This is the textbook for what sex was made for. Centuries old, Tantric practices are part of a much larger Hindu/Vedic tradition, where sexuality is just one component of a holistic spiritual path.
The full practice of Tantra is a life-long spiritual quest that demonstrates the interconnectedness of everything and includes yoga, meditation, and breath work, as well as sexual techniques. However, the Western and more modern interpretation of Tantra has become synonymous with spiritual and sacred sexuality. These Tantric books and practices explore and teach techniques that are capable of elevating the sexual participants to a sublime and ecstatic spiritual plane.
Many teachers caution against the confusion associated with “Tantric bliss” as a path to intense orgasmic pleasure. In fact, the power of the practices often lies in the sublimation of orgasmic pleasure towards a rising spiritual energy of divine connection.
Simple Tantra Techniques for Beginners
Starting with the basics, here are a few simple techniques that can introduce you to the transformative power of Tantra:
1. Make Love with Your Eyes Wide Open
The idea of making love with your eyes open is one of the fundamentals of deep connection in intimacy. It is surprisingly harder to do than you might expect. By approaching this practice as an intention rather than a rule, you can be amazed at the collection of glimpses that will reshape how you think about your partner and yourself.
Maintaining eye contact during lovemaking creates a powerful feedback loop of emotions and sensations. Scientific studies over the past few decades have shown that eye contact, or 'exchanging gaze signals,' during sexual intimacy can significantly enhance feelings of sexual arousal and amplify the intensity of the encounter. Through each other's eyes, you can witness pleasure, love, and occasional insecurities. Initially, you might find yourselves glancing away, but with practice, those fleeting moments of eye contact can transform into prolonged gazes that communicate volumes without words.
This practice ties deeply into the principles of Tantra, which emphasizes presence, mindfulness, and the profound connection between partners. Tantra is not just about physical techniques; it's about cultivating a deep, spiritual connection. By making love with your eyes wide open, you are practicing one of Tantra's core principles: being fully present and deeply connected with your partner, both emotionally and spiritually.
2. Create a Heart Circuit
After establishing a deep connection through eye gazing, a powerful next step is to create a "hands-on-heart" circuit. To do this, each partner should place their right hand on their partner’s heart while holding their left hand over their own heart. As you both settle into this position, focus on the love and affection flowing between you. Feel the warmth and energy from your partner’s heartbeat, and let it synchronize with your own. This practice not only deepens your physical connection but also enhances your spiritual bond, fostering a profound sense of unity and shared intimacy.
3. Count Your Breaths
Becoming conscious about your breath is central to all Yogic practices and is also foundational in Tantra. An easy way to start this is to intentionally count your breaths together. Associating breath and penetration – both shallow and deep – forces you and your partner to find a rhythm and timing that is shared. This synchronized breathing helps to align your energies and create a harmonious flow between you. Slowing down to each other and taking a breath with each connection is incredibly exciting and can intensify the sensations and emotions experienced during lovemaking.
4. Awakening Arousal with Scent
Our sense of smell is ancient and the source of our most powerful emotional memories. It is also the primal sensory pathway to sexual attraction. And yet, little attention is often given to all that our sense of smell can evoke, in part because there is so little vocabulary for scent. Often, descriptions are limited to “it smells like…” and delineated only between pleasant and unpleasant. But the truth is that the world of scent cognition, which so often goes unrecognized, actually colors all interactions—especially the most intimate moments.
Incorporating scents into your intimate experiences can profoundly enhance arousal and deepen connections. Love Oils, with their carefully crafted blends of essential oils, can awaken your senses and heighten your sexual energy. These oils are designed to stimulate the olfactory system, triggering emotional and physical responses that amplify desire and intimacy.
Applying Love Oils during your intimate moments creates an aromatic environment that engages the primal pathways of attraction and connection. The rich, evocative scents help ground you in the present moment, making each touch, kiss, and caress more intense and meaningful.
