According to Tantric philosophy, the entire manifest universe, everything we see and hear, as well as the subtle existence of thoughts and emotions, is all a play of divine energy and it is all within us. Tantra teaches us to become aware of, and how to direct this energy in ourselves, as we continue to be a part of the thread that weaves us all together. All the power that every was, or will be, is here now. So, why is there all this confusion around Tantra? (Please note that some of what I am talking about below is Neo Tantra)
Myth #1: Tantra is all about sex
Exploring Tantra is more about energetic and spiritual connection between partners, and also on our own. Many Tantric techniques do not even include genital contact, but rather use eastern techniques to cultivate, move and share energy. Tantra is practised by Buddhist monks and Hindu ascetics who have taken vows of celibacy and it is very possible in the west to be trained in Tantra without any sexual activity at all. Tantra is a weave/union with the divine and that translates in many ways - the divine within yourself, your partner or a particular god or goddess. Sex and orgasm is not the goal. Touching the universe and the divine is.
Myth #2: It's for weirdo's
Tantra is all about presence and awareness, not about your ability to swing from chandeliers, have sex for 8 hours or wear flowers in your hair. It is for you and me. It is a part of every moment in every day, a shift in thinking, and it also has a lot of similarities to Mindfulness, Buddhism, Taoism etc
Myth #3: Tantra is a religion or even worse, a cult
Tantra is neither. Tantra gives you the freedom to have your own religion, or not, plus guide you in a series of practises that you choose for yourself and adapt to your way of life, making it a deeper, more ecstatic journey.
Myth #4: Tantric sex means orgasming for hours
Well for starters, do you really want to orgasm for 8 hours straight? Thanks to Sting and wine, many think Tantra is about marathon sessions of sex. While we can all experience multiple orgasms, an orgasm itself only lasts seconds, not even minutes. But, by becoming aware of your breath, energy and body, you can dive into that ecstasy wherever and whenever.
Myth #5: It takes a long time to learn
Tantra is not rocket science. One of the best aspects of the Tantric path is that the practises can be put into effect immediately and the results are tangible. In just one weekend workshop you can experience and learn enough basic techniques that will immediately improve your connection to your own body and energy and how to share that energy with others and when that flow happens, it begins to flow into every part of your life. It also changes your whole outlook on sex and sexuality, allowing to you to explore new ways to experiencing it and for couples in a relationship Tantra can bring about harmony and increase intimacy.
Myth #6: Tantra is black magic
Many Tantric images may contain scenes of graveyards, death and skeletons, but these are metaphors for severing the emotional attachment to our physical form and realising the ever present reality of death. Tantric practitioners do not hurt themselves or others in their tantric rituals and are very conscious of asking consent and respecting boundaries. Many Buddhist and Hindu Tantrikas (Tantric practitioners) are deeply dedicated to being loving and compassionate and practise non violence.
Myth #7: Tantra encourages indulgences of the appetites, which leads to affairs or orgies.
Yes there are some out there that use Tantra as way to rationalise having sex with as many people as possible, but this is not the spirit of Tantra. While Tantra does not deny anything, the journey is weaving in the middle ground, moving away from the usual goal orientated intimacy and rather using our powerful energy for attaining higher states of consciousness.
Read more: What is Tantra