Beyond Sex Tantra and Tantra & Yoga in Everyday Life
I’ve been working with the Ridhwan School to help promote their upcoming 5-day retreat on Tantra of Everyday Life. My initial efforts focused on distributing the flyer and getting it posted on Facebook and a PR release.
The next step was working with others to help create this video interview by Tami Simon (Sounds True) with A. H. Almaas and Karen Johnson.
Then I turned to getting the retreat listed on online event calendars and reaching out to blogsites with comments and emails to bloggers. While doing this I found this great article from 1995 by Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati – Tantra and Yoga in Everyday From the article:
In yoga we gradually open all the doors of our personality. Therefore, jnana, understanding and awareness, is the first principle, and sadhana, systematic practice, is the second principle or practical aspect of tantra. But we are not confined to a meditative process in which we sit and internalize and begin to observe the body, mind, emotions, nature etc. Tantra is also living meditation – it affects how we live moment to moment. The instincts that manifest within and control our actions and behaviour, instincts of love, desire, security, fear and sexual satisfaction, are all to be observed and known.
There are many misconceptions about tantra. Tantra is generally seen as indulgence, as a way of life which allows total freedom. But the practical yogic components with which we work in tantra in relation to our daily life are awareness and meditation. Tantra and yoga are complementary. In tantra you will find a very broad system which allows you to understand and accept your life as it is without imposing change. Rather you allow transformation to gradually happen as you become intensely aware of your experiences and expressions.
I also came across Beyond Sex Tantra by Tanja Diamond.
My definition of the concept of Tantra is: “Tantra is the ultimate love affair with yourself and all of your existence. In the process of igniting your internal flame, you come to experience all ordinary moments as extraordinary experiences. Immersed in that experience, you realize that you are the divine, there is nothing else to need or want, but that moment.”
Only 3 percent of Tantra is even related to sex. Yes, you say, but sex is the part you want to learn about.
Well here’s the thing. You can not have a truly spiritual sexual relationship with another until you have a truly spiritual life with yourself and others with your clothes on.
Then I created another video and posted it on FB and the web.
I suppose, like many, I associate the word tantra first and mostly with sex, Kama Sutra and such. I guess this is the the result of good advertising by sexual tantrikas over the years and the erotic and exotic attraction of far-east mysteries.
A. H. Almaas and Karen Johnson authored The Power of Divine Eros last year. I’m assuming that Tantra of Everyday Life will delve deeper into the subject matter of that book and take Quasar2014 attendees somewhere revelatory within themselves while keeping their clothes on.