Are You Learning Genuine Tantra?

If you are like many seeking souls on the planet today, you would have heard of the healing and transformative powers of ancient tantra. This science of life and love, evolved and developed centuries ago by Indian sages, has restored thousands of relationships and opens up the spiritual realm for countless people even today. Under the tutelage of a genuine tantra teacher, human beings can discover their fullest spiritual and sexual potential.

Because the secrets of tantra are only transferred from one generation of genuine tantric sages to the next, they are not openly available in the public domain. Nevertheless, there is no shortage of charlatans who poach on people’s ignorance and gullibility. They teach some form of counterfeit tantra which makes a big deal of so-called ‘sex secrets’ as a means to make a quick buck. Many Internet portals offer the ‘services’ of a ‘tantra goddess’ in a thinly disguised form of online prostitution.

If you have availed of such services, you would by now have suspected that something is amiss. Tantra is not merely about sexual gymnastics. If a so-called tantra instructor does not ensure that his students are learning spiritual principles and traditional yogic techniques, he is most assuredly a fraud. There is no shortcut to learning tantra. It is true that in modern times, the ancient tantric lore must be adapted for contemporary minds and time tables. While this means that a certain amount of the traditional discipline must be sacrificed, a genuine tantra teacher will not skip the most essential tantric techniques.

Today, a tantra master must ensure that his students are getting the full benefits of ancient tantra despite their pressing schedules. In ancient times, students of the tantric arts could devote years to learning the secrets of tantra. These days, tantra lessons must fit in with business meetings, commuting schedules and family time. Nevertheless, it is still possible to learn the secrets of harnessing tantra energy to boost sexual performance and increase intimacy in relationships. It depends on the skill and dedication of the tantra teacher, as well as the commitment of his students.

It is also possible to learn tantra online. Thanks to the proliferation of the Internet, a tantra master can now instruct his pupils over great distances. Online tantra courses are all the rage today, but the student must ensure that there is a proper, wholesome component of spiritual instructions involved. A tantric master who focuses solely on pandering to the baser desires should not be trusted.

Remember that even if you choose to learn tantra over the Internet, your tantric teacher should teach you how to raise your kundalini energy, help you in revitalizing your chakras and inculcate in you  reverence for the divine feminine – which is the true meaning of ‘tantra goddess’. It is understandable that you may have approached a tantra teacher because you yearn for more excitement n your intimate relationship. However, you must also be willing to embrace a path of spiritual evolution.

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 Yoga And The Seven Chakras

There is a lot of misunderstanding about what chakras really are, and how they are pertinent to learning tantra. To begin with, it is important to understand that chakras are not real in a material sense. Rather, they are psychic centres in our body that the ancient Indian yogis identified in the course of their studies. As your tantra teacher will clarify, these chakras are in fact centres of incredible consciousness potential.

The chakras are repositories of psychic energy that are hard-wired into the overall state of the body and mind. Though chakras are often represented as lotuses on charts, the actual translation from the Sanskrit word ‘chakra’ is ‘spinning wheel’. These wheels represent a system of seven energy centers located along the spine, and each corresponds to an area of the body, a set of behavioral characteristics and stages of spiritual growth.

The technical names of the seven chakras are as follows – Muladhara (at the base of the spine), Svadhisthana (in the abdomen, genitals and lower back), Manipura (the solar plexus), Anahata (in the heart area), Visshudha (in the throat), Ajna (at the brow) and Sahasrara (at the top of head, or cerebral cortex.)

As already explained, each chakra is associated with a particular body location. However, each of them is also associated with a colour, a central emotional or behavioural issue and also many other personal aspects including identity, goals, rights, etc.

Practicing tantra yoga under the guidance of a tantra teacher can help you focus your energies with the help of different postures and tantric breathing techniques. It then becomes possible to align your chakras and get all the wheels spinning in the same direction, at the same speed. An experienced tantra master can help you understand how to fine-tune and control these energy centers via specific yoga and tantric meditation techniques. As a result, you will experience spiritual balance and complete harmony at the mind, body and spirit levels.

The spiritual energy that is in question here is also called kundalini energy. In its dormant state, kundalini energy may be seen as a coiled snake resting at the base of your spine, or the Muladhara chakra. Since the chakras act as valves or pumps regulating the flow of energy through your system, the controlled and purposeful movements of tantric yoga can help realign your chakras.

Through the movements and postures of tantra yoga, you can learn to concentrate and direct your kundalini energy to and from the various chakras in your body. In this way, you can compensate for areas that may be inactive or out of synch with the rest of your body. By balancing the energy among all seven chakras, complete physical, mental and spiritual balance can be 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.

The Importance Of A Tantra Teacher

The role of the tantra teacher in learning tantra and benefiting from its practice is beyond dispute. Certain kinds of knowledge can indeed be acquired from books and the Internet; however the vital spiritual aspects and nuances of tantric practice must be expertly imparted. The authentic tantric master has obtained his knowledge from his own spiritual guide, and is beholden to pass it on.

In ancient Indian tradition, the bond between the ‘guru’ (spiritual teacher or guide) and ‘shishya’ (seeker) is a sacred and even mystical. In the beginning of the relationship between a tantra teacher and the tantric seeker, a psychic reaction takes place that readies the seeker’s mind and renders it fertile for instruction. The tantra master removes all obstacles of doubt, false beliefs and pre-suppositions from his student’s mind. Then he proceeds to impart instructions in a manner and at a pace which ensures that the teachings are understood completely.

Receiving tantric instructions from a qualified tantra teacher ensures that the transfer of spiritual knowledge happens optimally and efficiently. Unlike in attempting to learn the tantric arts from books, there is no margin for error in the guru-shishya relationship. Scriptures are expertly explained, and their context to the personal life of the student is made very clear. There is no scope for misinterpretation.

Those who attempt to learn the spiritual concepts and premises of ancient tantra without such expert guidance will soon find themselves discouraged and in a state of spiritual confusion, stagnation and eventually regression.

While it is true that the spiritual seeker must seek out the guru, it is equally true that the guru will decide whether to accept the seeker or not. Obviously, a tantra teacher will not discriminate in his choice of students on the basis of gender, religion, creed or any existing spiritual beliefs. However, no genuine tantric master will accept aspiring students whose focus cannot be elevated from the quest for primitive thrills.   This is because tantra is a spiritual science, and it cannot be taught or learned outside a firm spiritual framework.

For every seeker, it is important to first understand the fundamental process of spiritual growth. In the beginning, a burning desire for knowledge and spiritual evolution is enough. The student may also acquire basic knowledge of the tantric path from books or blogs. Once the desire and basic knowledge are acquired, however, the shishya cannot progress without a guru. The guru will then proceed to help the shishya is negotiating the way towards spiritual growth.

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.