Tantra

• Tantra by Mahasatvaa Ma Ananda Sarita

Are the ancient practices of tantra different from the present ones?

The ancient style of Tantra practices are still alive in our present time. It does not appear so to the casual observer since Tantra out of necessity had to go underground. Now, in our present time, Tantra is coming above ground once again. As it does so, there is some misunderstandings and some extremist behavior, as people awaken to this seemingly lost science of life. The main area of misunderstanding is about the Tantra teachings which include sexuality. Because of our centuries of sexual repression, as modern day people find out about Tantra, there is tendency to focus almost exclusively on Tantra almost as a kind of sex therapy. One reason for this is because our modern age is thirsty to discover meaningful sex. Another reason is because people either don't know or have lost the ability to enter into meditation. The temple of Tantra has two pillars. One is meditation and the other is love. If these two pillars are respected, and people learn to explore Tantra teachings experientially, not just in a scholarly way, then Tantra will become as alive as it was in the past. Tantra awakens genius in the one who practices it, because it helps the right and left hemispheres of the brain to merge. This merging brings the experience of Ardhanareshvara, the deity who is half male half female. All of us have the potential to know this inner deity. In essence, the teachings of Tantra are timeless. The old methods are as relevant today as they were in ancient times. While practicing the methods we enter a space where there is no time, no mind and ecstasy is apparent in our every breath. In that sense, Tantra will never go out of date, for it simply helps us to discover the aliveness of being in the present moment.

Which are the various schools of Tantra?

There are many streams and many schools of Tantra. Each school will have it's own flavor, depending on the experience of the founder of the school. Some basic examples are: Kashmiri Tantra, devoted to the teachings of Shiva and Paravati. This approach honors the merging of love and meditation. Tantra Yoga is more concerned with the Yogic approach, in that it does not encourage love relationships. Tibeton Tantra is a merging of the ancient Bonn religion with Buddhist teachings and the Tantra approach of Saraha from India. It is basically concerned with the liberation from the wheel of birth and death. The Chinese approach focuses on the longevity and immortality aspects of Tantra. Much research has been carried out in China with using Tantra practices to extend life to its maximum potential. There is also Tantra Zen, or what is commonly referred to as the 'red thread' zen tradition. In the West, variations on the Tantra theme have been explored, particularly in ancient Greece, and in the Chivalry beliefs of knights. In fact, Tantra is a process of remembering our true nature, so it is natural that many cultures have carried the flame and tried to keep it alive. In India this flame has never died out, and this is what makes India the great mother of all spiritual seeking.

In the West, in our days, there is a huge interest in Tantra and a lot of fumbling around trying to figure out what is the 'real' Tantra. It is my understanding that Osho has demonstrated and spoken the pure essence of Tantra. By practicing the methods he has indicated, we can most certainly taste the nectar which lies at the heart of every Tantra meditation.

Is it possible to learn tantra without a guru or a teacher?

Traditionally, and for good reason, Tantra has always been given as a transmission. The teacher or Guru of the way of Tantra creates devises and methods to help people gain maximum benefit from their practice. Without a guide who has walked the path and arrived to deep and lasting transformation, the way may appear like a jungle and the person wishing to practice the methods may feel hopelessly entangled. This is because Tantra says yes to all aspects of the human being. Since love and sexuality are very important qualities in the human landscape, the way appears almost impossible to traverse. With love and sex being allowed as part of a spiritual path, all kinds of quagmires, swamps, and snakes hiding in the undergrowth are laying in wait for the unsuspecting traveler. Deeply buried emotions surface, mind plays tricks or may go into a meltdown of chaos. Emotions which are tied to sexuality are so powerful that the seeker can easily become hopelessly confused. I believe that many of the world religions have completely avoided the whole subject of sex simply because they didn't want to have to deal with so much mess as comes up between men and women as we search for how to merge our opposite and yet complimentary natures. The Tantra master knows the secret of how to create the merger. He or she knows the way through the jungle. I doubt very much if someone would attempt to pass through the Amazon Jungle without a guide. And so it is with Tantra.

However, this should not discourage us from practicing methods on our own. We can try one or more methods, and discover so much about ourselves. We can go on a whole journey, simply trusting the stars as our guide. And then, if fears or anxieties come up, it is possible to search out a good guide to help dispel the clouds.

Mahasatvaa Ma Ananda Sarita
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Website: http://www.schoolofawakening.com/Home.html

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