some oddball neo-tantra web sites...
catherine yronwode
i ran across a so-called "sacred sexuality /tantra web ring." I
personally do not endorse, belong to, or know anything about the sites
included in this web-ring, and several of them actaully stand in
contradiction to my own beliefs and practices -- but, for the record,
here is the list, minus urls. Make of it what you will. Should you wish
to actively pursue any of these leads, the page with the actual links to
these sites is at
http://www.webring.org/cgi-bin/webring?ring=sacredsex;list
Bonfire's Beltane Page
Bonfire's Beltane Page includes an essay about the Sacred
Marriage ceremony, information about sacred sexuality
for pagans, and links to other Beltane sites.
Spiritual Development
Reverend Angela Kahealani teaches Clairvoyant Psychic
Development, Kundalini and Tantra, and facilitates
individual and relationship healing.
Sex, Magick and Spirit: Enlightenment Through Ecstasy
Sex, Magick and Spirit: Enlightenment through Ecstasy
explores the ancient practices of sacred sexuality in the
Western world.
Eros Books
Eros Books brings you books about sacred sexuality,
tantric spirituality, and historical, anthropological and
sociological perspectives on human sexuality.
The Tantras
Articles on Tantra
Leather Pagans
A website dedicated to people interested in BDSM,
Paganism, and Sacred Sex
SwingersUSA
SwingersUSA/Couples Club USA sponsors Tantra Get
Acquainted Worskshops every Saturday night.Learn the
physical and spiritual aspects of sex and love with like
minded couples!
Tantra and Sacred Sexuality in New Zealand
The principals of unity found in tantra are proving
helpful as a means to heal our wounded lives. Many of
us have lots of issues around sex and sexuality it is about
all of life, not just sex. Understand that your sexuality is
your connection to the divine mother, the universal
creative energy.
KHEPERU EM INU
This tEMple is dedicated to worship of INU: The
feminine aspect of NU and the Goddess of dark
manifestation. We are clerics of the Kemetic tantric
tradition: dedicated to mastery of the 'Khaibit' or shadow
self, and to the unrestrained application of the Law of
Unconditional Love.
Female Wisdom
Though not a Tantric site per se, my site offers two links
to major tantric sites. It also contains material about the
Goddess and about the sacredness of the human
experience. The thrust of the site is how female
empowerment will change and is changing the world. A
more sexually friendly world is only one change.
LivingLove
A Webzine Devoted to Tantra, Sexuality, Intimacy, Love,
Passion, Spirituality and Other Heart Pursuits
The Nepal Institute
The Nepal Institute is a tantric retreat in the mountain of
North Carolina. Swami Nostradamus Virato is its
spiriutal leader. It holds tantra events,parties, etc.
Tantra - South Bay Center for Conscious Loving
South Bay Center for Consciousness Loving is located in
Los Gatos, California. We give Introductory Tantra classes
once a month. We have on-going tantra core groups that
meet every other week to practice and learn tantra. No
nudity allowed. Private sessions available for couples.
Taught by Baba Nicole Herrick.
TANTRA
The magazine for people interested in sexuality and
spirituality.
Temple of the Goddess
Temple of the Goddess is an organization of spiritual
women, including massage technicians, Tantric
educators, hypnotherapists,Ý intuitive counselors, and
spokespersons for sacred sexuality. Temple of the Goddess
is dedicated to the empowerment of individuals and their
personal potential as well as the healing of the planet in
her entirety.
4 Freedoms Tantra Sacred Loving
Tantra Sacred Sex workshops & coaching for erotic love,
sexuality, passion, romance, relationship intimacy. Easy,
fun, safe sex positive, sex education. Satisfy your lover,
totally. Ejaculation control. Multiple orgasms. Renew
your relationship.
Kundalini Tantra
Summary of tantra, kundalini, and sacred sex methods
and rituals combined with science and physical actions to
bring forth highest energy, healing and attainment.
Sexual and other rituals described.
Mystress Angelique Serpent: Dominant Tantric Fetish Wit
Adults Only. Kundalini powered Matriarchal Goddess
worship. Tantric unity explored thru the polarity forms of
Female Dominant BDSM. Attaining altered states thru
Sadomasochistic Shamanic ritual.
Lessins for More Loving
sexuality, kind-relating, polyamory exercises, advice and
articles; events: workshops, trainings. Lodging in
paradise, community-building experiences.
Maenad's Temple: Tantra - Sacred Sexuality
The Temple offers book reviews, articles, the Sex and
Spirituality FAQ, the Sacred Sexuality Mailing List, links
to tantra resources, and the Sensual Path, an online
course in sacred sexuality.
cat, librarian and archivist and
keeper of the alt.magick.tantra faq at
http://www.luckymojo.com/altmagicktantrafaq.html
nagasiva
[...]
Tantric_Path
[...]
The terms Tantra, Tantric, Tantrik refer to a philosophy, a
science, an art and a way of life whereby sexual energy is
consciously and creatively utilized. In it's simplest form,
Tantra means paying attention 100% to what you're doing. The
mystical treatises, known as the Tantras, contain a broad
spectrum of practical techniques for enhancing sexual awareness
and achieving transcendence. The hidden potency of sexual union
is the seed of all creativity. Through an understanding of the
practical teachings of Tantra, a whole new experience of life
opens up. Tantra shares great similarities with the Taoist
tradition of China, but derives from the Hindu teachings of India
and the Tibetan Buddhist lineage, both of which trace their roots
to the Tantras, texts written in ancient Sanskrit. The Tantric
approach to spirituality makes use of the senses of the body
rather than suggesting, as is done in other religious teachings,
that these should be suppressed, in order to transcend the
physical world and its desires. It is greatly useful in an
individuals personal path of spiritual unfoldment and
enlightenment, to awaken Kundalini, and utilize it in the
synergistic combination of sexuality and spirituality.
Angela Kahealani
[...]
