What Is Tantra?

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Tantra is an ancient spiritual practice that originates from medieval India. It has since heavily influenced almost all forms of Indian religions, including Buddhism, Jainism, Shaktism and Shavaniam. It has also been fondly adopted by the New Age movement.

Tantra or tantric practices can be hard to define with words alone. They work around the main principle that the world is an illusion, and that in order to spiritually evolve and find true happiness, one must first move past the material world. When working with tantra, it is believed that humans are trapped in this world, and feel suffering and pain because of the endless cycle of wanting material possessions or things which are outside of ourselves.

Tantra involves a number of spiritual practices which are designed to quieten the mind, and realise the true power that lies inside each of us. One of these practices is Tantra Yoga. Yoga includes a series of movements known as poses or asanas, which are designed to align the mind, body and soul. Yoga also utilizes a number of metal exercises, mudras and breathwork, which ...
... aim to deepen a person's spiritual connection.

Another major part of the tantra movement is meditation. Meditation involves quieting the mind and withdrawing from the outside world, in order to connect with a larger universal mind. By quieting your thoughts, you can become a calmer, clearer person.

You can also try some tantric visualization. This is where a person meditates on a certain image or symbol in order to progress with their spiritual path. There are a number of brightly coloured, intricate mandalas, which are designed to open up the third eye area.

You can find out more about the spiritual practice of tantra by signing up to a local tantra meditation or tantra yoga class. There are also numerous books on the subject, some ancient and some modern. Some recommended books include, The Secrets of Tantric and Shaktic Yoga by John Woodroffe, The Introduction to Tantra: The Transformation of Desire by Lama Thubten Yeshe, and Tantra: The Art of Conscious Living by Charles Muir.