What is Tantra?

Tantra is a Sanskrit word associated with an ancient body of teachings that were passed on orally through underground mystery schools throughout Asia thousands of years before written history.

Tantra scholars reflect on the various interpretations of the word, one meaning of which is “to weave together and expand.” This expression illustrates the foundational philosophy which ancient Tantricas (practitioners of Tantra) held about the essence of creation. They believed that life is made up of the dance of opposites, which we on this path call “polarity.” The true root of polarity teachings goes far beyond modern ideas of “masculine” and “feminine” to encompass the full spectrum of experience as a dynamic and necessary part of life in this reality and beyond.

On the path of Tantra, we celebrate the polarity of life and death, spirit and matter, earth and sky, shadow and light, soul and body, consciousness and form, ebb and flow, contraction and expansion, everything and nothing.

The ancients knew that when we embrace this duality and master each polarizing element within ourselves, we can weave opposing forces into a portal of unification where life-force can be directed with intention towards the creation of a harmonious reality. In other words, when we embrace all aspects of life and see it all as sacred, we can harness the power of our creative energy and focus that force in unbounded ways to create the experience of reality we most desire, thus becoming one with God.

The Tantric path has its roots in the Yogic traditions of India and the Daoist traditions of China and Tibet. These disciplines offer practices and awareness to help transcend the perceived limitations of the physical realm to unify us with Source. From this perspective, we can connect with the source of creation to better understand the nature of this life we have been granted to experience in these bodies, embracing all life’s beauty and all its challenges as equally important and necessary for our journey.

From this place of true integration, we can bring greater presence, reverence, and acceptance to our relationships with ourselves, with others, and with all of life.

At its core, this is a path that honors life and creativity in a way that truly embraces earthly living and the sensual experience of reality as we perceive it through our physical bodies — these are the very aspects of the human experience which are commonly rejected by other widespread forms of religion and yet so necessary for fulfillment in our day-to-day lives.

In essence, Tantra is a path and way of being in relationship with ourselves and life that seeks unification between the mind, the body, and the spirit.

Practitioners on this path utilize embodiment tools such as breath, sound, movement, visualization, and touch to connect with and channel subtle life force energy throughout the body and beyond to bring about a more expansive experience of connection with the divine.

My personal approach to Tantra & Sacred Relating

Many of the teachers along my personal journey have called their offering Tantra, and indeed there are aspects of the philosophy and practice of this ancient lineage that I inherited from them and weave into my offerings.

Given that my personal practice has been influenced by the Yogic & Tantric Teachings of India as well as the Daoist Teachings of China and Tibet, and the Spiritual Alchemies of Egypt, I bow to the masters, mystics, and ancients who have come before me and helped keep these practices alive throughout the ages.

This being said, while I deeply honor the wisdom traditions preserved in these teachings, I cannot personally claim a direct lineage connection to Indian, Daoist or Egyptian teachings since my teachers were primarily individuals of European descent who traveled to study with masters from various schools around the globe. Therefore, I strive to practice awareness in the language I use and the techniques I pass along, so as to appreciate but not mis-appropriate this ancient way of being in relationship to self and spirit.

I draw a distinction between ancient traditions known as Tantra and modern approaches that many Westerners like myself espouse, which we refer to as Neo-Tantra.

Neo-Tantra is the Western adaptation of the principals of Tantra Yoga, Daoism, & Egyptian Spiritual Alchemy crafted in a way that makes the philosophy, foundations, techniques, and mythologies applicable to our modern age, often with an emphasis on the intersection between spirituality and sexuality.

What is more, I have discovered through my own spiritual quest that there are aspects of this ancient path that are shared by the nature-based spiritualities of every heritage indigenous to the seven continents on the planet, practiced long before colonization. Therefore, we all share the common roots of elemental wisdom and ritual embodiment that makes up the core of Tantric spirituality.

As such, mine is a practice that weaves the wisdom passed along by great teachers of Neo-Tantra and Yoga with the Earth-based magic and mystical eroticism of my own Pagan, Celtic, Christian & Middle Eastern heritage. You can read more about my story here.

As a writer, I know that words hold power, therefore I am constantly working to discover and craft more precise terminology to describe the unique medicine I bring forth to share with others. Thus, beyond the term Tantra, what I share is more specifically a combination of Neo-Tantric, Neo-Pagan & Mystic-Christian Spirituality, Sacred Intimacy, Conscious Sexuality, Sensual Embodiment, Authentic Relating, and Elemental Ritual Magick.

A person’s spiritual journey is something that is deeply unique to each. I am not here to force my own beliefs or path onto you, nor do I wish you to simply adopt my beliefs as your own. Rather, my role here is to support and encourage you along your journey.

I’m here to ask you questions, encourage your nudges, support you in strengthening your intuition and utilize the tools gained along my own journey to help you tap into the wealth of wisdom within you, so you can uncover your own deeper knowing and strengthen your unique connection to Source.

If you’d like to learn more about my personal philosophy and practical approach to Conscious Sexuality & Sacred Embodiment, read on.

Or, if you feel ready to embark on your own journey of discovery…