The original ancient tantra was a path to enlightenment and liberation for anyone on a spiritual path. Later on, the practice became available to other persons, not necessarily on a spiritual path. Today, tantra is available in the West on a commercial level. This modern and commercial version of the original tantra is called neotantra. 

And, it is popular in the West, used to spice up sex lives or bring harmony in relationships. So, what does neotantra entail? And, how does it differ from the classical tantra version? Let’s discuss more in this article: –

Understanding Tantra

Tantra is a philosophy and a set of practices that form the basis for our healing and transformation. It revolves around working with the three most powerful human experiences. These are sexual desire, love, and our desire for freedom. Historical records indicate that tantra came into Buddhism and Hinduism in the 6th century. At this time, the practice was in spiritual rituals to invoke all-powerful deities. It, however, spread fast in India, with Hindu and Buddhist monasteries studying its ideologies. 

Some of the pioneers of neotantra include: –

• Sir John Woodroffe
• Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh
• Margot Anand: “Skydancing”  tantra. The Art of Sexual Ecstasy
• Daniel Odier, Charles Muir, The Richardsons and others

Neotantra vs. Classical Tantra: The Differences

#1: Focus: All vs. Select Ancient Teachings

Classical tantra embraces ancient holistic Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain religious practices. These are authentic tantric teachings to balance, heal, and enrich our physical, spiritual, emotional, and mental being. More so, it liberates us from suffering by getting rid of trauma, societal conditioning, or ignorance, leading us on a path to spiritual awakening.

In contrast, modern tantra focuses on limited ancient instructions relating to sexuality. Here, the practice alters the original teachings on tantric sex to create its western variation. Here, tantric sex draws on the creative power of sexual energy to evoke healing and transformation in our lives. It bridges the gap between sex and spirituality as a form of transcendence. 

#2: Spiritual Sex vs. Sacred Sex

Since neotantra focuses only on the teachings on sexuality, it is a small puddle in the original classical tantra. The practice combines modern therapeutic techniques with original tantric concepts like sacred rituals and devotions. It aims at elevating the person into a higher level of spirituality. Hence, sexual pleasure is no longer focused only on the genitals but the entire body. Modern tantra benefits us physically, psychologically, sexually, and spiritually. Check out some of the activities typical of neotantra below: –

• Purifying one’s chakras and consciousness
• Making the sexual space sacred
• Having slow, uninterrupted sex
• Looking at orgasm as a means, not a goal for sexual intimacy
• Practicing mindfulness during sex; being present in body and mind
• Becoming aware of your entire body during sex
• Practicing meditation and relaxation as part of sexual intimacy
• Attaining transmutation of one’s sexual energies
• Maintaining eye contact/gaze with a partner
• Practicing slow and deep breathing
• Expressing love 
• Controlling ejaculation and other sexual impulses

In contrast, classical tantra has three traditional forms as follows: –

Monastric Tradition

The monastic tradition of classical tantra refers to an intense way of living where the participants withdraw from mainstream society to pursue purity. The participants live solitary and disciplined lives, characterized by silence, prayer, and a struggle against sin and vice. They spend most of their time studying the ancient tantric texts and practicing sacred rituals like drawing mandalas, singing mantras, and performing ritual prayers (fire pujas). Likewise, the monks sustained their lives by doing simple manual work like farming, gardening, basket weaving, and rope making.

Householder Tradition

The householder tradition of classical tantra involves lay practitioners applying the sacred concepts of tantra to ordinary everyday activities. For example, lay practitioners seek to find magic or unity in nature, people, and animals. They do this as they go about their lifestyles when talking to others, cleaning, working, meditating, or engaging in intimate relationships. The ultimate goal is to live in communion with the universe. 

Wandering Yogis Tradition

During the early medieval period, the Mahasiddha people living in forests and caves of Northern India practiced the wandering yogis tradition. It is a combination of yoga and tantra, also called tantrikas. These people would hold ganachakra ceremonies, a type of tantric feasts, and practice meditation to celebrate the pleasures of senses. There was singing, dancing, eating meat, drinking alcohol, and having sex. Today, the wandering yogis tradition remains active in India, often taught in yogic schools.

#3: Conflicting Sexual Ideologies & Interpretations

Did you know that some neotantra sexual ideologies are considered as sinful when viewed under classical tantra? Indeed, unlike neotantra, classical tantra does not entertain sexual fantasies in pursuit of sexual pleasure. Also, the original tantra views any sexual activity that involves menstrual blood a taboo. 

