Spiritual practice can seep into every corner of our lives; from our mindful morning practice to the foods we choose to eat, the items we decide to purchase, and the pleasures in which we bring into our lives. When it comes to living a full and rich spiritual life, for those of us who are sexual beings – tantra is often a word that comes into play.

What is Tantra?

Osho once said that the practice of tantra was to transform ordinary lovers into soulmates. It’s an ancient spiritual pathway that sets out to merge the feminine energy of Shakti with the male energy of Shiva to curate Oneness.

Sex can awaken powerful energy within us which can be harnessed for personal growth and elevated spiritual self-fulfilment.

There are two ways in which to approach tantra. There is the left-handed approach which takes into account sex as a spiritual practice. When you commit to left-handed tantra you are committing to bringing awareness and bodily presence into sex with the aim of becoming one, encouraging spiritual union and weaving all avenues of life to hit a higher purpose.

Right-handed tantra refers to using chanting, symbols and divine prayer and ritualistic practice as gateways to the spiritual realm.

When you bring the practice of tantra into your sex life, you can use your chakras as focal points for bringing tantra into play. When all seven chakras are aligned and you hold awareness for the moment, this can truly elevate your pleasure to divine new levels.

Tips for Tantra

Here are some easy tips to help you start on your tantra journey;

Eye Contact

If you find yourself checking out, going into your own head, and averting your gaze from your partner altogether – then its time to breathe deep, focus and maintain eye contact. The eyes are the window to the soul and by holding gaze together, you can truly ignite a deeper level of being together.

Breathe Together

Talking of breath; another life-affirming tip is to try and synchronize your breath together. When you put your breath in harmony you can combine the shakti energy rippling through which will lead to an intensive orgasmic experience.

Let Go

Living in awareness is what tantra requires and this can be tricky for some of us; especially when it comes to holding expectations and dealing with preconceived notions of how we should be feeling and what tantric sex should look like. There is no right or wrong way to play, so try and let go of expectations and let your body express itself pure and simple.

Go Slow

Tantra is not a race to a higher being, it's all about going slow enough that you can engage all the senses. It's important for the experience to learn to experience everything on a deeper level. Relax your mind, don’t rush to the ‘main event’ and linger alongside every touch.

Dealing with Tantra Myths

As tantra is something relatively unknown in western culture, there can be a lot of myths and confusion surrounding the practice. Let us unravel a couple of tantra myths so you can learn to let go of certain held beliefs;

It Doesn’t Need to Last for Hours

Many people think that tantric sex is all about lasting for hours on end when it comes to lovemaking. While you are encouraged to go slow with tantra, it's definitely more a practice based on quality than quantity.

You Need a Partner

This is another tantra myth as you can totally practice tantra alone. In fact, the more in-tune you can be with your own body, the better at reaching tantra you will be with another person. Solo tantra is an amazing practice as it helps to build beautiful levels of confidence that you can carry forward.

It’s Weird

There is nothing weird about tantra. At its very essence and heart, it is simply about creating a deeper experience that heightens the emotional experience of sex. We all need to unravel the lessons we have learnt about sex. Often they can come from places of shame or miseducation. Tantra can help to heal relationships with your body, with the story of sex, and invites you to break down barriers that could be holding you back from your best self.

What are your thoughts on tantra? Share your experiences in the comments.