Copyright 1998 Angela_Kahealani
EOF
--
ty...@houseofkaos.abyss.com; http://www.abyss.com/tokus
(emailed replies may be posted); cc me your replies
see also http://www.luckymojo.com/mojocatspells.html
nagasiva
Tantra.com
[...]
"Tantra - The Science of Ecstasy"
[...]
adapted from Ancient Secrets of Sexual Ecstasy
Tantra is an ancient way of looking at the world. In the Tantric
view, all life and every aspect of creation including sexuality
is celebrated and held as sacred.
The Tantric traditions of ancient India and other cultures viewed
sexual energy as the source of life itself and as one of the most
powerful forces available to us as human beings. Sexual ecstasy
was seen as a taste of the divine. In these sex positive
cultures, sophisticated lovemaking skills were developed and
taught as a science and as an art. Since we have repressed sexual
energy for so long in the West, we are only now beginning to
rediscover this precise and highly developed science.
By extending and expanding the peak of sexual ecstasy, erotic
explorers of the past found that the act of love could become a
natural vehicle for exploring altered states as well as for
deepening intimacy between two loving partners.
Many of us have been fortunate enough to experience moments in
love where all boundaries dissolve and we become one with our
beloved and all of existence. Unfortunately these experiences are
usually very short lived. Sex in Tantra aims to heighten and
prolong the magical connection that develops between a man and a
woman when they are lost in the ecstasy of love. We have not been
trained in the skills required to expand that fleeting moment
into a sustainable state. As we are now finding out, there are
specific techniques that have been developed for achieving and
controlling these states. After being suppressed for nearly a
thousand years these methods are now being rediscovered and made
available in the form of books, videos and workshops.
The vision of TANTRA.COM is to facilitate access to these
wonderful tools of peace, power and transformation for as many
people as are ready to use them. It is our firm belief that the
development of advanced love skills is one of the most
appropriate areas for human exploration as we move into the
uncertainties of the next millennium. Love does not destroy our
environment the way so many other forms of gratification do and
it certainly doesn't lead to aggression and war. In an age of
divorce and sexually transmitted diseases we need nothing more
than to form stronger and more lasting bonds of love. Tantra
lights the way.
[...]
)Tantra.com, All contents copyright 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998
[...]
nagasiva
Sex Articles 4 Freedoms
SACRED SEX
A Path of Union, Celebration and Wholeness
by Pala Copeland
Tone Magazine, July-August, 1998
For many Canadians the term "sacred sex" is somewhat of an
oxymoron, a contradiction in terms. Suggesting that you can
find your way to God through sexual activity has been a bit
like suggesting you can eat your way to thin-ness or you
should vote Bloc Quebecois for a united Canada. Partaking in
wildly passionate sex and seeking an intensely spiritual life
just haven't been part of the same curriculum. We've been
taught that pursuing sexual pleasure, enjoyable as that may
be, is at best hedonistic and at worst damaging for our souls.
To be a highly spiritual person is to be essentially sexless.
It's an either / or situation.
But that view is changing. The concept of sacred sex, finding
spiritual union through a sexual one, is slowly gaining ground
in North America. Our psyches are certainly ripe for it. As a
society we're obsessed with sex. In part it's a lustily
healthful obsession, a celebratory dance of life's great
force, but much of it flounders in darkness and neurosis - sex
for power, sex for profit, sex for oblivion. We use and abuse
sex for everything from selling soap to making or breaking
political leaders.
At the same time there's a spiritual hunger running rampant
through the land. The ache for meaning stretches from radical
through traditional - Nina Hagen follows guru Babaji, Madonna
embraces the Kaballah, the Peace Makers hail conservative
Christianity. We're screaming for substance.
Well why not unite the two? Bring sex and spirit together and
find your magic! The idea's definitely not a new one.
Ritualized sex has been an acknowledged sacred pathway in
Eastern philosophies for several thousand years. Tantra,
probably the most commonly known form of sacred sexuality, has
its home in branches of the Hindu and Buddhist cultures of
India and Tibet. Based on a belief that the union of male and
female principles (yin and yang, yab and yum) will lead to
enlightenment, traditional Tantra uses a complex series of
sounds, visualizations, breath control, and sexual positions
combined with prayerful thought to reach the heights of godly
bliss.
During the 19th century Tantric writings were introduced to
the west by British scholars and travelers like Sir Richard
Burton. Not surprising given the surface prudery of the time,
these works were greeted with a largely hostile reception.
Tantric practices were condemned as "orgiastic rites too
terrible for civilized men to hear".
Today, despite our more open attitudes to sexuality, much of
this cult-like perception of Tantra persists. Partly this may
be due to traditional Tantra's highly ritualized religious
aspects - worship and identification with particular gods and
goddesses, and mystical signs, symbols and chanting. But
perhaps an even bigger block is the absolute necessity of
retaining your aroused sexual energy internally and the
accompanying emphasis for men on not ejaculating. This
directly challenges our culture's sexual ideal of simultaneous
genital orgasm. The practice of arresting your sexual fever
and turning it in and upward rather than allowing it to flow
out and down may seem abnormal and contrived; going against
the laws of nature and our bodies. After all, the powerful
release of a "regular" orgasm feels so very good; why should
anyone voluntarily pass this by for the promise of unknown
ecstasy?
However, a gradual shift away from a strong focus on semen
retention to a slower approach of gently learning to move all
that wild sexual energy around inside you, is part of the new
sacred sex (or neo-Tantra) that's been emerging in the last 20
years. Whole body orgasm, through eyes, elbows or toes,
becomes a real possibility, not just our venerated Big O of
the genitals. While learning to withhold ejaculation is part
of the process there's also a more relaxed, more fluid
perspective that allows for personal preference and ability.
You can take your time learning the delights that come with
delaying or eliminating ejaculation as you explore the many
other ingredients of sacred sex practice - emotional and
mental as well as physical.