#4: The Benefits

Below are some of the benefits of classical tantra: –

• Growing presence and self-awareness
• Practicing self-love and body confidence (acceptance)
• Harmonizes the active and receptive energies
• Connects our physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual being
• Expands lovemaking beyond attaining an orgasm
• Promotes healing, integration, transformation, and spiritual maturity

Here are some of the benefits of neotantra: –

• Get more from a sexual relationship
• Attain a sexual awakening characterized by the loving presence and profound intimacy
• Healing wounds from sexual trauma
• Have longer and satisfying lovemaking sessions
• Releases toxic sexual energies, including shame
• Provokes a journey of self-discovery leading to the entire body or multiple orgasms
• Improving communication and communion between intimate partners
• Cultivate a holistic approach towards sexual intimacy, focusing on mind, body, and spiritual connection
• Delaying orgasm or preventing premature ejaculation or non-ejaculatory orgasms for men

Conclusion

What does tantra mean to you? Tantra continues to be a subject of fascination for many, even misunderstood at times. Yet, the practice has evolved for centuries and is now either classical tantra or modern tantra. Whereas classical tantra sticks to the authentic teachings that are a path to spiritual enlightenment, neotantra focuses on only the sexual component of the original tantra. By channeling sexual energy throughout the body, neotantra aims to achieve a higher level of intimacy and sexual pleasure.

Have you noticed some changes in yourself lately? Are you blaming the pandemic or a tough time in your life for this? Well, you may be having a spiritual awakening and chances are you probably don’t know what is happening to you. And if you haven’t gotten the calling yet, you too can learn how to start your spiritual journey.

What is Spirituality?

I would define spirituality as the highest form of self which enables one to operate from a state of peace and total clarity. Is it achievable? Absolutely, yes! And no, you don’t need to enroll in a religious movement or any shaman practices. You can only start where you are. Let me show you how.

The 4 Practical Ways to Start Your Spiritual Journey

I will share with you 4 ways on how to start your spiritual journey. You can, however, decide to embrace them all or choose those that align with your beliefs. Either way, you later need to measure your spiritual growth progress so you know if the ones you choose are truly working, or not.

#1: Spend Time in Solitude

Our modern life is full of stuff. Stuff that needs to be done, stuff that clutters your home, stuff that distracts you, and all the other stuff that needs our attention. The problem comes when we lose focus on the stuff that really matters. We can all learn from the great spiritual teachers like Jesus, Muhammad, Guru Nanak, and the rest who used to wander away from crowds and spend a lot of time alone.

Start by finding a quiet and peaceful environment. It could be in your bedroom or even outside with nature. Then deliberately sit silently for 10 minutes and simply be with God. You don’t have to say anything. Just be there and be still and aware of the moment.

Naturally, your mind will tend to wander away. Don’t feel guilty, that’s ok. Just notice these thoughts without commenting or engaging deeper in them and simply let them flow away. Remember, your thoughts shouldn’t define you. Rather, you are the one making these thoughts and feelings. Does that make sense?

Now you’re simply free to just be in the presence of your creator. After a week or more of doing this every day, take your notebook and note down all the lessons you’ve learned about God and most importantly, about yourself.

The lesson: I bet this will change how you feel about spirituality. Prayer will now be more of an intimate conversation with a friend.   

#2: Serve People in Need

Ever heard of the saying “do unto others what you would like done to you?” Common as this saying is, we still feel that “it’s not fair”. Challenge yourself to do something good for someone every week or every month. Something as simple as helping them carry groceries to donating items you no longer need or even gifting a needy family with a shopping voucher this festive season.

However, this should be a secret between the receiver and yourself only.

You might be wondering how this helps in how to start your spiritual journey. Well, I’m making reference to our spiritual ancestors as well. See how much Jesus served others or even Siddhartha Gautama (The Buddha)? We should learn to follow in their footsteps if we truly want to live a spiritual life.

After several random good deeds, review our usual question. What have you learned about God and what have you learned about yourself?

The lesson: I hope you realize that in helping others you are helped and in blessing others, you are blessed.

#3: Living With Integrity

Why is it that when you commit to a weight loss program you observe all the rules but halfway through you give in to that extra portion? See, we all want to live honest good lives. Being the best, we can, but there is always another shadow side dragging us down.

Sometimes life takes all the wrong turns and it gets messy and ugly. However, we can learn how to consistently do the right thing. Start by seeking inspiration from your daily spiritual books. For Christians, you have the bible, Muslims have the Quran, and so on. Note down the verses that teach you how to live with honesty and integrity.

Now practice each lesson for a full day. Like today, try not to say anything negative about anyone from sunrise to sunset, no matter how badly they offend you. As usual, at the end of the week, take notes of what you learned about God and most importantly, what you learned about yourself.

