Tantra- Choose your poison becomes “choose your nectar”

In the rat race to succeed and prosper, the stresses generated have given rise to a culture, which seeks tranquillity through medication, (hence the word: tranquilizers). This includes the “poison of you choice”, be it alcohol or drugs.

Interestingly, the spiritual seeker is faced similarly with multiple choices, of how they wish to get “relief” from life. Now, in the Western world, there are some well known ways, with choices within the practices of yoga, meditation and mindfulness. Even though these ways have come from the Orient, they seem at times, through association with scientific research culture, to be in some ways devoid of any religious connection. Interestingly, some Christians have said that yoga classes are not really suitable for Christians, because they are from other beliefs. However, in general the public has not looked at the origins of yoga practices, to closely. Nor have those who do a little yoga and meditation, been greatly interested in the complex religions, that they have emanated from. The “guru phenomena” from the 70s, and later, has, led to groups, sects and cults, which, though borrowing from Eastern religion, are now maintaining practical associations with Western institutions.

Vegetarianism stands to be one interesting side topic, as its not a practice really that is connected to, say Hinduism or Buddhism, even though historically India has a huge population of vegetarians.

Religion was in Europe in the Middle Ages, “just” the foundation of all culture. Now, a deep running interest in Eastern philosophy, is tailored to Western need. This “tailoring”, is in some ways how Tantra Yoga is perceived outside India and Tibet. Essentially Tantra leads to attainment of Liberation or Divine realization, through human experience, (which does of course, include sex). This way is opposed to avoiding life, and yes, sex, through say, living a monastic life.

The scientifically focused western individual, (or more bluntly, the materialistic one), is certainly very much enmeshed and interested in the outer world. The outer world, where senses meet their sense objects. Hence Tantra seems to suit this type of person, because it is designed as a way of practicing spiritually, through worldly experience. Although designed and promoted in the Indian sub-continent, Tantra never really found a major base of adherents there, as the “proper” way to achieve holy status. Thus, the tendency in India, was towards monasticism and renunciation of the world, as being the Summon Bonum. (This is changing now, with the lean towards more secular, materialistic values).

Within the traditional values of Buddhism. there is a Tantric base, mostly derived from the relatively smallish area of Tibet. In the West, it is interesting that many of the Buddhist orders here, by percentage, are Tibetan Tantric in origin. Some of the groups of followers of eastern gurus, in recent times, have also been clearly devoted as much to physical experience, as to inward psychic ones.

Tantra is often seen as the: “religion of sex”. It is in a way, but it is also the religion of food, money, relationships, searching for meaning in a material world, and basically anything to do with human experience. The word “Tantra”, means simply to “spread out”, as opposed to the meditative or inward ways of other spiritual practices. Enjoyment of sense objects is a fundamental part of life, and Tantra seeks to use that sensual experience, as opposed to fighting or renouncing it. Tantra is extremely logical for a person, who by nature, finds it overly difficult, or impossible, to adopt or adapt to an ascetic way, in order to become Enlightened. Tantra then, as a way to Enlightenment, is based on using the daily reality in front of us, not trying to avoid it.

Tantra seeks to use the everyday experience of sex, food, touch, taste, smell, and so forth, in way that is designed to allow understanding, and yet transcendence of those experiences.

Tantra is also allied with the kundalini and chakra centers, as it has at its root, the devotional base of Goddess worship. It is about Shakti, the Divine Force, in female form. Tantric practice, uses Mantras, Yantras, and a range of esoteric invocations. The perception of the Goddess, as the prime Universal Force, has deep connections with practices, where the world of experience is used to facilitate the spiritual journey.

There are many complex scriptures relating to Tantra, from India and Tibet, and generally speaking, its all a bit to complicated for most Western practitioners. The essence of Tantra can be found, or explained in more digestible manner or terms. My writings  and books, have expounded on this topic in some depth, especially in regard to kundalini, chakras, and mantras. Even so, this comprises the much more “technical” aspect of my writing.  I have, therefore, tried to extrapolate the value and essence of a Tantric approach, into a much more practical form for any interested readers.