Neo-tantra begins with much from her traditional parent - for
example, the precept that sexual union can lead to
transcendence, and specific techniques of breath and muscle
control - and adds an assortment of other goodies. Jungian
concepts, Reichian bodywork, acupressure, aromatherapy,
creative visualization and dynamic meditation can all be part
of the loose and joyous eclectic meld. The essential approach
is spiritual, meaning non-religious and non-dogmatic. And
playfulness is woven into the fabric of loving - laughter and
lust come hand in hand to the true lovers' bed.
But sacred sex goes far beyond the bedroom, helping partners
open fully to each other in trust and love through all facets
of their relationship. Your relationship itself becomes a
vehicle for spiritual growth and personal awareness. As you
learn to open to yourself, to your own inner lover, you
naturally open to others around you. You begin to understand
that surrender does not mean submission or loss of self, but
rather a loving expansion to something that is much greater
than you are.
Like most spiritual paths, sacred sex teaches a discipline of
the mind and body. It does so in a context of celebration and
letting go into the sensual aspects of living, so that sacred
sex is a paradoxical combination of control and spontaneity.
As a celebration of life, sacred sex teaches the importance of
conscious awareness, of being totally "in" your actions. By
focusing attention on your body and your mind, and what you're
doing with them, you become all around healthier. Your
emotions become more stable and more real. Your mental
capacity increases. Your physical health improves as you
discover that your body is indeed the temple of your soul and
as you begin to honour it that way.
As for your sexual life itself, the glories that await are
beyond imagining. The exercises and techniques fortify your
entire uro-genital system; you gain muscle strength, improved
circulation, and heightened sensitivity. (There won't be any
need for quick trips to Buffalo for a trunk-load of Viagra.)
You learn exquisite ways to please your partner and your self,
raising your physical enjoyment to new heights. As you master
moving the sexual energy between your two bodies, you
experience altered states of consciousness, and ultimately
spiritual union. Besides deepening your connection with each
other and with God, this is a sure-fire way to keep the purely
physical experience of sex exciting, new and fresh for even
the most long-term lovers.
For those who are into self-study books about sacred sex are
bountiful, like: Margo Anand's The Art of Sexual Ecstasy and
The Art of Sexual Magic; Nik Douglas' Sexual Secrets: The
Alchemy of Ecstasy ; and Charles and Caroline Muir's Tantra:
The Art of Conscious Loving. The Internet too is alive with
sites that give you everything from history to "how-to":
TantraWorks, Tantra.com, The Church of Tantra are a few of
the hottest. If learning about loving is something you'd like
a little help with sacred sex events and workshops are held
with increasing frequency all over Canada.
Sex and spirit? It's a door that more and more Canadians are
opening as we yearn for hot monogamy and spiritual harmony.
It's not a path for everyone, but it can be for many. Perhaps
you're one.
[...] [no copyright -- presumed author's copyright on article]
nagasiva
catherine yronwode <c...@luckymojo.com>:
# In researching social and cultural aspects of contemporary
# neo-tantrism, i ran across a so-called "sacred sexuality/tantra
# web ring."....
that is:
http://www.webring.org/cgi-bin/webring?ring=sacredsex;list
# I personally do not endorse, belong to, or know anything about
# the sites included in this web-ring....
at the end of this and in following posts please find documents
exemplifying what some of them say about "tantra" and "sacred sex".
# here is the list, minus urls....
thanks, I've siphoned off this a few "links" URLs and added them
to the Gehennom Goo at:
http://www.luckymojo.com/magi/goo.html
in the "NEW" section. here's the first of the texts I found:
[from http://vidya.virtualave.net/tantpage.htm ]
Tantra the overall picture
by Octavian Sarbatoare
It has been written a lot in the West about Tantra, the overall
impression from various books is that it is a kind of
sexual knowledge leading to specific kinds of experiences.
Although there is a side of Tantra which deals with the
sexual experience as a kind of experience leading to
higher awareness, Tantra as a concept is far more vast.
The system of Tantra evolved from its dawn in the
primitive societies to its highest form, the indian
Tantra. By indian Tantra it is understood the Tantra which
appeared and evolved on the socio-geographical space
having its core what is actually India. Although the word
Tantra (which means in Sanskrit 'liberation through
extension') belongs to the indian tradition, many
expressions of Tantra were and are under various names
existent in many cultures all over the world.
Encompassing all aspects of life, Tantra aims at extending
one's awareness beyond the experience of material world
seen as a tool to the knowledge of the transcendent. The
body becomes a temple, an expression of the Creator, a
limited instrumentality able to access the unlimited.
The main areas of tantric system of thought are: deities
of the primitive people, aim of Tantra, macrocosm and
microcosm, Loka-s as different levels of awareness, the
human body as a temple, tantric practices, the magic
formulae, the magic diagrams, the magic actions, worship
and the holy shrines, medicine of the nature, Tantra as
full expression of life, consciousness.
As a system of thought Tantra is in evolution all the
time, therefore expressing new realities of life. It has
survived in time because was able to adapt to new
circumstances and aspects of life, but mainly because the
base of Tantra lies with the human essential nature not a
subject to any individual revelation.
There is not a specific moment when can be said the
humankind started. The culture (pagan believes) of the
primitive people has a lot to do with their ancestors and
their competition to survive, the difference was that what
was called human started to understand how the nature was
working, therefore accumulating experience. This
experience made the primitive people to develope wisdom,
to act in order the nature will be to their advantage. The
nature was seen as a manifestation of power in various
aspects and the sun, moon, earth, etc., as its expressions
were seen as possessing specific powers. This was an
essential belief, so these specific powers were becoming
Deva-s (gods) and Devi-s (goddesses). The tantric
practices developed in many parts of the world from
taboos, superstitions and agricultural rituals of the
primitive people. Gradually a culture and a spiritual
system evolved on these fundamental believes.
