Tantra with sex

Talk about Tantra and the first thing that come to the mind are sex, magic and witchcraft. Is this the real Tantra? Take a look at Google search. The first page on Google search on ‘Tantra’ is dominated by the word ‘sex.’ But Tantra has more to it than mere sex.

Since modern world associates Tantra with sex, I took a peep into Tantric sexual literature. Several books and articles are available on Tantra and most of them just arouse sexual curiosity. Some confuses the reader. But some western scholars have done detailed study on the subject.

Here I am sharing some of my findings:

1. It is hard to give a particular period to Tantrism. Most scholars believe it is pre-Vedic. Shiva and Shakti are main gods in Tantrism. They are a symbol and represent the male and female. Some Tantric texts are conversations between Shiva and Shakti.
2. It has close relation to the modern Advaita philosophy of Shankarachraya, the oneness of all being. So, Tantrism believes that the ‘first life energy’ is present in all of us and we can invoke it in our activities in daily life including sex.
3. Foreplay is of great importance in Tantric Sex. But Orgasm is given little importance. The period just before orgasm is of utmost importance. Tantric sex tries to maintain that particular effect for a long time – in fact for hours. This is often misunderstood as prolonged orgasm.
4. The ardhanarishwara, half-man or half-woman, concept is a part of Tantrism. Touch, kissing, breathe all are used to create the energy by the partners. The partners unknowingly join in the cosmic dance – don’t mistake it for real dance. They gaze at each other and keep the eyes open in foreplay and forget about their surroundings. Several different types of touch are practiced in Tantric sex.
5. There are several rituals, movements, touches and exercises in Tantric sex but it should not be practiced without the help of a knowledgeable person.

Tantrism should not be overlooked just because it talks about sex and contains elements of animism. Tantrism believes that truth can be only experienced through direct realization. One might have read and studied about sex but all this are secondary to the real sexual experience. Real sexual union is not forced; it is not a routine; but a true cosmic dance of creation.