true tantra

What is True Tantra? Here are some thoughts on this inspiring and beautiful subject. The male eternally searches for his female half, the “sakthi”, and the female searches for her masculine half, the “siva”, to complete the cosmic energy circle.. Some try to consummate it through “divine love”, some through “sacred sex”, some through “platonic companionship”- But always through an external relationship, an external partner- hoping it is the duty of “the other”- to give us pleasure, security, sense of belonging, or whatever it is we are continuously searching for.. Hence the anger, frustrations & accusations (and transient pleasure also) when this does not happen- in all these male-female relationships.. Until we internally realize the other half of our energy cycle, which we ourselves ultimately have to, for our inner fulfillment, this futile external search will go on, says Sri Tathata, quoting the sacred science of the tantra.. So in this sacred journey, internally surrender your ego- to your present partner, present relationship, present experience- But with full awareness, unconditional acceptance, total respect, and infinite love.. ..as a pathway to discover the absolute divine in us, and in each other.. Here is a story about Krsna and Radha, the eternal… Read more »

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tantra misconceptions

    Tantra Misconceptions   an extremely interesting and well witten  article by David Frawley can be found on his website https://www.vedanet.com/tantra-and-its-misconceptions-reclaiming-the-essence-from-the-illusions/.   For those of you interested in understanding what tantra really is as opposed to tantra misconceptions, I highly recommend reading it.   It is very hot in London today, and I do not have the energy to write an article on the subject myself, but I will quote here some of the main paragraphs.   The Allure of Tantra Perhaps nothing is more exotic, dramatic and sensational in India’s Yoga traditions than is the practice of Tantra. No other approach to Yoga has gained such a fascination for the modern mind and its seeking of the bizarre, the entertaining and the enigmatic. Tantra appears to offer both spiritual and worldly success to a superlative degree. It covers not only internal yogic experiences of chakras, lokas and deities, but also has many important healing practices for body and mind. Most notably, it offers special means of heightening sexual pleasure, making money, gaining recognition and defeating one’s enemies – with Tantric methods available for achieving all human desires. There is in Tantra something for everyone, especially those who may be… Read more »

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tantra goddess energy

  Tales of tantra goddess energy ….and sacred prostitutes or priestesses are a popular subject of books and films nowadays. I remember visiting one of the first yoga centres in Switzerland,- in the 1970’s. It was run by a lady called Elizabeth Haich, and her Indian yogi companion Yesudian. Elizabeth Haich was a Hungarian mystic who was helped to escape Hungary just after World War II by Yesudian. She wrote a well-known book called ‘Initiation’ in which she recalls with lucid clarity, her past life experiences as a priestess in ancient Egypt:   “‘The priestesses in the temple have different tasks corresponding to their different abilities………They teach young men to transmute their physical urge through the power of the spirit and to aim for a higher spiritual union….. they also teach young men who are on the point of marrying about this sacred power, so they can transmit this energy to their wives after marriage….”   Some people might find this hard to believe – but tales abound of similar techniques being taught in ancient Greece in the temples of Venus – sacred prostitutes who also offered spiritual-sexual healing…. When soldiers returned from war, ill of heart from all that… Read more »

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tantric massage and integrity

  Tantric Massage and Integrity should go hand in hand.   We have been getting booked up quite a bit in advance lately and clients have been asking why I do not take on some more masseuses. For some time now, I have decided to use only one massage room, so we are limited re. the amount of slots available every day. Also, clients who arrive early can now wait peacefully in our waiting room. I have not taken on any additional masseuses because it seems to be becoming harder and harder to find masseuses who have experience, training and the right personality , attitude and understanding. I have advertised but have met mainly young girls with no training who expect to be paid a lot of money, only because they are attractive. They say things like ‘sensual massage is easy’, and they think that experience is unnecessary and they somehow feel entitled to earn a lot, based mainly on their looks. Of course, there will always be a demand for young, sexy, pretty girls – and different clients have varying requirements. But I have always been particular about who I take on here. Of course a tantric masseuse should… Read more »

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sexual energy

  Why can’t men hold their sexual energy?   is the title of an interesting article which recently appeared on a psychosexual website: http://psychosexualsomatics.com/cant-men-hold-sexual-energy/ It asks the question: “So do guys really just want to have quick sex and cum?……. Here’s the age old problem; women typically want longer sex sessions, with more of a build up of erotic energy, guys tend to want to move ahead to ‘the main event’ of penetration and ejaculate pretty much as soon as possible. Why? The interesting thing about sexual energy is that although most guys spend a huge amount of time thinking about sex, planning ways to get it, fantasising about what they’ll do once they get there, when they’re actually in a sexual situation they want to get rid of that sexual energy as fast as possible by ejaculating it out of them. Interesting conundrum, right? Why spend all that time wanting something, only to discharge it as soon as you get the chance?” This issue is pretty pertinent at the moment with the newspapers full of descriptions of the  obnoxious and  abusive behaviour of Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein. He would do things like pressurize  young women to watch him masturbate…. Read more »