[gif omitted]
TheGautamiya Tantra says:
"The inner worship grants liberation to Sadhaka-s even
during their life-time, but Muni-s (sages) alone who
desire liberation are able to perform it properly.
Therefore such Sadhaka-s unable to perform mental worship
in the right manner should do it with the aid of elements
used in outer worship"
There are five main subjects of the indian Tantra i.e. the
creation of the world, the absorption of the world, the
worship of gods, the attainment of desires, the union with
the divine. They are expressed in a multitude of forms,
there is an unknown number of Tantra-s. To mention a few,
there are Kundalini Tantra (doctrine of the power force
within the human body), Shakuna Tantra (doctrine of
omens), Puja Tantra (doctrine of worship), Maithuna Tantra
(doctrine of Shiva-Shakti union), Yoga Tantra, (the
doctrine of union) etc.
The human body is seen as Pindanda (Microcosm or the
body-egg) compared to Brahmanda (Macrocosm or the
Brahma-egg). A cornerstone of the tantric system is to
understand the reality of the human being as 'the little
universe' through the feeling of own rediscovery and the
links with 'the big universe'. There are three Sharira-s
(body- sheets), viz. Sthula (gross), Sukshma (subtle) and
Karana (causal). The action on each one does effect all of
them. Various practices are employed to obtain higher
awareness at each level. Enlightment is a return to the
source (the cause) that created us and becoming fully
aware of the source of our energy is becoming one with the
source. So the travelling path is from Sthula (gross) to
Karana (causal).
The Loka-s (worlds) are fourteen in number, seven below
and seven above (and including) the earth plane. They are
planes of awareness and specific experiences are
associated with any particular Loka.
The practice of Tantra is called Tantra Sadhana. There is
a wide variety of practices in Tantra, the basic ones
starts with the body, as different yogic techniques. In
Tantra the body as the temple to the divine aspiration is
much cared about. Nothing is neglected as far as the
Sthula Sharira (gross body) is concerned from head to toe.
An important concept is the link between Manas (the mental
energy), Prana (the breath energy) and Virya (the sexual
energy). They are in tight connection, the action on
anyone will effect on all them. This is a fundamental
concept in Tantra allowing the practitioner to choose
according to own inclinations the techniques most suitable
for spiritual growth.
[gif omitted]
The best known techniques to act on the Manas (the mind)
are the Mantra-s (magic formulae) or various methods of
Dharana (concentration). Mantra meaning 'liberation of the
mind' is a vibration acting on brain centres to produce a
balanced state of the mind as well as bringing an
experience of a certain kind. There are various kinds of
Mantra-s, they should be learned from somebody having
traditional authority, hence the concept of 'initiation'
by Guru. The pronunciation of the Sanskrit words or sounds
for Mantra Sadhana becomes an important factor. Prana (the
breath energy) is obtain consciously by Pranayama
techniques related mainly to specific rythms of the
breath, but there are also advanced mental techniques to
absorb Prana. Virya (the sexual energy) is related to the
use of sexual energy to unfold higher awareness.
[gif omitted]
In Tantra an important part is what is called Yantra (the
magic diagrams), a form symbol of a deity, a tantric
symbol of unity of Macrocosm and Microcosm. The most
famous one is Shri Yantra (the holy Yantra).The practice
with Yantra-s allows to practitioner to access the deity
through its symbolic representation.
The Shatkarma-s (the six magic rites) are five malefic and
one benefic. They are what is commonly termed as
witchcraft of the indian kind extending from practices
like attracting somebody, to arrest (stop) an action,
subjugate, exite enmity, etc. Nevertheless the five
malefic magic rites are obstacles towards the knowledge of
the divine, they are counterbalances by the only benefic
one called Shantikarma (the action of peace).
The subject of prayers or worship known as Puja has
various expressions. The term Pitha (shrine) applies to
both the outer and inner (i.e. inside the human body)
sacred sites as creation manifestes in the Macrocosm as
well as Microcosm. A Pitha (shrine) of a Siddha (holly
person) is a place where an advanced being was sitting for
a while performing own Sadhana (practice). It is believed
that such a place has a special energetical emanation and
is very benefic if a Sadhaka (practitionar) will stay in
that area to benefit from the vibration of the place. The
inner expression of a holy shrine corresponds to a Chakra
(vortex of energy) in the Sukshma Sarira (subtle body). In
this case the worship takes the form of meditation in that
specific Chakra. Any form of worshipping the aspects of
one universal life can be a true and effective spiritual
cultivation of the wholeness of eternal life.
In Tantra Yoga there is also the knowledge of the medicine
of the nature Ayurveda, various herbs (Aushadhi), leaves,
seeds, etc. are employed for specific purposes.
Through the awareness of the everyday life experiences
Tantra with its natural approach to life is an interesting
development of the modern days, with the emerging of a new
kind of humankind known as Homo Noeticus, Homo Tantrika or
Homo Universalis. "Noetics" has been defined as the study
of consciousness and it refers to deepened awareness and
multilevel perception of the reality, practically a
download of consciousness.
In Ashtavakra Samhita one reads:
"Burn down the forest of Ajnana (ignorance) with the fire
of Shradha (faith) of being Vishuddhabodha (Pure
Consciousness), be happy and free from grief"
East has the dominant verb 'to be' therefore is
consciousness or Shiva oriented, but for the West the verb
is 'to do' therefore is power or Shakti oriented. The
synthesis of East and West is a form of union of
Shiva-Shakti, a form of Maithuna of civilizations. This
synthesis makes Tantra a prospective culture of the future
and Homo Tantrika a hybrid of the East and West.
Copyright ) 1997-1999 by Octavian Sarbatoare
This article is copyright. The author grants the right to
copy and distribute this file, provided it remains
unmodified and original authorship and copyright is
retained.
