
                       4. Principle of the Heart. to be fearless and
                                                  resting in the lotus.
    
                       5. Principle of Universal Consiousnes. part and
                                                  parcel of the whole.
    
                       6. Principle of Forgiveness. What Christ taught.
    
                       7. Principle of the Universal Goddess. To know your
                                                    Mother.
                            
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    Tattwa in Sanskrit means "Element". These are the five elements  
    which constitute nature (Prakriti).
    
    Namely air, fire, water, earth, and ether. These are sensed  through our
    sense of smell, touch, sight, taste and sound. One sense corresponds to
    one tattwa. 
    
    According to the Sankhya school of thought (Yoga is based on Sankhya
    philosophy) there are two basic forces in the universe, viz, the
    prakriti (nature) and Purusha (The soul). Both are timeless, without
    beginning or end.
    
    The Sankhya philosophy believes that life results when these two meet.
    The meeting of these create things like Intellect, Memory, Mind,
    etc(All these have technical sanskrit names and pretty well defined).
    
    The aim of Yoga is " Chitta Vritti Nirodha" or removing the
    modifications/disturbances of the mind ,or making the mind still. When
    this happens the Purusha is able to see itself as different from
    Prakriti and thus becomes free.
    
    As you can see the Tattwas are just the building blocks of nature. The
    Grossest form of Prakriti.
    
    I know this does not make things very clear, for a more detailed
    treatment of the subjects you will have to lookup english translations
    of the Sanskrit origional (many are available) "Yoga Sutra by
    Patanjali". Patanjali's book is the "Bible" of yoga.
    
    Somendra
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