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tantric massage and mindfulness

  Tantric massage and mindfulness have become buzzwords Both terms are used a lot nowadays, but few people really know what either of them mean. Mindfulness is being promoted by university professors, spiritual leaders, celebrities, as well as the NHS. It is being recommended to overcome depression, stress and over-thinking. But what is it? And what is its connection with tantric massage?   Since mindfulness really comes from the Buddhist tradition, here is a quote from Thich Nhat Hahn, the inspirational Zen Master: “Living mindfully and with concentration, we see a deeper reality and are able to witness….. without fear, anger or despair.”   Jon Kabat-Zinn, a famous American Buddhist teacher of mindful meditation, puts it like this: “Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way, on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally…… it is being alive and knowing it.”   And in the words of Bodhipaksa: “Mindfulness is the gentle effort to be continuously present with experience”   So different teachers explain it in different ways. For our purposes during a tantric massage, it helps us to be aware that we are not our thoughts. With the help of deep breathing, we can connect with ourself in a… Read more »

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male and female sexual energy

The difference between male and female sexual energy has intrigued us throughout the ages. We only have to look at current book and newspaper titles to see that the subject is still on our minds:   – Men are from Mars and Women are from Venus – The Secret to Mind-Blowing Orgasms – How Men’s Brains are Wired Differently than Women’s (from Scientific American) – Nurture your Feminine Side (The Chopra Centre) The ordinary male must ejaculate often   or he will become frustrated, emotionally irritable and have little control over his mind. However it is not necessary that the build up of sexual energy should cause such symptoms. It is possible to learn to circulate the energy throughout the entire body, leading to a strengthening of the entire energy body and a rejuvenation of the physical. Through Tantric meditation, one can radiate orgasmic states throughout the entire body with or without a partner. Exchanging sexual energy with your partner and circulating and blending it throughout your bodies simply cannot be compared with ordinary orgasm With ordinary orgasm a small amount of sexual energy is built up and then released from the testicles in men and the ovaries in women,… Read more »

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love and sexual energy

  Love and sexual energy are deeply connected in ways that many of us are not aware   The ancient Greeks, who were highly sophisticated, had six different words for love, each with a slightly different meaning: Eros or sexual passion – this was not thought of as necessarily positive, the way we do today. Eros was viewed as dangerous, fiery and irrational, as it could take hold of you and possess you. It involved a loss of control. Philia or deep friendship, which was valued far more than Eros or basic sexuality. Ludus or playful love was the affection and type of flirtation seen between young lovers, or at the beginning of a relationship. Agape or love for everyone. This is selfless love – an ideal sought in religious traditions. Pragma is the mature longstanding love which includes deep understanding and develops between long-married couples. Philautia is love of the Self. The Greeks were a very advanced culture and knew that there are two types of self love. One is narcissistic and childish, and the other requires deeper self knowledge – in other words, we can only love others to the extent that we really know and love ourselves…. Read more »

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blue moon

    Tonight will be the night of the Blue Moon. Most of us don’t know what a Blue Moon is, except that it was a song sung by Frank Sinatra (you can listen to the song below) Nowadays, a Blue Moon can often refer to the second full moon of the month. This month, the first full moon was on July 2. An older definition of Blue Moon is that it is the third of four full moons in a single season. Some days,but not often, you might see an actual blue-coloured moon. The term ‘once in a blue moon’ used to mean something rare. Now that the rules for naming the Blue Moon include several different possibilities, Blue Moons are pretty common.     The Blue Moon this year is also the night of Guru Purnima                   It is a popular festival in India, celebrated to pay respect and offer gratitude to gurus and teachers. Indians have a lot of respect for their gurus because it is considered that the Guru is the one who provides an individual with knowledge and wisdom, and leads us towards the path of enlightenment…. Read more »

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the origin of tantric massage

  There are many misconceptions about the origin of Tantric Massage It did not originate in India thousands of years ago, but first started to become popular at the ashram of Rajneesh in Pune, India in the 1970’s and then spread to California in the 1980s. Tantric massage has nothing to do with Tantra in the true sense of the term. Its origins can be traced mainly to the work of two people: a French woman, Margot Anand, and an American man, Joseph Kramer. A lot of their work was influenced by Wilhelm Reich, Carl Rogers, Alexander Lowen and the many other pioneers of the human consciousness movement around the Esalen Institute in Big Sur, California, as well as by Taoist philosophy, Mantak Chia and the teachings of Rajneesh, later named  Osho, a controversial Indian guru of that period. Margot Anand Margot Anand was a graduate of the Sorbonne University in Paris. Like many other ‘seekers’ in the 1970s, she was drawn to India and stayed for some time at the ashram of Rajneesh in Poona. Rajneesh, whose name was later changed to Osho, was a controversial guru, who was said to have owned 99 Rolls Royces and promoted his… Read more »