About the author: Octavian Sarbatoare (of Romanian origin)
is a freelance writer (member of the Australian Society of
Authors) based in Sydney, Australia. He has done research
studies at Bihar Yoga Bharati (University) in India under
the guidance of Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati the
chancellor of the University. The main areas of subjects
are: Yoga, Tantra, Veda, Yantra, Mantra, Kundalini,
Bhakti, Sanskrit Terminology, Consciousness, East and West
towards spiritual unity.
[...]
[...] Vidya Website Design by Octavian Sarbatoare Australia
[...]
nagasiva
The Sex and Spirituality F.A.Q.
* What is the relationship between sex and spirituality?
What is sacred sexuality?
* What are the advantages of practicing sacred sexuality? What
are the disadvantages?
* What is the philosophy behind sacred sexuality?
* What are the main traditions or schools of sacred sexuality?
* How is sacred sexuality practiced today?
* Do I have to give up my religion to practice sacred sex?
* Do I need to have a partner to practice sacred sexuality?
* Do I have to be promiscuous or have multiple partners to
practice sacred sexuality?
* How does polyamory fit into sacred sexuality?
* Do I have to be heterosexual to practice sacred sexuality?
* Are bondage and domination (B&D) or sadism and masochism
(s&m) compatible with sacred sexual practice?
* What is sex magic? And how is it different from sacred
sexuality?
* What kinds of techniques are utilized in sacred sexual
practice?
* What about passion and spontaneity? Do I have to give those
up to practice sacred sexuality?
* What is a whole-body orgasm?
* How can I get started?
____________________________________________________________
What is the relationship between sex and spirituality?
Historically, sex and spirituality have been uneasy bedfellows --
while some ancient religions did include sexuality in their
rites, others sought to control sexuality, either by suppressing
it or by severely limiting its expression. Most of the dominant
religions in the world today are sex-negative, preaching the
suppression of the sexual urge or the channeling of that urge
into socially-acceptable forms (marriage as reproductive
arrangements).
Which ancient traditions chose to include sexuality as a
spiritual act?
* The Sumerians performed the Sacred Marriage, a union between
a priestess of their goddess, Inanna, with a priest-king, as
a means of obtaining the favor of this goddess for their
cities. In Greece, this type of ritual sex was referred to as
the Hieros Gamos; and evidence indicates that it was also
practiced by the Egyptians in the cult of Isis up until the
Roman era. Hints from various ancient sources indicate that a
Hieros Gamos may have been part of the Eleusinian mysteries.
* Sacred prostitution, a means by which men could visit temples
and have sex with temple prostitutes in order to commune with
a particular goddess, was practiced in numerous ancient
Middle Eastern cultures, and in India up until the 1950s.
* In India, the Tantric tradition, overseen by the god Shiva
and his consort Kali/Parvati, continue for hundreds (possibly
thousands) of years before being incorporated into Buddhism.
Practitioners of Tantra seek enlightenment and union with the
Divine through sexual rites and other forms of meditation and
ritual.
* After Tantra was brought to China by traveling monks, it was
combined with Taoist philosophy and Chinese medical theory,
and was used by those who sought to increase health and (in
some cases) achieve physical immortality (through sexual
techniques thought to prolong the vitality of the
practitioner).
* Some sects of early Christianity incorporated sexual rites
into their religious practices; all of these sects were
persecuted into extinction by the Roman Catholic Church once
it was able to successfully consolidate its political
standing as the sole religious institution of Europe.
What is sacred sexuality?
Sacred sexuality is a form of spirituality which sees sex as a
means of experiencing or communing with the Divine. Sacred sex
harnesses the power of sexuality for the purposes of accelerating
personal transformation and enhancing spiritual growth. Sacred
sexuality has been practiced throughout recorded history: in
India, Tibet and China; and throughout the Middle East and
Europe.
Sacred sexuality is an ecstatic path -- its practitioners use sex
as a means of inducing an ecstatic trance state which enhances
their perception of the Divine and reduces or eliminates their
sense of themselves as separate from the Divine.
What are the advantages of sacred sexuality? What are the
disadvantages?
ADVANTAGES:
* Increased vitality and health
* Enhanced perception of the Divine in all aspects of your life
* Intensification of pleasure, both sexual and otherwise
* Deeper intimacy, not only in your romantic relationships, and
but in all relationships
* Release of negative conditioning
* Deeper sense of communion with the Divine
DISADVANTAGES:
* Potential physical discomfort (sacred sex techniques increase
the flow of energy through your body, and can aggravate
existing physical conditions).
* Potential emotional discomfort (sacred sex techniques require
a great deal of honesty -- as you begin to explore your
sexuality, you will be exploring your entire being --
sexuality touches all areas of the psyche. Negative mental
conditioning, repressed emotions, and spiritual weakness will
be brought to the surface of your consciousness, where you
will be forced to deal with them.)
What is the philosophy behind sacred sexuality?
Sacred sexuality is based on the philosophy of sensualism: the
idea that enligthenment is reached not by retreating from the
world, but by participating in it fully. Sensualists believe that
the spiritual world is not separate from the physical world, but
inherent within it -- that the Divine exists right here, right
now. Sensualism suggests that we are here in the physical world
to learn certain lessons, and that we learn those lessons through
our experience of the physical world, which is also the world of
the Divine.
Sensualism contrasts with the philosophy of asceticism, which
postulates that the spiritual world is separate from the physical
world, and that one must turn one's attention away from the
physical in order to perceive the spiritual. Most of the world's
major religions are primarily ascetic: Christianity, Judaism,
Islamic, Buddhism. However, the philosophies of sensualism and
asceticism can be seen as complementary: it is possible to
incorporate both sensual and ascetic techniques into your
spiritual path.
Sensualism also differs from hedonism -- hedonism is a
materialistic philosophy which does not recognize the Divinity
that is inherent in the material: hedonism is a philosophy of
consumerism, in which the individual is encouraged to indulge in
material pleasures simply for the sake of indulgence.
What are the main traditions or schools of sacred sexuality?