The lesson: I hope you notice that you weren’t simply following the rules or trying to be a people pleaser but you were indeed trying to please your maker because he loves you unconditionally. It is this love that should propel you to continue living with integrity.

#4: Pay Attention to Dialogue

In reference to the spiritual books you follow, write down a quote each day that you feel speaks directly to you. Meditate on this quote and see how you can incorporate it into your daily life.

After you’ve had a successful spiritual journey, it’s time to spread the knowledge. However, don’t share your experience with others with an aim of converting them. Not at all. You are sharing your journey in a simple and humble way without being judgmental of other people’s spiritual practices.

The lesson: This exercise when done in a genuine way should help you find genuine spiritual partners. Someone you can confirm notes with or even hold you accountable when you start backsliding.  

Parting Shot

Do you believe in the life after? It’s ok if you don’t. Such beliefs require a deeper faith. When you master how to start your spiritual journey, take baby steps and you will eventually get there.

Always remember that awakening is not changing who you are, but discarding who you are not. As you follow the above steps, pause to re-evaluate your spiritual growth so you know what changes or additions to make.

The ancient teachings of yoga say that all matter in the universe arises from a fundamental substrate called Prakriti. From this etheric Prakriti, three primary gunas (qualities of energy) arise, creating the main aspects of all nature – energy, matter, and consciousness. Conscious control of the three gunas is a powerful way to reduce stress, open up your inner potential, and gain enlightenment.

In this article, I will share with you what gunas are, what energies and qualities they represent, and how to balance the three gunas for living in harmony.

What Is Guna?

The word guna literally means “strand” or “fiber” and implies that. Like strands of a rope, the three gunas are woven together to form the objective universe.

In yoga and Ayurveda, guna is an element of reality that can affect the psychological, emotional, and energetic state of a person.

Nowadays, gunas are a key concept in most schools of Hindu philosophy. There are three gunas that have always been and continue to be present in all things and beings in the world. These three gunas are called tamas (darkness and chaos), rajas (activity and passion), and sattva (essence and harmony). According to the Hindu worldview, all of these three gunas are present in everyone and everything, it is the proportion that is different. The interplay of the three gunas defines the character and determines the progress in life.

Awareness of gunas and understanding their nature and qualities tells us whether we are genuinely moving forward in life (sattva), running in place (rajas), or losing our way (tamas).

The development of the ability to identify and understand the nature of the gunas brings us closer to an understanding of the universal truth of unity.

Three Gunas: Tamas, Rajas, Sattva

All three gunas are always present in the beings and objects around us, but they differ in their proportion. People have a unique ability to consciously change the levels of gunas in the body and mind. However, we have to remember that the gunas cannot be divided or destroyed, but they can be only consciously influenced. Gunas can be reduced or increased due to the interaction and influence of external objects, spiritual practices, and thought processes.

Now, let’s take a closer look at each of the three gunas.

Tamas Guna

Tamas conceals the presence of consciousness. It causes dullness and ignorance through its power to obscure. Its nature is heavy and dense.

Tamas guna represents a state of darkness, inertia, inactivity, and materiality. It manifests itself in the form of ignorance. Other tamasic qualities are:

• imbalance;
• disorder;
• chaos;
• impurity;
• delusion;
• destruction;
• negativity;
• inactivity;
• viciousness;
• ignorance;
• laziness;
• disgust;
• attachment;
• depression;
• helplessness;
• doubt;
• guilt;
• shame;
• boredom;
• dependency;
• pain;
• sadness;
• apathy;
• confusion;
• grief;
• dependence;
• violence;
• illusions;
• mental abnormalities;
• deceitfulness;
• addiction to various perversions;
• degradation.

Tamas corresponds to midnight, destructive speech and sound, dirt, darkness, stench, stale food, alcohol, drugs. It leads a person to demoralization, obesity or exhaustion, memory lapses or complete amnesia, lack of interest in life, prolonged depression, suicidal thoughts, and aggression.

In its more balanced form, tamas can supply a steadying influence in life. For instance, bed rest can lead to healing. However, tamas’ nature is primarily immobilizing: tamasic foods are considered lifeless, stale, or impure; tamasic entertainment is considered mindless and intoxicating. Tamas leads to inaction when action is required. Each of us has experienced the binding power of tamas – the appeal of lethargy, procrastination, and sleep.

