Tantra

The spiritual path can be described as the journey from being nobody to becoming somebody and finally to being nobody again. Here, we look at the processes that govern this movement More>>

Tantra

INTRODUCTION

Tantra or tantric is a esoteric tradition rooted in the religions of india. It is a body of beliefs and practices that works from the principle that the universe we experience is nothing other than the concrete manifestation of the divine energy of the godhead, and seeks to channel that energy within in creative ways.

Modern Tantra may be divided into practices based on Hinduism and Buddhism (vajrayana). In all cases, there is the emphasis on the union of Shiva (masculine) with Shakti (feminine) energy, the masculine signifying the stable, static force while the feminine signifies the kinetic, dynamic force.

Why Reiki Works

One of India’s first and most respected reiki masters traces the progressive path of reiki by synthesizing it with tantra and other Indian systems More...

Invoking Shakti

The Srichakra is an all-inclusive form of worship of the mother goddess that can appeal to every kind of seeker. More...

Anatomy of Ecstasy

Focus on the subtle energy center within, says the Vijnana Bhairava Tantra. More...

Teachings of the Breath

The first of a series of articles on the meditation techniques contained in the ancient Vijnana Bhairava tantra, highlights breath as a path to our real nature. More...

Shakti Incarnate

Text: Bindu Suraj
Photographs: R. Gopinath Nair
In an explosion of colour and frenzied worship, devotees of the goddess Bhagavathi invoke her power, energy and strength at the Bharani More...

Alchemy of Enlightenment

Tantra is the original ‘holistic’ way of life, yoking body, mind and spirit into living life as a whole. Polarities of good and evil, pure and impure, matter and spirit are done away with as More...

A Tantrik for all Seasons

What is tantra? What are its practices? Who walks on the right, who on the left, of god? Tantrik Guru Baba Batuknath answers these questions in an exclusive interview. More...

Thunderbolt of Enlightenment

Vajrayana, the Buddhist tantric path, relies on a purified view that we are all buddhas. We all have the enlightened mind of the Buddha in seed form, and all we have to do is recognize this fact More...

Honouring the Feminine

The primary energy, main orientation, and patron deities of tantra are overwhelmingly feminine. Tantra has divinised all aspects of women’s lives. More...

Call me Tantrika

To practice tantra well is to be a tantrika, a woman who isn’t defined by anything, living compassionately, lovingly, blissfully, and fearlessly," discovers the writer on her journey to the heart More...

At the Bindu

Sohan Qadri makes art that is deeply influenced by his tantra practice. His paintings depict the energic reality of creation, and of one’s being. these are presented here, along with a tête-à-tête More...

House of Kali

Kalighat temple in Kolkata is famed for its tantric rituals and blood sacrifices. This ancient temple reverberates with extraordinary stories of tantriks and their devotion to the goddess. More...

Mystic Mandala of Khajuraho

The Khajuraho temple complex is much more than erotic carvings. Its complex layers of architecture, sculpture, and sacred geometry are based on tantric beliefs and practices. More...

Tantra in Nepal

Tantric traditions have survived and are being kept alive by adepts and practitioners in Nepal today. Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu is a significant center of tantra worship. More...

Into the Vortex

This illustrated guide to the chakras has been prepared through the writer’s own experiences of energy awakening. More...

Language of Love

Osho explains techniques of harnessing energy and becoming centered culled from the Vigyana bBhairava tantra, an ancient tantric text presented as a conversation between Devi and Shiva. More...

Science of Sound

In tantra, there exists an entire science that makes use of sound energy in spiritual practice. Mantras are sonic vehicles that encapsulate mystical energy and direct it towards specific aims. More...

Confluence of Faiths

Between the 15th and 18th centuries, Bengal saw a curious commingling of two seemingly diverse streams—tantra and Islamic Sufism. Tantric practices and ideas influenced the Sufis who incorporated More...

My Path, My Sadhana

The spiritual path is a matter of practice, more so one as closely rooted in the physical world as tantra. We present the musings of a woman tantra practitioner. More...

Reclaiming Tantra’s essence

Tantra, a holistic stream of Indian spirituality, is at times narrowly perceived as being either a magical path to wish fulfillment or an exploration of human sexuality. To correct our vision, we More...

Talking of Tantra

Many of our readers have shared their thoughts and experiences on the tantric path with us. Here are some of them. More...