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Tantra: the Yoga of Sex
Sex is a central element in Tantric rites but the original Hindu and Tibetan literature cloaks this fact in impenetrable symbolism. Here, the actual rites are plainly and accurately described by a longtime student.
- GenresSexuality
252 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1964
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
December 27, 2013
This changed my life at age 15.
May 4, 2023
In this book, the author has gave a concise yet comprehensive knowledge of Tantra, it's origin, what it is and how it works, the philosophy of it and the ultimate goal of this path.
One of the various meanings of Tantra is ‘technique’. Tantra’ is derived from the root ‘tan’ to spread, " *तन्यते विस्तार्यते ज्ञानम अनेन" —* _knowledge is increased by it_ . Both the right and the left aspects of Tantra, however, have one thing in common. Both make use of the same primal energy which, like any force of nature, may be put to good or evil use, depending upon the character of the user. As a matter of fact, most Tantric texts carefully spell out the qualifications necessary for the safe and successful practice of sadhana. They specifically exclude the voluptuary, the drunkard, the lewd person, the glutton, the lecher, the greedy, the hypocrite, and the slothful etc.
In short, the author has described:
🔰 Most of the other schools of Indian Intellectual Traditions teach techniques aimed at self-denial, while *Tantra urges the fullest possible involvement in life* . *It is said that a Sadhaka of Tantra attains liberation, eating the sweet fruits of the world. However, such a doctrine should not be mistaken for hedonism.*
🔰In any of Tāntric or Yoga traditions – *Spine is of prime importance.* Tantric doctrines call it as the axis of Universe (hindi translation is मेरुदंड). It has astral webs called nādis (नाड़ी) through which psychic currents (prāna) flows and invigorate our whole system. It has two astral ducts Ida (इड़ा) and Pingala (पिंगला) and a hollow central conduit called Sushumna (सुषुम्ना). When prana (cosmic energy) moves through Sushumna canal, a Yogi achieves psychic powers. Analogous to Universe which has seven prominent energy centres, our cerebro-spinal column also has seven astral centres or chakras which is a part of our invisible anatomy, visible only to the psychic vision of Yogi. Indeed, the entire occult anatomy, as set forth in the Agamas, is invisible to routine procedures of dissection. No doubt it is for this reason, and because the astral structures disappear from the gross physical body at the time of death, that medical science denies their existence. There are still a lot of mysterious things about spine.
🔰 Shaktism, especially Vāmāchār and many other cults like Kashmiri Shaivism propagate the idea and technique of “Sexuality to Divinity”. Again contrary to other spiritual traditions and religions, where sex is seen as a taboo, it says that _Sex is the gateway to the Divine._ It sees Coition as a spiritual rite where ejaculation during intercourse is strictly prohibited, so this kind of intercourse is not for pleasure seeking, in fact a lot of mastery and perfect control over senses is essential to perform this and there is a transcendental experience capable of transcending the mates in higher realms and capable of delivering them wider and much enhanced perception, a conducive for gaining the cosmic consciousness. So this sexual union of the male (electric force and positive polarity) and female (magnetic force and negative polarity) (Bhairava and Bhairavi in parlance of Tantra) is the union of two polar streams of life force- a reintegration that produces spiritual illumination. So, there is spiritual and mystical dimension attached to it. *It says that the ‘libido’ which is main cause of sexual desires and procreation, if this energy is not dissipated in Muladhara chakra (root chakra or earth chakra) only and be transformed and elevated upward can capable of bringing spiritual illumination to sadhaka. So, any ritual of Tantra involving sexual-intercourse or coition, control of senses, especially control of the seed or semen (restrain of Bindu in parlance of Tantra) is a sine qua non there.* Emission is not allowed for any reason. Although this union is one of the *last esoteric rites or final dikshas* in tantric initiation of some Shaivite and Vamachar traditions or Kaulachaar traditions. These all rites are only destined to bring spiritual illumination and deliver liberation to the Sadhaka. There is no question about the efficacy of these rites. There are substantial proof that it has been working for many sadhakas.
