I mean, it’s that witchy, black magic, sex cult that practices the Kama Sutra, right? I hate to break it to that part of your brain that loves the provocative, but…   NOPE!

Provocative, Sexy, “juicy”  things aren’t actually traditional Tantra.  You’ll have to turn to some good ol’ fashioned reality TV for that kind of titillation.   So that leads to the questions…if that’s not Tantra, then what is? And why should I care?

Great questions!

You want to care because Tantra principles and techniques are likely part of what you currently practice!

And what is it?  Let’s explore that now and shed a bit of light on possibly the most misunderstood path of yoga—Tantra yoga. We’ll take a peek at what it is (and ISN’T), Tantric philosophy, schools of Tantra, and how to practice Tantra yoga today.

What is Tantra Yoga?

You’ll most commonly read that the Sanskrit word Tantra means “to weave”, but in a historical and yogic context, scholars tend to define it as a scripture, a tool for expansion, and a system of practice.   Tantra is an Indian method of spiritual practice called “Tantras” (if it didn’t come from a Tantric text, it’s not Tantra). It  emerged around 500 CE.

Many people don’t know this, but it influenced many Indian and Asian spiritual traditions and had a profound impact on yoga. Why isn’t this widely known? In part because Tantra and yoga are so interwoven today, it can be tough to distinguish one from the other.

Tantra was influential because it was one of the first spiritual traditions that also allowed women and lower-class initiates. Other traditions at the time were reserved for upper-caste male priests and ascetics. Those traditions sought the transcendence of the physical body and material world.