Tantra  

       I started this group so that people from any spiritual background in our community could share spiritual insight and experiment with Tantra; the ancient science of purity, expansion, and complete identification with Divinity, through the body; the temple of our Essential nature.

      Many of us have heard about Tantra or have come across a piece of literature in the, “Sexuality,” or “Spirituality,” section of a bookstore…I find that it is often misunderstood.

      Tantra is a range of beliefs and methods regarding communication with the Subtle or Energetic world. The Siddha or Yogini (initiated man or woman) works with spiritual technologies to expand or go beyond our current state of conscious awareness. The Siddha/Yogini operates primarily within Subtle Realms, which in turn affects the human world.

Tantra refers to the recognition that each one of us is a union of universal energy and that everything we desire in order to be ultimately fulfilled is already within us, expressing as us, now.

       We are all here to refine our purpose and to be an example of balance and centeredness. It is the Souls natural inclination to embody Divinity in all ways and ultimately brings us to the shore of the spiritual path.

        The mental field is the center of consciousness that generates thoughts, feelings, ideas, perceptions, and stores learned knowledge and memory. Clearing the mind, body, environment, and our action allows the possibility of living in an enlightened world to arise in the imagination. When these four freedoms are purified through daily study, meditation, and complete identification with the Divine, the illumination of our Essential nature can shine forth into all we engage in. As the thought- activity begins to settle in the mental field, we can fully access the stream of divine revelation or guidance. Emerging from repeated dissatisfaction, a closed heart, and directly experiencing the clear perception of Reality is true absorption or nurturance of the heart. We are able to experience that lasting peace and fulfillment of our being from which all wholeness originates.

        The way of the Siddha/Yogini is a life-path that leads us to our innate wholeness. The teachings and methods serve as medicinal tools of which support us in opening to the clear, pure truth of our being. We are all enlightened beings in this very moment and no one can teach us what we already have within us. There is nothing we have to do or go in order for us to become anything, especially more spiritual. Approaching the spiritual path is not about ‘becoming,’ it is about ‘being’ and committing to that way of living repeatedly, in daily life. Ultimate Reality is pure and unconditional; without beginning or end and just exists as such. We are a reflection of that Reality and therefore we are perfectly designed to know and understand it directly, beyond limited channels of expression.

        The study of the nature of the universe, awareness of our energetic systems, combined with direct experience of Reality through concentration, mindfulness, and complete identification with the Infinite, is true self-nurturance or realization. At first, we may experience glimpses of Reality over some time with repeated experiences of meditation, use of our higher intelligence to open to clearer insight into the true nature of existence, and how to live in harmony with the flow of grace. Living in the flow of grace is a life of non-resistance to change and an accepting of the plentitude that is available to us.     

        Some of us approach the path of Tantra, engage in study and meditation methods for purifying, expanding the body-mind, yet find that the nourishment of the heart is gradual and unpredictable. We may decide that this path of self-discipline is not for us and that our lack of spiritual progress is due to an incomprehensive framework to wholeness. A Siddha/Yogini does not promote a specific goal in mind at all. The path of the Tantrika does not encourage us to strive, gain, liberate our selves, progress, or become anything supernatural. All we discover along the way is that certain methods catapult us spiritually and allow the energies of our life to be transformed; we discern what methods’ must be integrated into our current lifestyle that would best support our highest and greatest purpose in life.          

        To experience a speedy spiritual unfolding and allow the transformation of our self-identity, it is worthwhile to open to holistic living. In order to live a healthy spiritual existence it is important to nurture all aspects of our life, seeing material and energetic existence as a blending rather than separate. When we over-emphasize one area of our life, we can slow down the reception of self-revelation, which can be experienced during deep silence and stillness.

        Life is one, continuous meditation. Meditation is a clearing of the mind and a relaxing of the body, paving the way to better concentrate, develop, and contemplate the Divine Presence. The reason we meditate is not to become, ‘more spiritual,’ we meditate to realize with clarity how whole and complete we already are. Once we have realized the truth of our innate wholeness for ourselves, we simply live our lives centered in that realization, committed to fostering our relationship with the Divine and then helping others to partake and benefit from the land of enlightened living as well.

        As we mindfully engage things, people, and situations in our daily lives, the body-mind becomes toned, vital, and purified of mental/emotional residue; our over-identification with being separate quickly becomes less important. The light of Truth can shine more brightly as we commit to daily devotional expression.

       When our life remains balanced with our meditation, the basic tools for expanding and shifting our consciousness will drop away. We begin to rest in our authentic Self, navigating this world in seemingly new ways of expression. This is the way of the Tantrika... to live as an enlightened being now, not in some future lifetime or place.

        We open to the universal teachings, experiment with the methods, and discover its timeless relevance in our lives. We surrender all of our past and future concerns to experience the Divine Presence. As we let go of preconceived ideas a resonance begins to take place between the teachers along the way to enlightened living. We begin to be willing to listen and learn from the inner promptings of divine guidance, which in turn allows for the removal of that which obscures the clear light of Reality.

        As we explore the methods for purifying the mind, body, environment, action, study the unfolding of the universe, engage in meditation, live a holistic lifestyle, and cultivate clarity, compassion, continence, and commitment, the gateway to the Infinite is open to us. Divinity does not require anything from us nor can we do anything that will please It. Desire is what it is, fulfilled, lacking nothing and unconditional. Our new life is over-flowing with nourishing, life-giving nectar…filling the heart with the light of wholeness. The promise of the Sensual Path of Tantra is the unfolding of a global existence centered in the life-stream of gratitude.