What is Tantra?

[Guest guest]

The spiritual art of love...of connecting spirit with form. It is

experiencing love through through the beauty of the earth and all

existence. It is about acceptance, rather than deniel. It also

embraces compassion...about truth within unconditional love...

 

What are its elements? Is Tantra a yoga?

 

Some call it Tantra Yoga. If we see yoga as union, then I agree.

Others say Tantra is not a part of Yoga, which most people see as

Hatha Yoga anyway, but rather an entire lifestyle. Many in the yoga

community consider Tantra " something they would rather not deal

with, " so to speak. So, in that sense it is not about yoga as

practiced in America, unless that yoga teacher also embraces the

openess an sensual nature of Tantra.

 

Is Tantra a religion, or a movement within religion(s), or is it

entirely separate from religion?

 

Tantra is not a religion. It is a spiritual path. When religion

enters, then barriers are drawn. However, some call Tantra a

religion, although there is no organized body of thought or

practitioners as such. Tantra cannot be encapsulated into a religion

or dogma.

 

What distinguishes Tantra from neo-Tantra?

 

Historic/cultural Tantra follows many rituals, yantra and mantra. Neo-

Tantra is an adaptation by a particular teacher. Few today follow

classical/historic/cultural Tantra, which can be read in boring

texts. Swami Virato teaches authentic Tantra for the 21st Century

based upon Tantra's essential spiritual nature. However, learning

technique, method and practice are the choice of the adapt. Swami

Virato's sannyasins (disciples) are asked to become unconditional

love. Tantra is essentially a lifestyle...a way to acknowledge our

sensual and spiritual selves... To accept all...even the paradox...

To open the heart totally.

 

What is the exact relationship between Tantra and sexuality?

 

In Tantra, sexuality is total and filled with bliss. However, Tantra

is not about sex. Sex practiced or performed in Tantra is what is

taught by most teachers of this spiritual lifestyle. In Swami

Virato's experiential events sexual ignition energy is used as a tool

to raise the Kundalini, or the participants bioenergy. Swami Virato

simply uses this energy as a tool. At some point Tantrikas experience

a bliss-filled state that can be identified as asexuality. Perhaps

because of general sexual suppression by cultures and religions,

ancient carvings in Nepal and India depicting unbridled sexual

sharing create indelible labels. Some Tantrikas do not engage in sex

at all.

 

Is Tantra an attitude, a belief, or a practice?

 

No belief. It is an attitude and there are practices, in sex, and

many other areas of life that can be used as tools. Many of these

include contemporary conscious psychotherapeutic methods, as well as

Eastern philosophy and techniques, such as pranyama, yantra, mantra,

etc., as well as simply applying expanded consciousness to one's

existence.

 

Are there common elements in its practice, if it has any? If so, how

do these relate to any common attitudes or beliefs? When you say

you " practice " Tantra, what do you do exactly?

 

Tantra is a lifestyle of letting-go, feeling a oneness with

everything. If we were to relate Tantra to life in general, we would

say there is much more lay-back living, more enjoyment of our sensual

nature, a sexual freedom which follows a lifestyle of let go as well.

Practicing Tantra is to walk our talk...to visualize others as

Divine... to meditate, get and give and receive massages ..and to say

YES! more often...to seek for the purest, highest quality of life,

yet to accept whatever we have...and to feel our Divine

nature...God...Goddess.

 

Where and when did Tantra start, if it had an origin?

 

While there are many opinions, there is no real beginning as such.

See articles and books, particularly the Hindu vedas, and the

spiritual philosophy of Tilopa and Milaropa. However, it is now known

that using sexual-heart energy of the Kundalini for transcendence

and connecting with God or Divinity was known by many cultures

throughout the world. There are references to it in both the new and

old testament's of the Bible, in the Koran, the Bhagavagita and

countless other spiritual texts.

 

Are there certain types of cultures where it arises?

 

Interesting question. Tantra seems to arise and gain interest when we

have gone too far with our material world. More of the lay-back,

natural cultures like the Cherokees and Polynesians follow a similar

lifestyle. Some pagan traditions also do. Whenever civilization has

filled its members with fear, Tantra becomes popular. It is something

we all experience at one time or another in our lives. Now, in

Russia, Tantra has become very popular.

 

Are there historical or fictional people associated with its origins?

 

You can see glimpses of Tantra in Krishna's playfulness with the

dakinis, and Jesus, no doubt, was also a Tantrika based upon his

words of love and his association with Mary of Magdalene and Veronica

of Nazareth. Tilopa, Naropa and Milaropa also were the so-called

original messengers of Classical Tantra. However, even with the

writings of Sir Richard Burton, much has been lost to antiquity

 

Is there an 'ideal' Tantra, regardless of how it manifests today? If

so, what is this like?

 

Returning to the Biblical Garden of Eden, or a vision of Nirvana or

Heaven. A community of people filled with unconditional love, bliss,

a joy of life, tenderness and acceptance of all. Enjoying the good

life, so to speak, unaddicted yet experiencing with totality and

enlightened, of course [chuckle].

 

Is there an objective or ideal focus of a Tantrika? If so, what is it?

 

Not really. Maybe enjoying God's existence at every moment and

allowing enlightenment to occur in the process. Becoming

aware...awake. Follow a form of mantra or yantra meditation, eat a

proper vegetarian diet, be gentle and find love within you at each

moment. The lifestyle itself is the gift and path....

 

What are the essentials of 'Tantric philosophy' if there is such a

thing?

 

Same as above.

 

How does this relate to other Eastern or Western philosophies?

 

Most philosophies and religions have a dogmatic point-of-view of

existence. Eastern and Western philosophies are tied up in dogma.

Tantra is about dropping dogma, and simply being in bliss. This is

difficult to talk about since all talk is the beginning of a

philosophy. Philo from the Greek language means " life " and " sophy "

from sophic represents study. In Tantra life in its totality is

beyond study... It is experience.

 

Are there certain sects of religious traditions which consider

themselves or are considered by others to be 'Tantric'?

 

Yes, many. Yogi Bhajan of the 3HO organization (adapted from the Sikh

tradition) considers his path " white " Tantra. Pagan traditions call

it Tantrik practice, Tibetan Buddhists follow a Tantra path (commonly

called yellow Tantra), and aspects of Voodoo and Santamaria use

similar practices as in black Tantra, and the worship of Kali, the

destroyer. This is only a sampling. There are many texts available on

Classical Tantra in new age book shops and select libraries. Swami

Virato follows the path of red Tantra...for the passion of flesh and

spirit.

 

Are there Western forms of Tantra or rough equivalents?

 

Not really. Perhaps what is being taught by most teachers today could

be called Western forms. Quodoshka was a similar form practiced by

Native Americans (Cherokee).

 

Can Tantra be found in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Taoism? If so, in what

forms and characters?

 

Yes. Read the various texts. Some say Tantra predates all of them.

 

Why do people get excited and mention sex when they hear the word

Tantra?

 

Because sex sells, and most Tantra teachers accent this portion of

the Tantric lifestyle in their courses, workshops and seminars.

However, Tantra is much more than sex.

 

What inhibits Tantra, what stimulates it, and what kinds of people

are more likely to practice it?

 

Fear and a closed mind inhibit living the Tantric life, while dance,

other movement, meditation and pranyama (various breathing

techniques) stimulate it. People who are adventurous and open are

more likely to connect to a Tantric lifestyle.

 

Is it possible for Tantra to die out?

 

Never!