The two most widely-practiced traditions of sacred sexuality are:
* The tradition which is based on Tantra, an Indian religion
which incorporates ritual sex into its practices. Tantra was
eventually incorporated into Buddhism to form Tantric
Buddhism, but in most cases the ritual sex was eliminated,
and only the symbolism of sexual union as a metaphor for
union with the Divine was retained.
* The tradition which is based on Taoist alchemy, a Chinese
spiritual system which evolved after Tantra was brought to
China (through Tibet). Taoist alchemy is a combination of
Taoism and Tantric sexual practices, many of which have been
modified and added to by Chinese practitioners throughout the
centuries.
Neither Tantra nor Taoist alchemy are limited to sexual practice
-- they are spiritual systems which include sexual techniques as
part of a larger spiritual practice.
How is sacred sexuality practiced today?
Today there are many different schools of sacred sexuality. Some
are based on Tantric teachings, others on Taoist teachings; some
combine techniques from both traditions, and others are even more
eclectic, drawn from a variety of other traditions and from their
founders' personal experience. Sacred sexuality today is taught
in a number of ways: as a tool for healing sexual trauma and
awakening sensuality, as a way to deepen intimacy and strengthen
relationships, as a path to enlightenment and
self-transformation, and as a key to communion with the Divine.
Sacred sexuality can be used to achieve each of these goals;
understanding what you want from sacred sexuality will make it
much easier to find sources which will teach you to apply sacred
sexual techniques to your goal (or goals).
Do I have to give up my religion to practice sacred sex?
No. Although the sacred sexual techniques which have survived to
the present day were developed within particular religious
contexts (Tantra and Taoism), they can be used to open your
consciousness to all forms of Divinity. How you incorporate
sacred sexual technique into your own spiritual path is a
personal choice, and you are free to practice in whatever manner
you are most comfortable.
However, if you currently participate in a religion which is
sex-negative (i.e. which teaches that sex is evil, sinful,
immoral, wrong, or intended for reproductive purposes only), you
may experience some difficulty integrating your experiences with
sacred sexuality into your primary belief system. You may also
have some mental conditioning around the subject of sex which
will make your practice of sacred sexuality more difficult.
Sacred sex will encourage you to re-evaluate what you have been
taught about sex in the past, and will lead you to a new
understanding of the relationship between sexuality and
spirituality. Unless you firmly believe that sex and spirituality
are mutually exclusive (and if you do, you probably aren't
reading this FAQ), you should be able to incorporate sacred sex
into your existing religious background.
Do I need to have a partner to practice sacred sexuality?
Sacred sexuality can be practiced either alone or with a partner
-- ultimately, the techniques are designed to help you achieve a
state of balance within yourself, as well as in your
relationships with others and with the Divine. Many of the
techniques can be performed just as effectively by a single
individual, using self-stimulation as a means for generating and
raising sexual energy. In fact, even if you do have a partner,
it's a good idea to practice these techniques on your own as
well:
* Individual practice increases your own sensitivity to energy
and your own ability to control its movement through your
body.
* Individual practice allows you to learn new techniques more
quickly, without the distraction of a partner.
* Individual practice allows you to maintain your own ideal
state of health, sexual and otherwise, without relying on a
partner.
* Individual practice can make it easier for you to tune into
your own inner experience, making it easier for you to work
on achieving internal balance.
Do I have to be promiscuous or have multiple partners to practice
sacred sexuality?
No. Although some ancient texts recommend promiscuity as a means
of achieving detachment from one's sexual partners (as well as
from the rest of the physical world), it is not necessary to do
so in order to practice sacred sexuality -- these techniques can
also be practiced effectively within the context of a committed,
monogamous relationship.
How does polyamory fit into sacred sexuality?
Polyamory and monogamy are both compatible with the practice of
sacred sexuality. It is not the type of relationship you have in
sacred sex, but the quality of the relationship(s). Practicing
sacred sex with a partner requires a great deal of trust and
commitment. Some people find these qualities in monogamy, and
some find them in polygamy: what is most important is that you be
dedicated to furthering your own spiritual growth and the growth
of your partner(s), and that you be able to recognize the spark
of Divinity within your partner(s).
Do I have to be heterosexual to practice sacred sexuality?
No. Gays, lesbians, and bisexuals can practice sacred sexuality
-- the techniques of sacred sex are focused on the movement of
energy through the body, and the sharing of energy between
partners -- the gender of the body (or bodies) involved is not
nearly as important as the strength of the energetic polarities
within and between practitioners. These energetic polarities
sustain the flow of energy during sacred sex (and in the rest of
life as well), creating the conditions which allow you to achieve
ecstatic communion with the Divine.
Non-heterosexuals may experience some frustration with the
available books and other materials which teach sacred sex, as
both Tantra and Taoist alchemy developed in societies whose
gender roles were rigidly defined, and most texts today assume
that the practitioners will be heterosexual. Many texts even warn
against homosexuality, but this is a cultural bias which was
transferred to the sacred sexual traditions, not a spiritual
truth. Extended practice of sacred sexuality strengthens both the
traditionally masculine and feminine qualities -- androgyny, a
state of wholeness within the psyche, is one of the end results
of sacred sexual practice.
Are bondage and domination (B&D) or sadism and masochism (s&m)
compatible with sacred sexual practice?
Bondage and domination and sadism and masochism can be
incorporated into sacred sex, if you so desire. Both of these
styles of lovemaking can be used to induce and/or strengthen an
ecstatic trance. This is a matter of personal choice.
What is sex magic? And how is it different from sacred sexuality?
Sex magic is a subset of sacred sexuality, and incorporates many
of the traditional techniques of sacred sexuality into magical
practice as a means of raising energy which can then be channeled
into a magical working. Sex magical workings can be directed
towards achieving union with the Divine, accelerating personal
transformation, or achieving goals within the physical world.
What kinds of techniques are utilized in sacred sexual practice?
