Tantra Yoga: Sanctified Sexuality

By Dinu Roman

The human Temple

TANTRA YOGA considers that the human body, with all its biological and psycho-mental processes, is only an instrument in which and through which the cosmic forces operate. The individual human structure and the outer macrocosmic manifestation, or Universe, are similar. Therefore all that exists in the Universe should also exist in a certain form and proportion in the microcosm, i.e. the human body.

Sanctified Sexuality

The TANTRIC philosophy itself includes in its theory all the levels of the Universe and gives a paramount importance to astronomy, biology, parapsychology, anatomy, meditation, medicine, music, art and even sexuality. In fact, the sexual experience, considered to be a unification of the Everlasting Male (+) and Everlasting Female (-) principles, has a very important place in TANTRIC techniques and procedures which are often profoundly erotic.

TANTRA is a complex discipline, an accurate method and a profound analysis based on rational foundations, it is a Meta-Science dealing with the different aspects of the Supreme Consciousness and ways to experience it. Here, sexuality forms only the basal, prima facie of its techniques. It is subjected to a rigorous discipline, because it is known that the secret of Life lies in controlling the sexual energy.

To understand the TANTRIC attitude toward sexuality requires a totally open mind and a reversal of perspective. Accustomed as we are by a puritanical mentality to seeing sexuality as a "sin" to be avoided and ashamed of (or, in any case, to keep it "secret" because of its "impurity"), we have all the chances to consider TANTRIC Love as being a defiant assault on conventional morality and thus to miss completely the tremendous spiritual value of such a perspective. In order to understand it, we must first come to view the human dimension as vibrating in identity with the sacred, divine aspects of Creation. From this sacred perspective, sexuality is seen as re-producing at a smaller scale the continuous and beatific interaction of a Cosmic process which is manifesting the entire Universe from the Absolute Reality. In this new vision, "sin" disappears (it never existed, anyway!), being replaced by pure beatitude and total love. Sexual union is thus a form of meditative discipline with profound psycho-mental and spiritual effects.

Therefore there is no obscenity or pornography but only sublime symbolism and refined beauty. The figure of a man and woman coupled in sexual union is not thought impure or sinful. On the contrary, it is considered to be a veritable sacrificial rite. The male worshipper has an attitude toward the woman which is different from that of an ordinary person performing the sexual act. The woman is transfigured into a living symbol and earthly manifestation of the Divine Mother of the Universe (PARA SHAKTI). Likewise, for the woman, man represents a vital embodiment of the Everlasting Male Principle (SHIVA). The sexual beatitude raised at the transcendental level of an extraordinary psychic experience with a spiritual character reflects, then, the ineffable happiness of a subtle cosmic nature, known in YOGA as ANANDA (i.e., cosmic beatitude) and in TANTRA as SAMARASA (i.e., the savor of equality).

Courtesy to NATHA (Nordic centre of Spiritual Development) in Danmark

For more articles by Dinu Roman, please visit http://www.natha.dk