What is Tantra
Tantra is a holistic world view that unites the mental and physical aspects. Tantra evolved in the early Middle Ages in India as a part of Indian philosophy and an esoteric form of Hinduism and later of Buddhism.
At the beginning of the 20th century, Tantra found more and more supporters in the West. The revival of these traditional Indian teachings is largely attributed to the Indian philosopher Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, later known as Osho. Osho responded to the deep need to combine physicality and spirituality and developed a contemporary form of teaching, a holistic bodywork that allows sensual-sexual sensations, called by him Neo-Tantra.
The word Tantra comes from Sanskrit. It consists of the syllables: “Tan” (from “tanoti” = stretch) and “Tra” (from “trayati” = free). One can translate “Tantra” as “liberation by extension”.”
Liberation by extension” means to progressively expand consciousness into every aspect of life. A tantriker practices to regard everything in life as something sacred. Tantra includes everything! Nothing is rejected. The goal of this journey is all-encompassing love.
Tantra means love and acceptance.
Unconditional love plays an important role in Tantra: accepting yourself completely as you are and also accepting and loving others as they are. The more you open yourself to love, the more you will come to a state where love does not stop, just surrounds you and stays with you no matter where you go.
Be aware of your body, your feelings and yearnings in every single moment, accept them. Accept yourself fully. Accept yourself as a perfect, divine being and dwell in your inherent love.
The body – God’s temple
Unlike most spiritual traditions, directions and religions, in Tantra the body is not left out. On the contrary, the body is worshiped as the temple of the divine. The encounter of two bodies is regarded as something sacred and consciously lived, even celebrated.
Tantra is basically an affirmative way of life. This includes our limitations and our “noes” as well as our sexuality, desires and needs as well as our fears and inhibitions.
Sexual power
In contrast to more ascetic teachings, in Tantra sexual power is seen as one of the strongest sources of energy. It is the power through and with which we were born. The sexual energy is our foundation, it is pure life energy, neither good nor bad – just natural.
In the society and above all the religions the topic of sexuality and sexual force was suppressed and demonized. When the sexual power is suppressed and can not flow freely, there are blockages of a physical and psychological nature as the sexual power seeks other channels to express itself. Energy is always dynamic and therefore can not be captured. We become dissatisfied and aggressive, seeking fulfillment through material success or power.
Union, Fusion, Meditation
In orgasm, we get a first glimpse of awakening, of true meditation.
At orgasm, in ecstasy all thoughts disappear. Only for a moment does total awareness set in. Suddenly we are just natural: no thoughts, no control – bliss. Unfortunately, this moment passes and the head turns back on.
From this experience that in the absence of thought awareness can lead to ecstasy, it was searched for ways to extend this moment. That was the beginning of meditation.
Thus, the union of Shiva (male energy) and Shakti (female energy) in the Tantric ritual is much more than a symbolic act or a pleasurable encounter. The meeting becomes meditation. It is a profound experience of merging, uniting with oneself, the ritual partner and with everything else.
Tantra is consciousness
The magic ingredient to Tantra is consciousness. Pure consciousness is not burdened by the past and is not distracted by the future. Life in the Now, in every moment. An action that happens out of great awareness will be mindful and respectful. A life of awareness is peaceful and balanced.
Consciousness creates spontaneity, everything is filled with joy and peace, the energy can flow and life can unfold.
Tantra is an exciting encounter between the sexes, a feast of the senses, a rediscovery of innocence, the liberation from personal and social constraints, the healing of the woman-man relationship, the connection to the heart and the immersion in absolute love.
Tantra for healing
In Tantra we will also encounter our old wounds. Paradoxically, our wounds are our gateway to true intimacy and to our true nature.
In order to use our sexual energy for our spiritual development and our spiritual awakening, we must accept our old wounds and accept and worship ourselves and our sensuality. Our old injuries need loving attention and care. As long as there is not felt and unprocessed pain in our body, the energy can not flow freely. Healing means facing pain.
When we are open and ready to feel what is, pleasure, as well as pain, joy as well as anger or grief and also our sexual sensations, then transformation is possible. Experiences transform and lead us directly into being. In being, our heart opens and we can relax at the deepest level because we no longer have to be anyone other than who we really are.
Tantra offers the safe space in which we can allow ourselves to really feel what we feel and also the space in which a sexual union merges into meditation, and where we can indulge ourselves completely in the ecstatic states.
In sensitive accompaniment during a Tantra session, you have the opportunity to integrate these experiences within a protected space so that they will bear fruit in everyday life as well.
Goal of Tantra
The goal of Tantra is enlightenment, that is, absolute presence, the attainment of a state free from deception and attachment.
We are talking about a state that is not temporary but permanent. The human being as a whole becomes the essence of the Absolute, that is, to be in complete union with the world and to see yourself as the whole – all-encompassing love.