Tantra is non-duality. Previously held judgments, distinctions, and boundaries lose their chokehold on our psyche. Old frameworks of right and wrong become obsolete. Black and white as merely different shades of the other. Male and female intrinsically intertwined inside each being, object, and thought. A reflection of the other. One cannot exist without the other. They are contained inside each other. Just as Śiva and Śaktī cannot ever be disentangled from the eternal dance.
The root of “tantra” mean interweaving.
“Tan” is expansion.
“Tra” is a tool, specifically, in this case, for liberation. We are expanding our energy and concurrently focusing it more intensely.
Tantra is the path of extreme devotion. It is the way of Liberation. It is neither the only path nor right for everyone.
Some tools Tantra uses are mantra, yantra, japa, puja, asana, chakra opening, energy expansion, and prāṇayam.
Tantra is a full-bodied living. We are not saving the living for later. We are asking the burning of our karmas now.
The most succinct definition of Tantra may very well be “Yes.” For when we are living our life in harmony and balance, every situation, thought, or emotion presented to us becomes an opportunity to expand further.
Tantra is living on the breath. Breath is the precious substance that constantly connects our inner self to the outer physical world.
As lovers, as friends, as fellow living beings, we all share the same air, the same space. Thus we are constantly affecting each other by altering the energy patterns released by our thought patterns and emotional states. No moment can ever be the same with an infinite number of entities eternally, breathing, thinking, feeling, and moving. Thus, we must be always alert, constantly dropping our current self to allow the new one to arise. Because every time we do this, she will rise anew, without fail.
Change is the only constant. If we are not willing to change, then we are moving against the natural order of things.
Tantra is rarely a way of life for modern people. But understanding its principles can help you understand what is happening in the world today.
March 22nd, 2011