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massage and meditation for children

Massage and mindfulness, in my opinion, should be taught to children as early as possible. In India, children are massaged from very early on, and I wonder whether this is one reason for their flexibility in yoga. Luckily, this attitude has been catching on in the West, and naturally, most children love being massaged. As an example, ‘Peaceful Touch’ is a concept that was begun by the Axelsons Institue in Stockholm, Sweden. It was intended to help and spread the effects of human touch within society, and especially aimed towards the younger generation, to reduce and prevent violence and distress. Since its introduction into schools, it is now used by more than 10,000 trained teachers in Sweden. Here is a touching testimonial: “I have introduced massage in my class since the children were very busy and inattentive. The children appreciated those quiet moments very quickly . Only David couldn’t stand any physical contact, he always kept aloof, while he showed his disapproval, until one morning he came to join our session. After choosing Laura, he gently attentively massaged her. After this Laura massaged him in turn and he turned out very relaxed. David has really enjoyed that session today. Even… Read more »

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mindfulness and tantric massage

Mindfulness has been hitting the headlines recently Today’s Guardian mentions that Ruby Wax joined politicians in parliament for a spot of mindfulness practice. Sceptical MPs have joked it is becoming “a cult in parliament”, but mindfulness meditation stepped into the political mainstream today when MPs and peers gathered at Westminster, closed their eyes and went silent for a minute. “Connect with the breath, wherever it feels most strong,” intoned the meditation. “For the full duration of the in-breath and the full duration of the out-breath.” It was just a taste of what 95 MPs, peers and parliament staff have already experienced on mindfulness meditation courses inside parliament. The practice – based on Buddhist meditation but updated for secular users – is catching on across a stressed-out Britain. Ruby Wax has become the poster girl for the benefits of mindulness meditation She has been travelling around the country, doing her one-person comedy, yet serious act discussing mindfulness.She now has a masters degree in it. Lord Andrew Stone told the meeting he used it to steady himself after he became “scared” when he was dispatched to Cairo for meetings with Egypt’s military leadership earlier this year. “I didn’t know how to cope,”… Read more »

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you are the peace

    Peace and happiness lie deep within us, in the very core of our being This is the teaching of Ramana Maharshi and all the great beings. We look for happiness outside of ourselves but happiness does not exist in any external object. – only in us who are the consciousness that experiences happiness……. Desire and fear agitate our mind and obscure from its vision the happiness and peace that always exist within it. When a desire is satisfied, or the cause of fear is removed, the surface agitation of our mind subsides and in that temporary calm, our mind enjoys a taste of its own innate happiness. Therefore to master the art of being happy, we must master the art and science of just being. We must discover what the innermost core of our being is and we must learn to abide consciously and constantly in that state of pure being. The art of just being, remaining fully conscious, but without any activity of the mind is not only an art – a practical skill that can be cultivated and applied to produce an experience of inexpressible beauty and joy – but also a science- an attempt to… Read more »

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osho tantra

Osho, formerly known as Rajneesh,  introduced his version of Tantra to the West in the 1960’s. He was controversial, but he was an intelligent and prolific writer. Here are some quotes from Osho: Tantra is the natural way to God, the normal way to God. The object is to become so completely instinctual, so mindless, that we merge with ultimate nature – that the woman disappears and becomes a door for the ultimate, the man disappears and becomes a door for the ultimate…This is the tantric definition of our sexuality: the return to absolute innocence, absolute oneness. The greatest sexual thrill is not a search for thrills, but a silent waiting, utterly relaxed, utterly mindless. One is conscious, conscious only of being conscious. One is consciousness. One is contented but there is no content to it. And then there is a great beauty, great benediction.   Question: ‘What is tantric sex… a sex which is a meditation based on certain techniques?’ Osho: If you are too technique oriented, you will miss the mystery of Tantra. It is pseudo-Tantra that is based on techniques, because if techniques are there, ego will be controlling. Then you will be doing it – and… Read more »