There is doubt that the concrete rituals, including those that require wine and woman, set forth in the original Tantric scriptures, were meant to be taken literally. If one still advocates that the five M’s doctrine (Meat, Fish, Wine, Sex and Postures/ *पंच ‘म' कार - मांस, मतस्य, मदिरा, मैथुन, मुद्रा* ) in tantric scriptures should be taken literally, then still at one end it is condemnable, but through the other side of prism if we see, then we can observe that it can be seen as a process to liberate the Sadhaka from biasness and dualities which are somehow ingrained in human mind, it helps to transcend the binaries of perceptions and creation. So I don’t find any problem with five M s’ doctrine of Tantra. Although it doesn’t glorify these five things, but it’s a part of sadhana for them who are on this path perhaps to make them free from ingrained illusion of “good and bad” and to make them endowed with equanimity and enhanced perception, it may be a simple ritualistic manoeuvre so that their mind and Intellect could become conducive for higher consciousness to descend there.
So, sometimes such Sadhaka of Tantra are seen as depraved people in our society.
The popularity of Tantra and the main cause of its survival through various ages since the remote past lies in the fact that firstly, unlike Vedic system which ostracises lower-class people, malechhas and women from performing Vedic rites, this Tantra system is all inclusive, they hold that the Shastra (body of literature) which teaches this mystic science is valid for all people of the world, and is not limited to Hindus, Tibetans, or to any exclusive group. Thirdly is the veneration of human body- the principle that “human body is the microcosm”, “there is nothing in the universe that is not in the body” (“ _What is here is elsewhere. What is not here is nowhere_ ” – *Vishwasara Tantra* ). This is the only tradition which is known to have all knowledge from the alpha to the omega of human body in not only its complete physicality, but spiritual, subtle and astral dimensions of it, even today medical science has no idea of the subtle and causal body.
But Tantrism's rejection of asceticism and of the priestly hierarchy as well as of the caste system, brought it under heavy attack from conservative religious leaders, especially in India.
This book is for those seekers who want to have a preliminary but comprehensive idea of Tantra.
Tantra has a very humongous and vast literature like Vedas. To read about all of them is an extremely difficult task.
I won't recommend this book to everybody because not all are supposed to venture into the dark aspect of Tantra.
~~•••~~~•••~~~•••~~~•••
# _Shubham Shekhar_
One of the various meanings of Tantra is ‘technique’. Tantra’ is derived from the root ‘tan’ to spread, " *तन्यते विस्तार्यते ज्ञानम अनेन" —* _knowledge is increased by it_ . Both the right and the left aspects of Tantra, however, have one thing in common. Both make use of the same primal energy which, like any force of nature, may be put to good or evil use, depending upon the character of the user. As a matter of fact, most Tantric texts carefully spell out the qualifications necessary for the safe and successful practice of sadhana. They specifically exclude the voluptuary, the drunkard, the lewd person, the glutton, the lecher, the greedy, the hypocrite, and the slothful etc.
In short, the author has described:
🔰 Most of the other schools of Indian Intellectual Traditions teach techniques aimed at self-denial, while *Tantra urges the fullest possible involvement in life* . *It is said that a Sadhaka of Tantra attains liberation, eating the sweet fruits of the world. However, such a doctrine should not be mistaken for hedonism.*
🔰In any of Tāntric or Yoga traditions – *Spine is of prime importance.* Tantric doctrines call it as the axis of Universe (hindi translation is मेरुदंड). It has astral webs called nādis (नाड़ी) through which psychic currents (prāna) flows and invigorate our whole system. It has two astral ducts Ida (इड़ा) and Pingala (पिंगला) and a hollow central conduit called Sushumna (सुषुम्ना). When prana (cosmic energy) moves through Sushumna canal, a Yogi achieves psychic powers. Analogous to Universe which has seven prominent energy centres, our cerebro-spinal column also has seven astral centres or chakras which is a part of our invisible anatomy, visible only to the psychic vision of Yogi. Indeed, the entire occult anatomy, as set forth in the Agamas, is invisible to routine procedures of dissection. No doubt it is for this reason, and because the astral structures disappear from the gross physical body at the time of death, that medical science denies their existence. There are still a lot of mysterious things about spine.
