I'm a Vajrayana ("Tantric") Buddhist, so was glad to read your broader view on Tantra than the "neo-Tantra" that is commonly presented (the sexual practices of the singer Sting, for instance). For me, Tantra is about using everything in your practice, so for instance if I'm feeling angry, not pushing the anger away or just sitting with it, noticing it, but using that anger and transforming its energy into a quality of wisdom. Tantra also embraces the body, rather than regarding it as something to be overcome or something 'unclean', we can use the body in our practice. In Vajrayana Buddhism, for instance, we (mentally) place mantras and sacred symbols in different chakras such as the heart or the throat to increase their power and to transform our bodies on all levels. I could talk about this all day but I'll stop there! Fascinating stuff.
Absolutely! Yes, I believe that it's the transformation piece that makes tantric practices so powerful, especially when there could be a potentially destructive emotion like anger--to be able to transform it for wiser, higher purposes is part of our ever-evolving momentum towards wholeness.
And yes, the body is certainly a vehicle for harnessing and alchemizing this transformational energy. Even more reason to treat our bodies well.
I'm a Vajrayana ("Tantric") Buddhist, so was glad to read your broader view on Tantra than the "neo-Tantra" that is commonly presented (the sexual practices of the singer Sting, for instance). For me, Tantra is about using everything in your practice, so for instance if I'm feeling angry, not pushing the anger away or just sitting with it, noticing it, but using that anger and transforming its energy into a quality of wisdom. Tantra also embraces the body, rather than regarding it as something to be overcome or something 'unclean', we can use the body in our practice. In Vajrayana Buddhism, for instance, we (mentally) place mantras and sacred symbols in different chakras such as the heart or the throat to increase their power and to transform our bodies on all levels. I could talk about this all day but I'll stop there! Fascinating stuff.
Absolutely! Yes, I believe that it's the transformation piece that makes tantric practices so powerful, especially when there could be a potentially destructive emotion like anger--to be able to transform it for wiser, higher purposes is part of our ever-evolving momentum towards wholeness.
And yes, the body is certainly a vehicle for harnessing and alchemizing this transformational energy. Even more reason to treat our bodies well.
I could talk about this all day too!