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slow down

On how to slow down I was struck recently by an article written by Carl Honore, on the subject of slow sex.. He writes: ‘The other day a buddy of mine was making love to his new girlfriend when her IPhone beeped with an incoming text message. Like any guy, he hoped she would ignore the alert – or even fail to notice it altogether. The opposite happened. The woman opened her eyes, grabbed the phone from the bedside table and read the message. She then typed out a short reply. “To be fair, she apologised and suggested we go back to the sex” says my crestfallen friend, ” But it was kind of a mood-killer.” Two conclusions can be drawn from an anecdote like this. The first is that my friend maybe needs to brush up on his sexual technique. The second is that his girlfriend’s behaviour reveals something alarming about the way we live nowadays. In this media-drenched, mutitasking, always-on age, many of us have forgotten how to unplug and immerse ourselves completely in the moment. We have forgotten how to slow down.’ http://www.huffingtonpost.com/carl–honore/in-praise-of-slow–sex_b_322026.html   The reason this article attracted my attention was that this used to happen… Read more »

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surrender to god

    Surrender to God is advocated by many of the world’s religious traditions It is considered a means of  transcending the individual self. But the word surrender is often misunderstood. What we want most in life is to be right. And we want to know that we are right. But one of life’s most bittersweet moments is when we finally realise that we don’t have it all figured out. Everyone with an ounce of self awareness eventually figures out there’s a price to pay to be right. The two quotes below may shed some light on this. Whatever is destined not to happen will not happen, try as you may .Whatever is destined to happen will happen, do what you may to prevent it.That is certain. The best course, therefore, is to remain silent.                                                                                                     Ramana Maharshi Everything changes from moment to moment, so why spend so much time and energy worrying about… Read more »

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the play of shadows

                  The screen is real, the pictures are mere shadows on it……… “The screen is always there; the pictures come and go, but do not affect the screen. What does the screen care whether the pictures appear or disappear? The pictures depend upon the screen. But what use are they to it? The man who looks only at the pictures on the screen and not the screen itself, is troubled by the pains and pleasures that occur in the story. But the man who views the screen, realises that the images are all shadows and not something apart and distinct from the screen. So also with the world. It is all a shadow play.”                                                                              Ramana Maharshi – Letters   All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances ;And one man in his time plays many parts……                                                                      William Shakespeare – As You Like It  

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swami vivekananda

The Power of the Mind – A True Story : The railway train was running at full speed from Calcutta to Delhi. In one compartment, two British passengers were talking in English. Pointing at one monk (sadhu), traveling in the same compartment, one British passenger was telling the other, “Look, what a deception! With such youthful age, healthy body, and full capacity to work, this man became monk to get free food and to loiter anywhere. There are thousands of such monks in this country and people feed them in blind faith.” Criticism of this sort went on for a long time, but the monk sitting on the opposite seat was pondering deeply with a calm posture. When the train arrived at one station and halted, the station master saw the monk, bowed down before him and asked in English, “What can I do in your service, sir?” The monk answered in English, “One glass of water will be enough. I want nothing else.” The two British passengers observed that the monk spoke in such pure English. They felt surprised. They never knew that the sanyasi was educated. They had abused the monk so much and still there was not… Read more »

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meditation - ramana

  To talk about tantra without mentioning meditation, is to misunderstand tantra completely Yet how many so-called tantric practitioners really practice meditation? Some people are naturally endowed with less busy minds than others, but all the great sages of the past achieved the states of higher peace through many many years of meditation. And it is thanks to their experiences which have often been described and recorded, that we can get a hint on what meditation truly is. Question:   What should one think of when meditating? Ramana Maharshi: What is meditation? It is the suspension of thoughts. You are perturbed by thoughts which rush one after another. Hold on to one thought so that others are expelled. Continuous practice gives the necessary strength of mind to engage in meditation. Meditation differs according to the degree of advancement of the seeker.  If one is fit for it one can hold directly to the thinker; and the thinker will automatically sink into his source, which is Pure Consciousness. If one cannot directly hold on to the thinker, one must meditate on God; and in due course the same individual will have become sufficiently pure to hold on to the thinker and… Read more »

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tantric massage and hatha yoga

I have always felt that a good masseuse should practice hatha yoga There is a definite connection between the two, and in fact, Thai massage is also known as ‘ the lazy man’s yoga’. Most of the tantric masseuses at Tantric Massage in Kensington do practice Hatha Yoga. Now the Journal of Sexual Medicine has published a study stating that ‘ guys who practiced yoga for 12 weeks, tripled the length of time they lasted in bed – from 7.3 minutes to 22 minutes ‘ So hopefully this may prove to be an incentive to some of our clients, to join a hatha yoga class !! Below is some basic information for those who may be considering joining a  yoga class for the first time: ‘Most yoga styles are rooted in Hatha yoga – it’s yoga’s physical discipline that focuses on developing control of the body through asana or poses. As well as physical well-being, Hatha yoga can also give you a mental boost. Its a great entry point for yoga ‘virgins’ as the moves are not too tricky. You could then proceed to more advanced classes of Ashtanga yoga,  which is more fast paced and intense, Iyengar yoga wich… Read more »

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