Some of the techniques used in sacred sexual practice include:
* Meditation
* Visualization
* Chanting of mantras (phrases which are repeated over and over
again while the practitioner is in a meditative state)
* Gazing on yantras (geometric designs in which various
deity-forms are thought to dwell)
* Chakra work
* Massage
* Prayer
* Specific patterns of breathing
* Contraction of the PC and anal muscles to retain energy and
to circulate it within the body
* Specific sexual positions
* Rhythmical thrusting (the male performsa specific number of
thrusts, with a particular timing, repeated a certain number
of times)
What about passion and spontaneity? Do I have to give those up to
practice sacred sexuality?
Many beginners find it difficult to concentrate on specific
techniques while they are having sex -- after all Western society
treats sex as oneof the few times in your life where you are
supposed to "lose control". Sacred sexuality, on the other hand,
requires that you gain precise control over you body: the
techniques are designed to help you harness the energies of sex
in new and unfamiliar ways. In the short term, this new physical
discipline may decrease your ability to enjoy sex, because
practicing a special breathing technique or counting the number
of thrusts is distracting you from the pleasurable sensations.
(This is one of the reasons why it's a good idea to practice
these techniques by yourself, during self-stimulation, before you
use them with a partner -- it gives you greater control over the
type of distraction you will be learning to overcome.)
Once mastered, however, sacred sexual technique increases your
pleasure tremendously by slowing down the sexual cycle and
allowing you and your partner to remain in the arousal stage much
longer -- a necessary condition for experiencing the whole-body
orgasm. The techcniques also teach you how to expand the energies
of the orgasm and to direct them upward throughout your entire
body, inducing a state of bliss in which it is possible to
commune with the Divine.
When you first start, you may feel a little bit frustrated or
distracted -- don't worry about it. Just keep practicing the
techniques until they are second nature. Ideally, the more you
practice on your own, the more easily you will learn to use them
successfully with a partner.
What is a whole-body orgasm?
During "normal" sex, you experience what is referred to as a
genital orgasm: an orgasm in which the sensations are centered
primarily in your genitals, and which usually last only a few
seconds. The energy which you raised during sex is dissipated
when you experience a genital orgasm -- this is why many people
feel drained immediately after sex.
A whole-body orgasm, on the other hand, is an orgasm in which the
energy of orgasm is drawn up from the genitals into the rest of
the body, and the sacred sex practitioner learns to prolong the
experience of orgasm for minutes or even hours. In the whole-body
orgasm, the energy raised is not immediately dissipated, but is
retained and remains available to the practitioner, leaving them
feeling revitalized and alert.
There are a variety of techniques through which sacred sex
practitioners learn to experience the whole-body orgasm (see What
kinds of techniques are utilized in sacred sexual practice?).
There is no single technique which you can use to force your body
to have a whole-body orgasm -- everyone's body is different, and
you will need to experiment with various techniques (and
combination of techniques) to learn which work for you.
How can I get started?
There are many books and videotapes available to those interested
in the study of sacred sexuality, and a number of instructors
offering workshops and/or personal instruction in various
systems. Below, you will find some resources to help you get
started.
BOOKS
These are a few books to get you started -- this list is far from
complete. Detailed reviews of many of these books (and others)
can be seen at http://members.tripod.com/~maenad/reviews.html.
Jewel in the Lotus: The Sexual Path to Higher Consciousness, by
Sunyata, Saraswati and Bodhi Avinasha.
Sexual Energy Ecstasy: A Practical Guide to Lovemaking Secrets of
the East and West, by David and Ellen Ramsdale.
Sexual Secrets: The Alchemy of Ecstasy, by Nik Douglas and Penny
Slinger.
Sacred Sexuality: Living the Vision of the Erotic Spirit, by
Georg Feuerstein.
Sex, Magick and Spirit: Enlightenment Through Ecstasy, by Bonnie
L. Johnston and Peter L. Schuerman.
The Chinese Sexual Yoga Classics, Including Women's Solo
Meditation Texts, trans. Douglas Wile.
The Art of Sexual Ecstasy: The Path of Sacred Sexuality for
Western Lovers, by Margo Anand.
INSTRUCTORS:
If you decide to seek an instructor, it is important that you
select one who is compatible with your goals and your style of
learning. Don't be afraid to interview the instructor before
committing to classes, and to check the instructor's references.
You can also speak to students who have taken classes with the
instructor already, to get a better idea of how the instructor
teaches and what you will be learning from him or her.
For a listing of instructors, see:
http://www.newhoo.com/Society/Sexuality/Tantra/Instructors/.
WEBSITES AND OTHER ONLINE RESOURCES:
You'll find a wide variety of resources by searching in various
search engines using the keywords "tantra", "tantric", and
"sacred sex".
For an annotated directory of online resources (always being
updated!), see http://www.newhoo.com/Society/Sexuality/Tantra/.
Subscription information for the Sacred Sexuality Mailing List
and Tantra Personals can be found at
http://members.tripod.com/~maenad/.
--revised 8/15/98
____________________________________________________________
[...] [no copyright found on document; presumed the editor's]
nagasiva
The Quiet Mind Body Shop
[...]
-------------------------------------------------------
[...]
Sexuality - Sexual Healing
So do you feel at a loss to understand your sexuality?
Is there a lack of love in your life?
Are you not getting the intimacy you need?
Is your partner not performing as you desire?
Is there a rift developing in your relationship?
What you will find here are concepts to think about and see how
you feel in relation to your life. Then if you want more, you can
contact us.
Overview; The principals of unity found in tantra are proving
helpful as a means to heal our wounded lives. Many of us have
lots of issues around sex and sexuality. Tantric meditations and
teachings and 'Skydance' transformational massage and Tantric /
Essensual massages as a treatment help one to relax to make peace
within your body and get in touch with those wounded feelings and
begin the healing process. The healing process can involve loving
touch, meditations and counselling - support to relax the grip on
ones fears, to understand and become empowered, to be sexually
whole and alive. Lifestyle, diet and nutrition are also important
considerations and it is about all of life, not just sex. This is
an opportunity to say NO to isolation, awaken to your divine
freedom on all levels of life. Understand that your sexuality is
your connection to the divine mother, the universal creative
energy.
