Thousands of years ago, in India, there was a secret sect called Vratyas. The members of Vratyas eventually became known as devadasis, meaning sacred harlots. This female-centered group was associated with the Tantra Scriptures, which laid down a method for expanding mind, body, and consciousness. Tantra is most known from its sexual practices, which are a major part of the whole Tantric path. Tantra in its entire practice includes astrology, numerolgy, physics, chemistry, alchemy, medicine, psychology, parapsychology, mathematics, mantras, yantras, breathing disciplines, yoga disciplines, and more. Tantra is a holistic path, bringing many parts under one umbrella, linked together by a unifying principle.

Shankti

This unifying principle is the “Shakti” or feminine, mother goddess. Tantra works on the belief that, in heterosexuality, spiritual energy is more powerful in the female than in the male. Sexual and emotional union was a way that males could more easily attain devine realization. But the sexual intercourse had to be practiced in a special way called maithuna. Maithuna prevents ejaculation and redirects the energy from orgasm upward through a spiritual channel in the spine called the Shushumna, to the seat of enlightenment in the head called Ajna, or the Third Eye.

Homosexuals and Tantra

This is a question not often raised in the literature concerning Tantra, which seems to be a very heterosexual practice of male/female energies. However, medically speaking, males and females both produce testosterone (male hormone) and estrogen (female hormone). We all have both a masculine and feminine side to our psyches. In Tantra, a homosexual couple simply decides who will be the sender of masculine energy and receiver of feminine, and who will play the opposite part. This creates the same effects of spiritual/emotional expansion of the heterosexual practices. It is the unifying of energies through a sexual act that is more important than the yoni/lingam physiognomy.

The Experience of Tantra

In Tantra, the male learns to absorb, through his penis, the Shakti (feminine) energy released from his female partner’s orgasm. Because he also learns to control his own ejaculation, intercourse can be prolonged for hours. Two hours is the recommended length of time for a full Tantra sexual experience.

Postures

Through certain postures, the male and female energies are united for the highest ecstatic experience. The main posture used in Tantra is called the Yab-Yum (father-mother). This position places partners face to face, either sitting or standing. In the standing version, the female has her left leg lying over the male’s right thigh. In the seated position, the female wraps her legs around the male’s back.

Tantra is not ordinary sexual intercourse. It is a union, a merging of Shakti & Shiva, divine union of masculine and feminine. Although there are a wide variety of rituals and practices for achieving this divine ecstasy, the following is a simple beginners’ Tantric method.

Yab-Yum

Try not to eat a heavy meal before Tantra. A full stomach dulls the senses and decreases the experience of Tantra.

Prepare the Room

Prepare the room with soft candlelight, incense or aromatherapy, clean bedding, and an attractive, inviting, sensuous atmosphere. Remember to unplug the phone and do what is necessary to ensure comfort and privacy. If you have pets, put them in another room or outside. There is nothing more disturbing and humorous at the same time than being in the throes of Tantric passion and having you cat suddenly decide it wants your attention. Use candles and incense or aromatherapy to imbue the atmosphere with a peaceful, relaxing, energy. Some incense suggestions are, sandalwood, Green Rose, or Night Queen. Candles should be white, red, or pink. Aromatherapy oils can be citrus, sandalwood, patchouli, or rose.

After the room is just the way you want it, prepare a warm, fragrant bath. Make the bathing room conducive to meditation and relaxation. A pink or white candle, soft music, dim or no electric light will heighten the experience. Bathe together in warm water and a little sandalwood oil, or a combination of sandalwood, rose and citrus.

After the bath, sit in your prepared room, facing each other but not touching. Sit cross-legged on the “bed,” or on cushions. You should be nude, so be sure the room is comfortably warm.

Breath and Visualization

Look straight into each other’s eyes for a while and synchronize your breathing. Take long, deep, expansive breaths, but don’t force them. Keep breathing easy and soft. Begin to look at each other’s body. Slowly, appreciatively, visually take in the other’s body shapes, curves, colors, and textures. Mentally wrap your auric fields around each other so you both envelop the other in loving energy. Experience this a moment. Imagine a line of light coming from your chakra centers to the others’. The chakra centers are at the point between the brows, at the base of the throat, at the center of the chest (heart), the solar plexus, a few inches below the navel, and at the root of the spine.

Touching

As the woman, begin to touch your partner. Softly, slowly, begin at the top of the head and moving downward, explore his body, gently, slowly, and appreciatively. Use massage oil if you like.

As the male, begin touching your partner. Softly, caress her body from head to toe. Feel her body under your fingers. Enjoy the sensation of touch.

Embrace

Move closer to each other so that your bodies are touching. Embrace and gently massage each other’s backs. Experience the warmth and energy of each other. Begin kissing and caressing. Explore each other’s bodies until, as the female, you are ready to open up and invite your partners’ penis into your body. At this point there will be a sensation of your vagina engulfing and pulling the penis into you. As the male, you will feel that the vagina is engulfing your penis and moving it deeper into her.

Moving the Energy

Be still a moment. Then begin an in and out motion in a way that is mutually pleasurable. As the female, when you begin to reach orgasm. Stop and mentally move the energy up from the genitals, through your spine,  to your third eye. Do this as often as you like before allowing yourself to experience full orgasm. As the male, when orgasm is close, stop. Relax the muscles as much as possible. Mentally move the sexual energy up the spine to your third eye before resuming motion. Do this a maximum of three times before allowing yourself to experience orgasm.

As the male, your partners’ orgasm is a time for you to absorb the energy released by her and bring it up to your third eye. As the female, your partners’ orgasm energy should be absorbed and sent upward to the third eye.

Afterward

Afterward, remain together for a moment and allow the energies to continue flowing. Then relax or meditate for a while, wash and drink some water or tea. Avoid alcoholic beverages or drugs for at least two hours, as they will disturb the assimilation of the Tantra energies.