Tantra means many things to many people. Literally, it’s a Sanskrit word meaning “weaving” and “expansion.” The Tantric community is definitely eclectic, containing everything from devout spiritual practitioners to New Age prostitutes. It’s important to ask questions, do your research, and trust your intuition before selecting Tantric teachers or programs.

Tantra was born in India 5,000 years ago as a rebellion against the strict moralistic codes of the Hindu religion. The ancient Tantric texts were written as a dialogue between Lord Shiva (symbolized as pure consciousness) and his beloved consort, Shakti (symbolized as pure energy). It is said that the entire universe was created through their erotic union. All living things emanate their holy dance of consciousness and energy.

Although the West is fascinated with the sexual aspects of Tantra, it is actually a broad spiritual discipline that contains sexuality as one of its many practices. The body and sexuality are sacred gifts from the Divine, vehicles for enlightenment not hindrances. The sacred and erotic art of Tantra depicting the coupling of Shiva and Shakti represents the ultimate unity of the Divine, the essential wholeness of yin and yang, masculine and feminine, light and dark.