Tantra
Sometimes misinterpreted or misrepresented, traditional Tantra is often veiled in a mist of popular myths. Tantra is nothing else than the Essence of Yoga, which liberates a person from the bondage of ignorance.
Authentic tantra is a teaching, a doctrine that has the nature of expansion and it is aimed at the discovery, integration, and liberation of our True Self.
Tantra sees the Universe as a manifestation of the Highest Consciousness. Through this process of manifestation, consciousness divides itself into two parts, however, they cannot exist without each other – so non-dual – despite the fact that they are apparently separated. One aspect of the two parts is static and experiencing which is called Shiva. The other one is dynamic, and creative, which is experiencing itself, this is the power of Shiva, which is called Shakti. The two co-exist eternally and inseparably. Shiva is considered to be the pure consciousness, pure being, manifested and perfect, which is the conscious background of this world. Shakti is all that is manifested in the world, she is pure energy and The Creation itself and all the phenomena inside this manifestation.
Genuine Tantra is an exceptional method of purifying the consciousness of the illusion of the ego and mind. It is a continuous endeavor to raise the level of our consciousness, to refine our energies, to substitute the weaknesses of our character with real human virtues, and divine qualities.
Both yoga and Tantra have emerged from the same spiritual roots, formed a similar philosophical trunk, and sprouted many important branches of embodied spirituality.
The real Tantra is a way of life and a transformation journey requiring a serious attitude and a constant spiritual effort. It is not easy to accomplish overnight and requires great temperance, intelligence, education, and dedication. They have been taught in initiation ceremonies since the time of Shiva and have been practiced in various forms by ascetic yogis from multiple groups. The aspiration of a Tantric practitioner is the search for the Divine. This is a process through which as a fruit, the human being can realize his own divine nature and unite with the Creator.
It seeks to transform human attitude, behavior, nature, and expression. The aspects of Tantra are meditative or analytical. They act as systems for stopping gross mental activity and stimulating subtle mental activity. The right-handed system of Tantra is Yoga – yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana, mantra, yantra.
Today, most people learn yoga as a form of posture, but at that time, the main entryway into the world of yoga and tantra was through meditation. That is also the traditional way. The goal of spiritual yoga and thus traditional Tantra is inner freedom, liberation, peace, and ultimately enlightenment. This is a path of purification and preparation of our energy system and mind for the awakening of Kundalini and for realizing our true essence.
Neo-Tantra
The Tantric Union became very famous in the Western world in the past few years. Many people are looking for this unique experience. Some are seeking to connect spirituality, some are interested in improving their intimate life and experience. Others are after the promised spiritual experience that we can have through cosmic union.
The teachings of Neo-tantra originate from the 1960s. In recent decades it strays farther from the foundations of authentic tantric teachings and has become a fusion of many new-age modalities and methods.
The teachings often miss real substratum, clarity, and a true spiritual goal, which is the ultimate goal of authentic Tantra. In the end, the student is confused and undirected.
In the ancient tantric tradition, the right-handed tantra was accepted only: inner devotion, pranayamas, mantras, meditation, yantras, etc. The Kaula school of Kashmir Shaivism introduced the left-handed tantra tradition.
In the original left-handed tantric traditions which do use touch and intimacy as part of spiritual practice, intimacy and desire are often seen as a means of transcendence that is used to reach the Absolute. However, these are not Neo-tantra, but left-handed tantra. Thus, intimacy and desire are not seen as ends in themselves.
The goal of left-handed tantra is to awaken the Kundalini Shakti so she may unite with Akala, the highest aspect of Shiva, at the crown chakra… but the original teachings of left-handed tantra are not available, because they were destroyed, therefore Neo-tantra is not left-handed tantra.
Neo-tantra places a great emphasis on intimacy and sees it as a means of achieving higher consciousness and spiritual connection. Practices such as tantric touch, tantric union, and sacred massage are often taught as part of Neo-tantra. Many neo-tantric teachers incorporate elements of Western psychology, such as mindfulness, communication skills, and emotional processing, into their teachings. This reflects a shift towards a more holistic approach to personal growth and transformation.
Neo-tantric techniques do have an appeal. They are quick fixes and can offer flashy immediate results. For this reason, they are very popular, but they are not in harmony with nature.
Intimacy, connection, eye gazing, breathwork together, active meditations, and massage are to be found nowhere in the Tantric texts, they are part of the Neo-tantra only. The whole story of how the term tantra split off into different branches with different meanings is a classic example of how humans move around, swap and even fuse ideas. Neo-tantra was brought to Westerners by Osho. This philosophy is thus an evolution and misinterpretation of Tantra based on ancient principles with a focus on sacred intimacy and adapted for those in the West. Neo-tantra is a vast, diversified, sprawling subject, and at its core is a deeply spiritual practice that celebrates intimacy, union, and conscious relationship as an art form and act of worship.
In the West, most people practice Neo-tantra which includes the celebration of conscious touch and intimacy, using pleasure as a tool for transformation and empowerment.