🔰 Shaktism, especially Vāmāchār and many other cults like Kashmiri Shaivism propagate the idea and technique of “Sexuality to Divinity”. Again contrary to other spiritual traditions and religions, where sex is seen as a taboo, it says that _Sex is the gateway to the Divine._ It sees Coition as a spiritual rite where ejaculation during intercourse is strictly prohibited, so this kind of intercourse is not for pleasure seeking, in fact a lot of mastery and perfect control over senses is essential to perform this and there is a transcendental experience capable of transcending the mates in higher realms and capable of delivering them wider and much enhanced perception, a conducive for gaining the cosmic consciousness. So this sexual union of the male (electric force and positive polarity) and female (magnetic force and negative polarity) (Bhairava and Bhairavi in parlance of Tantra) is the union of two polar streams of life force- a reintegration that produces spiritual illumination. So, there is spiritual and mystical dimension attached to it. *It says that the ‘libido’ which is main cause of sexual desires and procreation, if this energy is not dissipated in Muladhara chakra (root chakra or earth chakra) only and be transformed and elevated upward can capable of bringing spiritual illumination to sadhaka. So, any ritual of Tantra involving sexual-intercourse or coition, control of senses, especially control of the seed or semen (restrain of Bindu in parlance of Tantra) is a sine qua non there.* Emission is not allowed for any reason. Although this union is one of the *last esoteric rites or final dikshas* in tantric initiation of some Shaivite and Vamachar traditions or Kaulachaar traditions. These all rites are only destined to bring spiritual illumination and deliver liberation to the Sadhaka. There is no question about the efficacy of these rites. There are substantial proof that it has been working for many sadhakas.
There is doubt that the concrete rituals, including those that require wine and woman, set forth in the original Tantric scriptures, were meant to be taken literally. If one still advocates that the five M’s doctrine (Meat, Fish, Wine, Sex and Postures/ *पंच ‘म' कार - मांस, मतस्य, मदिरा, मैथुन, मुद्रा* ) in tantric scriptures should be taken literally, then still at one end it is condemnable, but through the other side of prism if we see, then we can observe that it can be seen as a process to liberate the Sadhaka from biasness and dualities which are somehow ingrained in human mind, it helps to transcend the binaries of perceptions and creation. So I don’t find any problem with five M s’ doctrine of Tantra. Although it doesn’t glorify these five things, but it’s a part of sadhana for them who are on this path perhaps to make them free from ingrained illusion of “good and bad” and to make them endowed with equanimity and enhanced perception, it may be a simple ritualistic manoeuvre so that their mind and Intellect could become conducive for higher consciousness to descend there.
So, sometimes such Sadhaka of Tantra are seen as depraved people in our society.
The popularity of Tantra and the main cause of its survival through various ages since the remote past lies in the fact that firstly, unlike Vedic system which ostracises lower-class people, malechhas and women from performing Vedic rites, this Tantra system is all inclusive, they hold that the Shastra (body of literature) which teaches this mystic science is valid for all people of the world, and is not limited to Hindus, Tibetans, or to any exclusive group. Thirdly is the veneration of human body- the principle that “human body is the microcosm”, “there is nothing in the universe that is not in the body” (“ _What is here is elsewhere. What is not here is nowhere_ ” – *Vishwasara Tantra* ). This is the only tradition which is known to have all knowledge from the alpha to the omega of human body in not only its complete physicality, but spiritual, subtle and astral dimensions of it, even today medical science has no idea of the subtle and causal body.
But Tantrism's rejection of asceticism and of the priestly hierarchy as well as of the caste system, brought it under heavy attack from conservative religious leaders, especially in India.
This book is for those seekers who want to have a preliminary but comprehensive idea of Tantra.
Tantra has a very humongous and vast literature like Vedas. To read about all of them is an extremely difficult task.
I won't recommend this book to everybody because not all are supposed to venture into the dark aspect of Tantra.
~~•••~~~•••~~~•••~~~•••
# _Shubham Shekhar_
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