Discover Real Tantra – It’s Far More Than Sacred Sex

Today we will take a deeper look at the mysterious and powerful practice of Real Tantra, which is certainly not just sex.  Our regular contributor Richard will be the one taking us on this fascinating journey into Tantra and Tantric practices.  Some of you might have read some of the other wonderful articles he has shared with us on Mastery of Mediation Yoga.  If not here are some of those links for you to explore: Om Mantra Chanting, The Awakening of Kundalini and Energy Centers, Yoga Pranayama for Beginners, Three Different Buddhist Meditation Techniques and So Hum Mantra Meditation.

Richard is a meditation teacher and author, and you will find more information on the courses he offers on his website How to Meditate n Heal.

Discover Real Tantra –It’s Far More Than Sacred Sex

By Richard Crown

Westerners usually equate tantra with sex.

In India, tantra usually means magic and spells.

In reality, tantra is far more than either.

I know you like nice, neat, precise definitions, but true tantra is so vast that it’s impossible to define exactly what it is, or to catalog all tantric practices.

But, I’ll give you a loose definition in an attempt to order the file that your well-educated mind is busy creating and labeling “tantra”.

Tantra is a set of practices that leads you to an experience of pure awareness, or Enlightenment.

Practices?

What practices?

Tantric Practices or Tools

Basically, each tantric teacher creates his own set of practices that suit him, his times and his students while borrowing heavily from other teachers and religions like Buddhism and Hinduism.

This has been going on for centuries in different religions. Thousands of practices have evolved, making tantra complex beyond our ability to describe or learn all of it.

There are seven basic tools used in tantric practices.

• Yoga
• Mudras
• Mantras
• Yantras
• Initiations
• Deities
• Yagyar

Tantra Yoga

Yoga itself is vast. It includes the asanas of Hatha Yoga, the breath exercises of Pranayama, the science of moving energy with your mind in Raja Yoga and far more. Practicing Yoga cleanses you, strengthens you and instills mental and physical discipline.

Mudras in Tantra

Mudras are hand, eye and body positions that cause energy to move through specific paths in your body. They also activate specific energy centers. For instance, the heart mudra activates your heart center. Love flows easily.

Mantras Practice in Tantra

Mantras are a sound, a word or a phrase that evokes a level of consciousness or a specific energy. The most well known mantra is Om, but mantras can be pages and pages in length.

Tantric Yantras

Yantras are diagrams or plans, usually using complex geometric patterns, that draw your attention in and focus it, then transport your mind into a state of consciousness. This is often called “sacred geometry” in the West. 

Tantric Mandalas

Mandalas are paintings that are usually done in colored sand on a hard surface or in paint on cloth. They are used extensively in Tibetan Buddhism to evoke deep states of consciousness after the mandala has been empowered by a lama.

Initiations into Tantra 

Initiations are given by tantric adepts. Yogis, Swamis, Gurus and Tibetan lamas are good sources of initiations. Initiations have the ability to instantly transport you into the deepest states –including Enlightenment. Their success is dependent on the intent and ability of the giver and on the ability of the receiver to realize what has been given.

Deities in Tantra

Deities are used to meditate on, to visualize becoming and to draw energy and guidance from. Siva is currently popular in India, but many other deities are also used. Tibetans often use the Bodhisattvas Tara and Avalokateshwara or one of the Buddhas.

Yagyar and Tantra

On one level, yagyar refers to rituals –to the rites and ceremonies preformed by practitioners. On a much deeper, more profound level, yagyar means bringing sacred action into every aspect of life. Whatever you do, do it in full awareness. All thought and action becomes sacred. 

Combining Tools in Tantra

Where tantra really gets interesting, and extremely powerful, is when you start combining the different tools above into a practice.

For example, while engaged in sacred sex, you could be:

• In a Yoga asana
• Using pranayama to synchronize your breath with your partner
• Using your mind to circulate sexual energy through both of you
• Holding a mudra hand or eye position
• Visualizing yourselves as Deities
• Chanting a mantra mentally
• Performing on a yantra
• Completely aware of everything all as it happens

Watch Anmol’s video on tantric kundalini yoga for sexual health. Notice how he combines tools to make a complete practice that accomplishes several goals.

 

Many lamas marry to be able to practice the sacred sex that transports them into elevated states of consciousness. Their practice combines many elements of tantra.

Making use of tantric practices is one of the fastest paths to realization. Buddhists call it Vajrayana Buddhism and have practiced tantra for centuries. 

However, the vast majority of tantric practice is done sans sex.

White Tantra With or Without Sex

White tantra is a good example of how a man and woman can do tantra together without ever touching physically.

A white tantra exercise is below. You can add or subtract elements for different effects. At some point while you’re doing it, the exercise will take over, developing its own life, transporting you to where it wants to take you.

• Dress completely in white, sit on a white cloth and wear white on your head.
• Sit facing your partner. You can use an asana if desired.
• Use a mudra if desired.
• Use pranayama to synchronize your breathing if desired.
• Chant a mantra if desired.
• You can close your eyes or gaze deeply into your partner’s eyes.
• Use your mind to visualize energy circulating through your bodies. 

The energy moves in a circle.

Visualize (imagine) the energy moving up the woman’s spine, out of the top of her head, and down into the man and on into the Earth to cool it before bringing it up into the woman again for another circle. 

Coordinate the energy movement with your breathing.

On the in breath, energy comes up through the woman.

On the out breath, the energy flows down through the man. 

Be sure to run the energy deep into the Earth to cool it on each circle before bringing it up into the woman.

Misusing Tantric Magic for Sex and Exploitation

The use of tantric magic spells is so widespread throughout Indian villages that many Indians equate tantra with magic. 

Villagers use to tantra to get money, marry well, cure snakebite, control weather, grow crops, seek protection or revenge or for anything else the tantric adept is paid to do.

There is a particular spell that my wife Remedia and I have cleaned off many women –both tourists and locals. You should be aware of it if you’re a woman travelling to India.

The spell is usually passed from a man to a woman through a handshake. It’s extremely powerful.

This black magic spell makes the woman feel exceptionally beautiful and sexy –like a sex Goddess. She wants sex immediately. She will give everything she has to the man –her money, jewelry, body and anything else demanded.

Older foreign women are vulnerable targets because:

• They are unsuspectingly naïve
• They are susceptible to feeling desired, young and sexually alive again
• They usually have money
• They can be manipulated into taking the man home with them out of India

Women we’ve helped report being very confused by acting against their will without understanding why they are doing something they know they don’t want to do.

Tantra can be abused by harming others and infringing on free will. Please be discerning in your examination of your tantric teachers. Also, be cautious about your own tantric practice.

When using tantric practices, your thoughts become extremely powerful because they are powered by the prana you’re generating. What you think manifests quickly. Keep your thoughts pure and your motives humble.

You may have already been using one or more of the components of tantra in your own practice. Now that you’re more aware of what they are, you’ll start seeing them everywhere.

About Richard Crown

Richard & Remedia Crown travel constantly about South Asia. You can read more about them, take a free meditation course, download a free Ebook and watch videos on their blog How to Meditate n Heal. Have a look now!