How To Understand And Practice Tantra Yoga

Tantra yoga is not a concept that has been clearly grasped by a majority of people.  It is definitely not a series of sexual gymnastics, which is what the most common understanding of tantra yoga seems to be. It is difficult to describe this very important aspect of ancient tantra in laymen terms, but essentially it is a more spiritual version of kundalini yoga.

One significant difference between tantra yoga and kundalini yoga would be that the poses and techniques are usually performed by two partners who share or wish to share a deep emotional/spiritual connection. In kundalini yoga, these are performed solo, and for reasons of personal development rather than the development of a relationship or bond.

The basis of tantra yoga remains firmly rooted in the ancient Indian and Tibetan traditions. What is special about it is that, when learned and practiced under a qualified tantra master, it has the power to strengthen relationships and our connection with ourselves, each other and the universe.

It cannot be over-emphasized that tantra in any of its various manifestations does not focus solely on sex. While it does have the power to increase sexual intimacy, erotic pleasure and one’s overall wellness quotient, the fundamental objective of tantra is to deepen the spiritual aspects of our relationships.

The ancient scriptures pertaining to yoga teach us that the spine is the seat of all our energy. By learning and practicing tantra yoga under the auspices of an experienced tantra teacher, you can learn how to strengthen and harness this energy and direct its flow to. Among other things, this will help you achieve your deepest sexual and spiritual objectives.

In a way, sexual intercourse could be seen as the ultimate tantra yoga technique, but it is not only about coitus. When practicing tantra yoga postures, partners maintain eye contact with each other and also maintain physical contact in many ways. In the process, they will have an opportunity to explore their own hang-ups and spiritual blockages towards that intimacy.

For instance, in the sacred embrace technique, the partners face each other without actual physical contact, practice tantra breathing with shut eyes and then open their eyes to gaze reverently and wordlessly at each other. The next step involves wrapping each other in a close embrace with the heads on each others’ shoulders, staying in this pose for a prolonged moment. Invariably, most initiates will soon find themselves wishing to break the embrace.

At this point, their tantra master will train them to ask themselves what the reason for this is. These reasons are then explored and overcome with the practice of more advanced tantra yoga techniques and instructions, until the blockages are vanquished and greater intimacy is achieved.

Acharya Subhojit Dasgupta is a Tantra Teacher with an in-depth knowledge of traditional Indian sciences and Sanskrit literature. Visit his tantra online guide for Tantra Lessons, kriyas and mudras from this young Tantra Master.

How To Choose A Good Tantra Teacher

If you want to learn tantra, it is important to choose a qualified and experienced tantra teacher. Self-instruction is a bad way to go when it comes to learning tantra, but choosing a bad tantra teacher is even worse. This is because your tantra master must necessarily have access to your inner psyche, your deepest aspirations and the very foundation of your sexuality in order to be of help to you. This is indeed a bond of deepest trust, and a huge responsibility on the practitioner.

A qualified tantra teacher uses this access to uplift, enrich and expand your sexual life and spiritual horizons. However, a charlatan can (either because of plain ignorance or malicious self interest) exploit this access and warp your very sexuality, spirit and self-image. In fact, a fraudulent tantra teacher can cause the entire experience to lose its ecstatic effect.

Since a tantra master tackles sensitive issues related to sexuality and intimacy, he needs to have considerable psychological and spiritual skills and insight. A tantra teacher who is not sufficiently evolved and well-versed in the traditional tantra teachings and aspects of the tantra scriptures may be hijacked by his own ego and lead you completely astray. Apart from the detriments to yourself, entrusting yourself to a fraudulent tantra exponent can also seriously damage your partner’s psyche and sexual self-image.

For example, tantra teaches a man to look upon his woman as nothing less than a tantra goddess. A genuine tantra teacher will permanently instill in his male disciple the ability to look upon and treat his tantra goddess in a worshipful, respectful manner. The student will abandon any selfishness that he may have entertained in his view of sexual intimacy, and regard the sexual needs of his tantra goddess as paramount. His own joy derives from his ability to give her joy.

However, a fake or inept tantra master will not work with his disciple to overcome his original self-centered nature. Rather, he will pander to the student’s desire for quick-fix solutions for immediate gratification. In the process, the male student’s partner becomes objectified. Instead of a tantra goddess, she is seen and treated as mere plaything, and will soon become disillusioned. At the very least, this can lead to a permanent breakdown in the relationship.

There is nothing wrong with wanting your tantra teacher to help you bring more intimacy, love and joy into your sex life. However, a qualified instructor will allow these qualities to evolve in the process of a holistic regimen of tantra lessons. He will not attempt to address these issues immediately. Remember that there are no quick-fix solutions in tantra… it is a constant journey of discovery, and there is no final destination.

Acharya Subhojit Dasgupta is a Tantra Teacher with an in-depth knowledge of traditional Indian sciences and Sanskrit literature. Visit his tantra online guide for Tantra Lessons, kriyas and mudras from this young Tantra Master.

Tantra Techniques: Tips On Conscious Touching

A tantra teacher must often help his students unlearn certain concepts before he can begin serious tantra instructions. One of the concepts that most people have hardwired into their belief system is that sexual touching means foreplay. The fact is that in the tantra sex context, touching prior to sexual coupling is not foreplay in the classical sense at all.

Like everything else about tantra sex, conscious touching is a means for partners to connect and bond at a spiritual level by employing using the physical means at their disposal. This fine art of arousal-connection goes far beyond mere caressing. In fact, an accomplished tantra master can teach his pupils to use conscious touching to create this bond without any stroking or fondling at all.

To practice this tantra technique, one partner places both hands on the partner’s body. The idea here is to create a conscious connection, and to allow tantra energy to flow in a perfect circuit. You are one pole of this circuit, while your partner is the other. Under the careful tutelage of your tantra master, you will learn how to permit your tantra energy to pour from you through your right hand, suffuse your lover’s body, and then to flow back into you through your left hand.

It sounds like the simplest of tantra techniques, but in fact this circuit of perfect sexual energy flow cannot be created without sufficient proficiency in tantra meditation skills. Your tantra teacher will instruct you how to achieve the necessary focus by means of special tantra meditation techniques. Once you have mastered these skills, your hands will become powerful sexual energy conduits even when they are perfectly motionless upon your lover’s body.

Other tantra techniques of conscious touching include hand strokes of specific lengths, intensities and patterns to elicit electrifying sexual responses from your partner. These include short and long strokes in circular, spiraling and triangular patterns over specific parts of your partner’s body. In the more advanced forms of conscious tantra touching, these strokes can be alternated with soft pinches, squeezes and scratches, using your fingernails in gentle nipping actions that emulate love bites. When correctly guided by a proficient tantra teacher, these techniques create unimaginable sexual magic.

Acharya Subhojit Dasgupta is a Tantra Teacher with an in-depth knowledge of traditional Indian sciences and Sanskrit literature. Visit his tantra online guide for Tantra Lessons, kriyas and mudras from this young Tantra Master.