We are raised in a culture that has been closed to life on many
levels over many generations.
With the advent of morality, human nature has been
suppressed. Now is the time to claim our power to be totally
ourselves, to be whole and independent Human Beings that we may
be Free. This means having power with each other, not to have
power over each other.
An Ancient Art For Modern Lovers
Tantra is a path to an aliveness, to a passionate heart centred
connection to all areas of your life. To practice Tantra you must
be curious, courageous, adventurous and willing, to explore into
the depths of your Being, both sexually and spiritually.
Men:
* Do you suffer from impotency?
* Do you want more mastery over your orgasmic ability and
ejaculatory responses.
* Do you want to better please your partner.
* We share methods that will enhance your expertise and assist
in experiencing, states of arousal and pleasure that will
alter your perception of what orgasm is, this often leads to
multiple orgasms and bliss.
* Men often need healing from performance anxiety, stress and
tension.
* By learning relaxation you can learn to tap into your own
passionate energy, as well as your partner's, with re-newed
vitality.
Women:
* Are you seeking greater depths of intimacy?
* Are you wanting to awaken your radiant sensual nature?
* You can come to us for emotional release and the healing of
past trauma and abuse.
* You may want to remember and ignite the power of your orgasm
and experience the intensity that is your natural birthright.
* With love and unconditional service, we provide, not only
expertise in the area of female sexuality, but an intuitive
sensitivity built on trust, respect and caring.
* We help find and open the floodgates of orgasmic expression
to truly step into your power as a women.
* As you learn to move energy through your body, you may attain
the ability to reach orgasm more easily.
Couples:
* Are you seeking deeper levels of intimacy?
* Are you seeking to strengthen and enhance your spiritual and
sexual connection.
* We share communication skills and body awareness which may
include exotic meditation and or massage - touch techniques
that will help you and your partner to reach new levels of
love and inspiration.
* Tantra has saved many relationships whose passion has
decreased, or where misunderstanding or miscommunication
exist.
* It's a method that can continually rejuvenate relationships
when regularly practised.
Although these practices arouse sexual energy, one of the most
important aspects to remember is that Tantra is not only a path
of sexuality. When the sexual fire is ignited within you, and you
learn the techniques that open you up and energise you on all
levels, you experience your sexuality with your whole body, not
just with your genitals.
Tantra is also a path of acceptance and surrender. Sexual energy
is our primal force, it is the creative energy behind all our
desires and dreams. What Tantra enables us to do is to understand
evaluate, and where appropriate dissolve the boundaries we have
created in our lives, the sence of separateness, the sence of
disconnection, to become more connected, in harmony with all of
life.
Consultations: When you first come to see us we will discuss
where you are in your life, youe dreams, needs and ideals. This
interview will give us a sense of your needs and you will sense
that yes you can do this and that you will benefit. You will have
choices:
* One to one treatments
* Attending our group sessions.
* Both with you and your partner have joint sessions with one
or two staff.
* Learn Tantric massage, see Massage for couples
* 'Sky Dance' Spiritual Massage
* Use condoms, the safer choice.
____________________________________________________________
Tantra is literally the `Fabric of Life'. It is about your
connection with the Divine Principal within and learning to
express this outwardly in the world and in communion with a
partner. Tantric practises include Meditation, movement,
sensuality, body awareness, energy awareness, communication,
touch, music, play, opportunity to be more you. In Tantra and
Yoga Tantra you are introduced to the energy of life. This
EMPOWERS YOUR LIFE and allows you to be more of who you truly
are.
It can have a huge positive impact on your personal life, your
relationships and your business. Note, we are not a cult and
there is no requierment to believe any code other that what you
find in your own heart.
* Tantra makes clear the hidden, the inner you.
* Tantra can enhance your sex life
* Tantra helps you to attune to nature.
* Tantra is a holistic concept.
* Tantra Classes are be held in Christchurch on the second
Friday evening of every month from 8.00 - 10.00 pm $10.00 per
person Booking Required call 025 310 709
* Tantra Club
* Personal tuition and workshops can be arranged for you or
your organisation as a team building exercise.
* Massage Tuition for Couples may include elements of tantra.
To Understand more on Tantra you may read the pages on Yoga and
see Massage Tuition for Couples - More on Sexuality and Sex -
Meet Us
Tantra is a method to reclaim our essential self and know the
fullness of life.
Classical Tantra - We will have a new members only section soon.
____________________________________________________________
[...]
)Copyright The New Zealand Health Network
[...]
Bon Johnston
wrote:
>[from http://members.tripod.com/~maenad/faq.html ]
>
> The Sex and Spirituality F.A.Q.
Copyright Bonnie L. Johnston, 1998
Thanks for noting that a copyright notice was missing; it honestly
didn't occur to me that anyone would be cutting and pasting from my
site, so I didn't think to add it at the time, but will rectify that
shortly. :)
Bon Johnston
bon...@full-moon.com
tyaginator
>On 20 Apr 1999 00:27:02 -0700, ty...@arkaotika.abyss.com (nagasiva)
>wrote:
>>[from http://members.tripod.com/~maenad/faq.html ]
>>
>> The Sex and Spirituality F.A.Q.
bon...@full-moon.com (Bon Johnston) writes:
>Copyright Bonnie L. Johnston, 1998
>Thanks for noting that a copyright notice was missing; it honestly
>didn't occur to me that anyone would be cutting and pasting from my
>site, so I didn't think to add it at the time, but will rectify that
>shortly. :)
you're welcome. I've added your copyright to the bottom of
the text I archived. enjoy!
blessed beast!
ty...@arkaotika.abyss.com
tyaginator