23
Oct
"Tantra is the science of turning ordinary lovers into soulmates. Two lovers can be transformed so deeply that all their seven centers can start meeting. It is one of the greatest treasures that is lying there, unused. The day humanity uses it the earth will become aglow with a new love.”
Osho
Tantra is an ancient style of meditation and ritual, which arose in India around the 5th century AD.
The Sanskrit word Tantra means “to weave and expand.” The tantric path is non-dualistic, meaning there is no separation of the physical world and the world of spirit. Tantra sees the two as intertwined, and heightens our awareness that all the threads of our experience are part of the divine tapestry of life.
Tantra is always encouraging us to embrace beauty and joy as well as shadow and chaos, so that we may embrace all experiences in life fully.
We can not forget that, mainly, Tantra is a spiritual path, a way of life rather than a religion with a specific dogma to follow. It is a path of transformation and expansion, embracing all facets of life. Unlike some other traditions Tantra accepts sexual energy and may use it as a route to higher consciousness – but that is just one facet among many.
Most of what we know about tantra today comes from ancient oral traditions in India written down about 2,000 years ago as a dialogue between the God Shiva and his consort Shakti. The ancient tantric masters of India believed that the world was created through the erotic union of Shiva (pure masculine consciousness) and Shakti (pure feminine energy), and that all living things emanate from their holy dance of consciousness and energy. In other words, merging of the feminine and masculine energies for awakening.
So how can Tantra enrich our lives nowadays ?
We may find that many of the components of ancient Tantric practices integrate well with our daily lives. Our collective experiences seen under the right light can give us the tools for being more present and aware in all aspects of life.
Each aspect of being human can become a door to expanded our consciousness. We can begin the Tantra path from wherever you are right now. If you have sadness, you can learn a method for discovering the tremendous potential for spiritual awakening contained within that energy. If you are feeling sexual, this quality becomes a key to open different secrets of your own energy. In fact, with Tantra, each sensorial feeling offers a door to a greater level of consciousness.
It is about saying "yes" to whatever is happening, rather than denying it, judging it, rationalizing it, excusing it. If there is a feeling of anger, we learn to say "yes" to its existence and first accepting it before we can understand it. Only after we acknowledge that there is anger, the next step reveals itself to us. The acceptance of it brings us deeper to ourselves. The denial of it creates separation.
Tantra as much as it is a personal growth that is undertaken by the individual can also shared in a relationship, in fact this is where the most beautiful expression of yourself might be reflected. Trusting another and letting yourself to be seen just as you truly are is the ultimate act of surrender and surrender is where true creation is born. Two people taking conscious risks that gently stretch the limits of their comfort zones can realise great growth individually and as partners.
In tantra, sex is an act of worship – a beautiful thing to be celebrated
The tantric arts prescribe various tantric rituals to align men and women to the true meaning and purpose of intimate relationships. The woman is given an opportunity to recover from the sick conditioning she has been subjected to over the centuries. The man learns to revere and cherish his woman. As a result, sexual healing takes place.
Tantra is a system of healing relationships and empowering couples and should be learned and practiced under the guidance of a tantra teacher.
Tantra encourages couples to cultivate and expand soul-filled sexuality, to expand their ability to move through limiting beliefs, blocks and fears, and create more fulfillment, depth and pleasure in all aspects of their relating.