The Tantric Way

Tantra is a philosophical tradition that seeks to encourage self-knowledge and liberated joy through visualisation techniques. It is one of the oldest methods of achieving creative self-awareness and is not specific to any one religion, although both Hinduism and Tibetan Buddhism are both trantric in their practice.

Sexuality is certainly a part of it as Tantra attempts to provide awareness of all aspects of life and focusses on the interdependence of experience. This means that both the male and female principles, in all their manifestations, are central to our cycle of existence and so both creation and destruction are explored in equal measure.

Says the Dalai Lama:

"Samsara, our conditioned existence in the perpetual cycle of habitual tendencies and nirvana - genuine freedom from such an existence - are nothing but different manifestations of a basic continuum. So this continuity of consciousness is always present. This is the meaning of tantra."

The Tantric Way by Ajit Mookerjee and Madhu Khanna is an academic view of the theory, history, art and ritual of Tantra, primarily the Hindu form.

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Posted by Lisa at November 15, 2002 08:10 AM