Clarification: Maithuna vs. Ordinary Sexual Intercourse

[Guest guest]

Hi Cathie:

 

I wrote: "please know that the *real* Tantric sexual practices reach

the sadhak only when "fun and recreation" are no longer relevant

concepts."

 

You responded: "sounds like my marriage -- ;-)"

 

*LOL!!!!!* You are funny, Cathie! ;-)

 

I guess my statement does require a brief expansion, though. I think

there is a big misunderstanding here about the use of 5-M's in

ritual, versus one's habits and engagements in everyday life.

 

The thing is, the 5M's tend to be used in rare, specific, and highly

controlled ritual contexts. Maithuna in such situations is not "fun"

or "sexy", etc. It is pooja to Devi. If one thinks of it as anything

else, one really isn't qualified to be doing it.

 

Now, that doesn't mean that qualified initiates into the Tantric

traditions are passionless, po-faced bores in bed. On the contrary,

as purveyors of the slews of so-called "Tantric Sex" books and videos

have discovered, a "Tantric" worldview does tend to bring a new and

improved perspective to ordinary sexual relations; one that increases

pleasure and gratification for all involved.

 

But merely bringing that so-called "Tantric" perspective into the

bedroom doesn't mean that you're suddenly engaged in ritual maithuna.

That's a completely different thing.

 

Similarly, though some Tantric pujas may involve offering alcohol

(brandy, etc) to Devi, and the sadhak partaking a small amount him or

herself -- that doesn't mean that Tantrics are drunken sots who get a

kick out of abusing all kinds of mind-altering substances.

 

I would argue, on the contrary, that the true Tantric adept is one of

the more self-controlled and disciplined living beings on this earth.

Again, that doesn't mean s/he can't have fun -- but it does mean that

s/he isn't very likely to confuse ordinary sex with Tantric ritual

maithuna and ordinary booze with Tantric ritual madya.

 

Aum MAtangyai NamaH