Tantric Info

Pretty but possibly naïve Heather Graham has angered Hindus with a recent comment she made about Tantric sex.

In an interview with the U.K. newspaper The Daily Mail, Graham said that she got into Tantra when she was filming The Guru in 2002.

“What most people know about Tantric sex is that Sting does it and it lasts eight hours. But he is not having sex continually. You can take a bath, massage your partner, listen to music. The idea is that you let the whole thing build very slowly until finally you merge with your partner. It works for me,” she said.

Hindus are angry because Graham declined to mention the very core value of Tantric sex—the fact that it is a spiritual process for partners to use in attaining inner peace, self-awareness and divine communion. Read more

WomanA decrease in sexual desire is a common occurrence for both men and women, but the treatment options are not the same. While men have pills like Viagra to jump-start their bodies into high gear, women have to take a different approach to the problem, which often involves lifestyle changes and/or hormone therapy. Hypoactive Sexual Desire affects many women and causes significant stress in a woman's private life and relationships. Read more

Once again, I go back to the topic of sex because it's what the west pressumes about Tantra.  I've been searching the web looking for other people's interpretations of Tantra and how it relates to sex.  I came across two blogs that touched on both subjects.

Check out the website Touch SA, and read this blog where the person writing says that "people generally associate the word tantra with massage", she goes on to say  "In many ways I think it’s a term that’s become more of a hindrance than a help. Read more

Is "sacred sexuality" the same as Tantra?  Read this article from the dailycamera.com and judge for yourself.  Is it possible for a couple to have a deeply, sensual, spiritual sex experience without it being Tantric?  Does being aware of the subtle body (chakras) and practicing breathing exercises during intimacy constitute as a Tantric experience?   I think it's wonderful that many couples seek to heighten their level of intimacy and closeness by learning and practicing how their chakras interact, and how to stimulate them.  Especially older couples who have to find alternative methods for acheiving sexual pleasure, but should this be considered Tantra?  Or is this really a New Age approach to lovemaking?  What do you think? Read more

That should grab your attention. I think it is important to discuss the matter of sex as it pertains to Tantra.

As I mentioned in the previous post, sex is what most westerners think about when the word Tantra is mentioned. Sex and kinky yoga positions is what I've heard most people say they associate Tantra with. But sex is just one part of the tantric experience.

In the tantric belief system, which is very similar to that of the Vedic and Hindu traditions, the Kundalini chakra or root chakra as it is commonly known, is the gateway to cosmic union. Kundalini sits at the bottom of the spine and is accessible via the sex organs. This is the portal to opening up, to enlightenment, the energy travels up the spine, through all the other chakras and up to the crown chakra where our energy connects with that of the universe.

This is just one of many facets of this complex system which is not specific to religion or morality. Tantra is not about the ritualization of sex, it is the ritualization of life itself. It teaches people to give meaning and attention to all aspects of experience, not just the sexual.

It's very unfortunate how hung-up the West is on sex. Read more

I have heard it said by some observers of Tantra in the West that we view and practice Tantra as the ritualization of sexual activity where as in the East, Tantra is the sexualization of ritual. Are we using Tantra as a way to assuaging our Christian guilt regarding our libido? Isn’t it ironic that we need to use religion to justify our need for sexuality and connect with ourselves and others in that manner, when in fact it is religion that is keeping us from doing so? Has this been your thinking as well? What is your understanding of Tantra, especially in your personal experience?

Welcome to Tantra Today, this is your community for sharing and learning about this ancient, mystical practice known throughout India. Have you ever wondered what Tantra is and where it comes from? And whether it has a place in our western society today? How do you integrate tantric practices into your intimate life? At Tantra Today, you can explore these and other questions about spirituality and sexuality as it relates to this mysterious, yet intriguing practice known as Tantra. Read more