To: K-list
Recieved: 1999/11/14 12:00
Subject: [K-list] is tantra the yoga of sex?
From: winter mute
On 1999/11/14 12:00, winter mute posted thus to the K-list:
On Sun, 14 Nov 1999 19:09:49 Zala wrote:
>Is tantra the yoga of sex?
>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>
>It is unfortunate that tantra has become another casualty of our plastic
>culture that loves the common denominator, that trivializes everything and
>that strives to delude us with grandiose ideas of perpetual youth and
>pain-free life. Let us not allow ourselves become sullen, silent and
>guilt-ridden perpetrators of triviality. Let us not allow the rich and
>profound tantric tradition to be watered down and ignored through
>distortion.
>
>A serious student of tantra should know that the main point of tantra is
>contained in the very meaning of the term tantra: tan means expansion and
>tra connotes liberation. Thus, tantra always refers to liberation through
>expansionbreaking through personal barriers and courageously going forward
>toward the Divine Bliss both as an individual and as a society.
>Ultimately,
>tantra is the path of the spiritual warrior (shambhala/avadhuta) that
>encourages us to fight unceasingly against limited or prejudiced thinking,
>against inner and outer enemies of genuineness, truth and the Divine Plan,
>against shallowness. In particular, tantra inspires and teaches us to seek
>Anandathe Divine Bliss as opposed to being caught in the cage of merely
>looking for pleasure and avoiding pain.
>
>has gained control over the six enemies and eight fetters. The six enemies
>are physical longing (kama), anger (krodha), avarice (lobha), vanity
>(mada), blind fascination (moha), and jealously (matsarya). The eight
>fetters (bondages) are hatred (ghrna), apprehension (shaunka), fear
>(bhaya), shyness (lajja), hypocrisy (jugupsa), pride of ancestry (kula),
>vanity of culture (shiila), egotism (mana). There is a certain advanced
>initiation into a tantric (not a yoga) practice (kapalika diiksa) that
>dramatically accelerates gaining control over six enemies and eight
>fetters
>and reaching the brave stage of spiritual development. Such initiation is
>available to anyone who has reached a certain degree of expertise in our
>tantra yoga meditation system.
Thanks for outlining this. :)
It will be food for thoughts.
I am just starting out on trying to gain some control
of these limitations as I see it as important to reach
a certain goal.
I wish all these limitations would fall away as soon
as possible, but they have to be shed one by one.
Lack of patience is another type of vanity. ;)
>For this reason spiritual
>masters are known to test their disciples severely before they impart such
>sexual practices, for both the teacher and the student must be certain
>that
>the student is ready for the practices.
Yes, there are easier way to practice than doing
sexual practices. :)
>As a postscript to this commentary, here is what Georg Feuerstein who is,
>in
>my opinion, the foremost yoga scholar living today e-mailed me a few days
>ago in answer to my inquiry about the sexual content of tantric scriptures
>and about his opinion of new age tantra:
Thanks for posting this !
Very interesting.
I have been reading Feuersteins books with great interest and joy. :)
It actually helped a lot in the initial confusing
phases of Kundalini awakening.
Do you think you are allowed to give me his e-mail
address ? I'd like to send a note of thanks.
At times, stuff from his books still appear in my mind
as mental notes to interpret the old traditions.
:)
Best regards,
Amanda.
Angelfire for your free web-based e-mail. http://www.angelfire.com
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