Sexuality in the Tantric Tradition

The Tantric tradition has come to be viewed as synonymous with sexuality in the West. The Shiva Shakti Mandalam website explains the true role of sexuality in Tantric practices.

Maheshani, meditate as being absorbed in the yoni cakra, with yoni on the tongue, yoni in the mind, yoni in the ears and yoni in the eyes. Mighty Lady, all sadhana is vain unless with the yoni. Therefore,reject other pujas and do Yoni Puja. Maheshani, there is no siddhi without devotion to the Guru - Yoni Tantra, X

The Tantrik tradition has come to be viewed as synonymous in the West with sexuality. And, to some extent, that's the case in Asia too, mostly because of the pervasive influence of Western education. What is the truth?

The Web pages on this site cover a multitude of different subjects and this reflects the tantrik tradition which spans a huge range of topics.

Many interested in the topic, however, think tantra is equivalent to sex and focus on one specific rite, particular to the Kaula and Vamachara schools of tantra, and on the "five things", the so-called Panchamakara, including sexual intercourse, that are part of it. Vatsyayana's Kama Sutra, for instance, has little or nothing to do with the tantrik tradition but it is true that prior to the Muslim and Christian invasions of the sub-continent, the culture had a healthy interest in sexuality and also had the sensual language of Sanskrit to express it. Read more