The practice and meaning of Tantra has been misrepresented in popular culture. At its core, it is a spiritual practice that aims to unite the individual with the divine. Its practices are complex and multifaceted, involving rituals and symbolism and the union of opposites.
Origins Of Tantra
The history of Tantra is complex and scholars have different opinions on its origins. Its precise origins remain elusive as the teachings were passed on orally for centuries, possibly millennia, before it was written down.
Tantra is associated with religious practice, but is no more religious in nature than singing. It is a set of non-religious techniques that serve as a guide for living in an awakened state. It is a science that offers a way to fully embrace life and, through profound personal experience, unlock the highest level of awareness known as “Bhairava” or “Samadhi.” A state transcending senses and thoughts.
The diverse meditative practices of Tantra are about connection: the connection with ourselves (self-love and inner peace) and our bond with others. Despite the common idea that Tantra is a spiritual practice focused on sex, the essential component of Tantra is non-physical and non-sexual.
Tantra, as a spiritual movement, is unique in its openness to the use of love energies as one out of many techniques to reach the highest spiritual state, in contrast to the Christian stigmas of sexuality. With nowhere to learn about deep intimacy and connection, many turn to the neo-tantric view of sexuality. In this process, the word tantra has been misappropriated and misused to sell unorthodox forms of sex and swinger experimentation and has as a result lost its meaning. As a result, the world is losing a vital part of its spirituality.
Why Study Classical Tantra?
Contemporary ideas of tantra as an ideology of sexual experimentation are incorrect.
From my own study of the meaning of Tantra, it is clear how far its current practice (neo-Tantra) has strayed from its roots. At the same time denying its transformative potential for humanity. The need for us to be fully alive, embodied and aware is stronger than ever as our disconnection from nature, our self and each other takes its toll on everything that we cherish. It is imperative that we reunite with these profound teachings and honor their potential to enrich our lives and elevate our consciousness.
Tantra can best be imagined as a majestic oak tree with deep roots and numerous branches growing above, yet with a solid trunk. This does not mean that it can be anything we want it to be. There is a risk that we mold tantra in the image of our own subjective desires or, worse, we stigmatize it through fear and misunderstanding. We may end up losing the essence of this spiritual practice in a soup of Victorian morality and postmodern religion, traumas and desires.
With a deeper knowledge of its principles, it is clear classical Tantra holds huge potential for personal, relational, and societal change. It is my passion to share this knowledge and shed light on the profound depths of Tantra.
Core Tantra Practices
At its core Classical Tantra is the application of yoga of the subtle body (the energy body) to the exploration of consciousness. Tantra yoga activates and balances the energy of the chakras, nadis and bindus (energy centers, energy channels and physical points). Insofar as classical tantra is interested in sexuality, it is solely to explore higher states of consciousness to which sexual energy can take us. The purpose of lovemaking is the cultivation of meditative consciousness rather than pleasure.
In addition to many meditation techniques, a meditative state can also be reached through pleasing sensation: eating food, meditating to music, or walking in the rain, to name only a few. Sexuality is no more tantra than these simple things. Tantra is about following those experiences into the essence of our being. Most of us do not follow the sensation, we crave more and often miss the essence of the experience as a result.
Eat some chocolate
Imagine eating a piece of chocolate. Are you enjoying the full depth of the flavor, feeling the chocolate slowly melt in your mouth? Our brains are programmed to crave the next piece, and then the next until the plate is empty. Then with nothing more to come we feel empty.
The tantrik method might be to take that same piece of chocolate, and eat it as if it were the first and last piece of chocolate ever in your life. You use the depth of experience to reach a meditative state. Through intense experience we reach the essence of our being. Living life deeply in the moment, we achieve the state of Bhairava, the state beyond conscious being.
Is Tantra About Sex?
Tantra is often viewed in a rosy glow of sexual adventure with little in common to the classical roots. Fortunately, some modern scholars are correcting this view. The author of Tantra Illuminated, Christopher Wallis, argues that “classical tantra” and “Neotantra” are homonyms – sharing the same name but with different meanings. Just as a bat can either be an object used to hit a ball or a flying animal.
Neo-tantra is aimed at enhancing sexual pleasure while classical Tantra is a philosophy of non-duality and an approach to personal awakening that uses a range of meditation methods. They have the same name, but have quite different meanings and practices.
Tantra is not the Kama Sutra of spirituality but is born out of the quintessentially unifying force: love. In the world of Neo-tantra, it is turned upside down. There is a heavy emphasis on sex rituals while neglecting or glossing over the profound practices used to achieve liberation.