Tantra for Self-Discovery
For beginners, understanding Tantra involves recognizing its holistic nature. It’s not just about sexual techniques, but integrating mindfulness and spirituality into your daily life. Simple practices like meditation, yoga, and breath work can lay a foundation for deeper exploration. Tantra, at its core, implies sacredness—it is a practice of honoring the divine within, between, and beyond ourselves. This means that Tantric practices are not confined to the bedroom but can be embraced in every moment of our lives. To be an awakened, masterful partner and lover, one must embody these principles continuously.
Some of the fundamental practices in sacred or Red Tantra include being present in the moment, embracing acceptance and non-judgment, engaging in goal-less exploration, and approaching life with innocence.
Introduction to Tantric Yoga and Meditation
Tantric yoga and Tantric meditation are foundational practices that have significantly influenced many modern yoga traditions. These practices embody a comprehensive system designed to purify the body, mind, and spirit. Rooted in ancient traditions, Tantra offers an integrative approach that seamlessly combines various yogic techniques to cultivate a holistic practice for personal growth and spiritual development.
The essence of Tantra lies in its meaning—derived from the Sanskrit word for "weave" or "woven," it signifies the interconnectedness of all aspects of life. By seamlessly integrating physical postures (asanas), breathwork (pranayama), rituals, mantras, yantras, visualization, and of course, sexual energy, Tantra empowers practitioners to harmonize their inner and outer worlds, unlocking profound intelligence and inner power.
Tantra encompasses three primary branches: Kaula, Mishra, and Samaya. Each branch offers unique practices and perspectives, but all aim to purify and elevate the practitioner. Samaya Tantra is often regarded as the highest form, focusing on self-actualization and turning awareness inward to embody the divine within.
Tantric Yoga: Moving and Visualizing Energy
Tantric yoga is more about the approach than it is about the postures. It emphasizes mindfulness, presence, and the sacredness of every moment.
Tantric yoga is about visualizing and moving the energy within yourself. Follow the flow, move your wrist in circles, plant your heels deeper into the earth beneath you, expand your lungs, and let the air hold your heart. By engaging in these practices, you allow the energy to circulate and connect more deeply with your inner self.
Tantra and Mindfulness
Mindfulness is at the heart of Tantra. By being fully present in each moment, you can deepen your connection with your partner and yourself. Practicing mindfulness in your daily life through meditation, yoga, and conscious breathing can significantly enhance your Tantric practices, and help you cultivate a more profound sense of presence and connection.
How to Practice Breath Work for Mindfulness in Tantra
1. Find a Sacred Space: Begin by creating a serene and comfortable environment where you won't be disturbed. Sit or lie down in a relaxed position. Close your eyes and take a few deep breaths, inhaling through your nose and exhaling through your mouth, allowing the space to become a sanctuary of peace and tranquility.
2. Deep Breathing: Inhale deeply through your nose, allowing your abdomen to expand fully. Hold your breath and count to six, savor the stillness, then exhale slowly through your mouth, releasing tension with each breath. Repeat this process, focusing on the life force entering and leaving your body, grounding you in the present moment.
3. Synchronize Breath with Movement: If practicing with a partner, synchronize your breath with gentle, intentional movements. As you both inhale, draw closer together, and as you exhale, relax and melt into the moment. This synchronization aligns your energies, creating a harmonious and intimate flow between you, deepening your connection.
4. Observe Sensations: Tune into the sensations in your body as you breathe. Notice any areas of tension and imagine your breath flowing into those spaces, bringing relaxation and healing. This heightened awareness not only enhances your connection with yourself but also amplifies the shared experience with your partner, making each moment more meaningful.
Sex as a Spiritual Experience
When we merge physically with a partner, or when we engage in deep, Tantric eye-gazing, we tap into a wellspring of divine energy. This connection transcends the physical, touching the very core of our being. There’s a profound reason why so many people cry out “Oh God” during orgasm. Lovemaking, particularly at the peak of orgasm, provides a moment where we can tangibly experience our divine nature. It is in these intimate moments that we most clearly see our deep spiritual connection. As our bodies unite in lovemaking, or as we gaze into each other's eyes with Tantric intensity, we can perceive the divine presence within ourselves and our partner.