Rajas Guna

Rajas are the energy of change. It is distinguished by passion, desire, effort, and pain. The nature of rajas is characterized by a sense of attachment, a desire to satisfy desires. Other rajasic qualities are:

• activity;
• neither good or bad and sometimes either;
• self-centeredness;
• egoism;
• individualization;
• drivenness;
• movement;
• dynamism;
• anger;
• euphoria;
• anxiety;
• fear;
• irritation;
• stress;
• courage;
• reflection;
• determination;
• mood swings;
• competition;
• struggle;
• disputes;
• selfishness;
• intemperance;
• haste;
• overexertion;
• aggression;
• excitement;
• greed;
• jealousy;
• thirst for pleasure;
• pride;
• arrogance;
• hypocrisy.

Rajas guna corresponds to noon, heavy physical exertion, emotional excitement, spicy and hot food, loud music, a vivid demonstration of material wealth and position, constant involvement in the turbulent flow of social life.

This guna gives rise to such interests as:

• a preference for material values over spiritual ones;
• superficiality;
• acquisitiveness;
• careerism;
• licentiousness;
• gluttony;
• overwork;
• emotional burnout;
• injuries and various diseases;
• the use of alcohol and narcotic drugs in order to achieve relaxation and peace or vice versa to spur yourself to action.

But nevertheless, without a certain passion, the world would not have known amazing works of art, masterpieces of world architecture, breakthroughs in science, and the development of progress in all spheres of life.

Rajas bring happiness by prompting the coupling of the senses with their objects. Thus rajas also bind us to attachment, to the fruits of action, and sensory pleasures of every kind.

Sattva Guna

The essence of sattva is to act as a transparent pane of glass, allowing the light of conscious awareness to reveal itself in the operations of the mind and in nature. Sattva is not enlightenment itself but it unveils what is true and real.

Sattva is the energy of balance and harmony. It promotes life, energy, health, and contentment.

Sattva is the quality of purity in everything. There are very few people who live completely sattvically, mostly yogis and saints. Nevertheless, this guna has many manifestations in ordinary life.

These are the main manifestations of sattva:

• goodness;
• universalism;
• holism;
• creativity;
• construction;
• positivity;
• peacefulness;
• virtue;
• wisdom;
• knowledge;
• calmness;
• peace;
• awareness;
• cleanliness;
• cheerfulness;
• enthusiasm;
• responsibility;
• compassion;
• spiritual growth;
• a sense of inner freedom and happiness.

This guna corresponds to an early rise with the dawn, neatness in relation to one’s appearance and one’s living space, vegetarian food, love of nature, interest in knowledge, spiritual practice, melodious beautiful music, mantras, and prayers.

Sattva leads a person to manifest such qualities as kindness, insight, clarity of thinking, optimism, a high degree of concentration and analysis, a tendency to positive judgments.

Imbalance in Sattva guna may lead to pride, an arrogant attitude towards those who know less, and the condemnation of those who lead a less righteous lifestyle.

The three gunas are constantly interacting with one another. But while the gunas themselves are permanent in essence, their interactions are transitory and afford only a false impression of permanence.

Balancing the Three Gunas

In our minds, thoughts change one after another. Because of this impermanence of thought patterns, there is a fluctuation between the three gunas. If today you have a predominant raja guna, then your surrounding world will be filled with stress or irritation. The next day, on the contrary, you can feel happiness and well-being – it means that sattva guna has become predominant.

To move along the path of spiritual development, we should learn how to consciously observe our thoughts and to be able to recognize the gunas. In addition, it is essential to have inner strength and strong will to consciously switch thoughts and actions from tamas and rajas to sattvic balance and well-being.

Balancing Tamas Guna

To reduce the effect of tamas guna, avoid tamasic food, excessive sleep, overeating, inactivity, and passivity. Tamasic foods include meat and foods that have been chemically processed or refined, as well as alcohol.

Balancing Rajas Guna

To reduce the effect of rajas guna, avoid rajasic food, excessive physical activity, overwork, loud music, excessive thinking, and striving for material benefits. Rajasic food includes fried and spicy foods, as well as stimulants (for example, caffeine).

Balancing Sattva Guna

To increase sattva guna, eat sattvic food, spend more time close to nature, breathe fresh air, do things that bring you joy and positive thoughts. Sattvic food is fresh and clean, grows above the ground, and receives positive energy from sunlight. It includes whole grains and legumes, as well as fresh fruits and vegetables. In addition, all yogic practices have been developed to increase sattva at the level of mind and body. Therefore, when you practice yoga, perform pranayamas, chant mantras, or meditate, you naturally increase sattva guna.

The Bottom Line

In order to reach enlightenment, we need to increase sattva and decrease rajas and tamas. Then we have to learn how to become unattached from the three gunas and see the reality beyond Maya. When we transcend the three gunas we become indifferent to the duality of life like pain and pleasure. We are undisturbed by the gunas and know that the gunas are part of Maya, and not of the universe’s sole reality.