The power of love
Tantra is a unique spiritual movement due to its acceptance and use of the power of love to attain high spiritual states. This is stark contrast to the societal taboos around sexuality, particularly within organized religion.
With limited resources to explore deep intimacy and connection, some turn to the experimental realm of neo-tantric sex. The term “Tantra” has been appropriated and misused to promote the business of Tantra and to promote sexual experimentation, sex rituals and swinging. The result is at best a distortion of its true meaning, at worst exploitation.
The Vigyan Bhairav Tantra
To explore the original meaning of tantra, we must return to its roots. One of the most famous tantric texts is the Vigyan Bhairav Tantra. It takes the form of a dialogue between Shiva and Shakti and outlines a set of techniques for attaining Bhairava, also known as Samadhi, the ultimate state of bliss. The association of tantra with passion is a significant departure from its original practice and sutras. In the Vijñāna Bhairava, 112 practices are seen as gateways to Bhairava or Samadhi. Among these practices, only 3 involve a reference to passion.
Most of these practices are non-physical kriyas, meaning that they are aimed at energy-body transformation rather than physical action. Indeed, tantra is about the practice of self-awareness and mindfulness, along with the cultivation of one’s inner energy body and life force. Sexual practices can never replace a daily practice of 1.5 hour of energy work, breath work, mantra recitation, contemplation, visualizations, and meditation, among others. While these practices may not stimulate the physical senses in the same way that sexual activity might, they are the foundation of transformative spiritual experiences.
Tantra is about truly loving and embracing all of life, and through this love remembering our essence, the divine.
Despite the widespread misconception that Tantra primarily is concerned with sexual practices, it is essential to recognize that Tantra’s core component is non-physical and non-sexual in nature. It is a recipe for spiritual and personal growth emphasizing the alignment of mind, body, and spirit. Its practices lay the foundation for self-growth and healthy relationships, including self-love, inner peace, and heart connection with others.
Keep in mind the ego often seeks gratification through sensual or sexual experiences. This can lead to an inflated ego rather than spiritual growth. The goal of Tantra is not the mere indulgence of sensual pleasures, but the deepening of one’s self awareness and spiritual development using the various practices in our daily life.
Heart Tantra
Heart Tantra is a reaction to the sexual practices and new religious aspects that are part and parcel of neo-tantra.
It returns to the roots of classical Tantra by focussing on the science, philosophy, and practices of ancient texts, such as the Vigyan Bhairav Tantra. The latter conveys the view that Tantra is based on love. Its origins are from Tantric mythology, which talks of the universe being born from the love between Shiva and his beloved Shakti. The masculine/feminine duality represents the same duality that creates and sustains the universe. In reality, they are different aspects of a single being and are eternally bound to each other.
When these two forces are in balance, the entire universe is in balance. We all carry the same energy of Shiva and Shakti within us. The masculine, meditative force that gives meaning to the universe, and the feminine, action-oriented force that creates the entire universe. When these two forces balance, we are in balance. We are able to freely give and receive love.
With the deep love of Shiva and Shakti as example, the idea that awakening occurs through free and uninhibited sexuality is far removed from the original tantras. Indeed, tantric love-making is best practiced through the deepest connection between two people who deeply love each other. Tantric lovemaking is about entering one’s essence and supporting that in our partner. It requires commitment and complete trust. Something often completely lacking in neo-tantra “workshops”.
Heart Tantra does not reject lovemaking as a deep form of meditation, it simply maintains that this is only possible alongside daily deep meditation practices. Anf there are specific tantric methods for transforming passion into spirituality. The emphasis is on the meditations, the sexual part for the private lives of the Tantrikas.
Summary
Classical Tantra serves as a guiding principle for living life to the fullest and unlocking the potential for heightened awareness – for individuals as well as for humanity. However, a widespread misconception popularized by modern sex gurus pevail that tantra is about sexual pleasures and indulgence, said to generate states of consciousness and spirituality. As a result, the world is losing out on the essential aspects of its spiritual heritage.
At Yogi Living, we endeavor to rectify this situation by advocating for an authentic and heart-centered approach to classical Tantra, striving to reconnect with its original roots and preserve its profound spiritual essence. A heart centered approach to tantra entails approaching life with an open heart. When you meet the world from an awakened state with a smile in your eyes and a heart full of love your life will change. Your life becomes easy and simple. As a species, we humans are far from having evolved to our highest potential. Tantra as a philosophy and practice offers us a path for overcoming our ego and preserving the beauty of this planet and – as an important side effect – its precarious survival!
November 26, 2024 
