What is Tantra?

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taoist yoga as well has a long tradition of channeling and harmonizing

 

inner energies to realise bliss... [http://taichi.wikidot.com/]

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, Ananda Swamiji

<ananda_swamiji wrote:

>

> What is Tantra?

> 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!

>

> Devi tclived wrote:

> Thank you. As I had mentioned in my mail I'm new to this and would

appreciate inputs from learned sources. Which work of Avalon would you

reccomend, since you have mentioned " some of his work on sacred texts " .

>

> kartik gaurav omkaaraya wrote: I think the article you've cited

has a lot of [and I mean a lot of] bias. Avalon has done the best work

in presenting a synopsis of Tantra in english. My aim is not to give a

cheaper watered down version of what I feel is the magnum opus of

tantric literature [in english]. You might some of his work on sacred

texts.

>

 

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