Runner's High - Sexual High
A recent New York Times article titled "Yes, Running Can Make You High," reveals that scientists have finally proved what many have known all along, that there is euphoria to be found in intense workouts. According to the article, researchers measured endorphin levels in subjects' brains, before and after a two hour run, using PET scans and recently available chemicals. Dr. Henning Boecker, of the University of Bonn, states that similar levels are present "when people are involved in romantic love affairs."
We couldn't help but wonder what these scientists would discover in the brains of Tantric sex practitioners. We suspect that even those in long-term relationships attain endorphin levels similar to those "involved in a romantic love affair". (Such has certainly been our subjective experience!) Tantric sexual practice involves prolonging arousal, and we suspect that increasing this results not only in the release of amphetimine-like compounds, which happens during an average sexual response cycle (see Masters and Johnson), but also in heightened endorphin levels and that flooding the system with this combination of brain chemicals is what leads to mystical experience (see pp. 35-37 of The Essence of Tantric Sexuality).
Read it here.
Showing posts with label Tantra. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tantra. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Tantra for Erotic Empowerment is available now! And a lot earlier than we anticipated. To celebrate, we're offering free shipping in the U.S. between now and April 1, the official U.S. publication date.
Visit our books page for details.
You can also order it from your local bookstore (a great option) or buy it on amazon.com.
Visit our books page for details.
You can also order it from your local bookstore (a great option) or buy it on amazon.com.
Saturday, February 02, 2008
We've written an article about Valentine's Day that should be appearing around the web over the next couple of weeks. It begins:
Tantra is an ancient Indian spiritual tradition that recognizes human sexuality as one avenue among many for achieving mystical experience. Although the number of Tantric texts that deal directly with sexual activity is quite small, most Westerners associate Tantra with love, sex, and relationships. While Western ideas about Tantra are thus somewhat misguided, if you can bring a Tantric sensibility to love and relationship, your love life will be richer and more fulfilling.
Go here and scroll down to read the whole thing.
Tantra is an ancient Indian spiritual tradition that recognizes human sexuality as one avenue among many for achieving mystical experience. Although the number of Tantric texts that deal directly with sexual activity is quite small, most Westerners associate Tantra with love, sex, and relationships. While Western ideas about Tantra are thus somewhat misguided, if you can bring a Tantric sensibility to love and relationship, your love life will be richer and more fulfilling.
Go here and scroll down to read the whole thing.
Saturday, January 19, 2008
We've finished the final round of edits, and Tantra for Erotic Empowerment is now at the printer. Everything's on track for an April release.
Our DVDs Tantric Sexual Massage for Lovers and Advanced Tantric Sex Techniques (Alexander Institute) are available at last through our website. The process of making the films was very interesting, and we learned a lot. It's extremely difficult to make effective, explicit instructional films, and we really didn't know what to expect. We're delighted with the final versions. They convey the information effectively and tastefully, and the performers do a great job. We are excited about the possibility of reaching an entirely new audience.
We're looking forward to Dark Odyssey in March and also to the Virginia Festival of the Book. We've been selected as participating authors and will be doing a signing and a workshop March 28-29.
Our DVDs Tantric Sexual Massage for Lovers and Advanced Tantric Sex Techniques (Alexander Institute) are available at last through our website. The process of making the films was very interesting, and we learned a lot. It's extremely difficult to make effective, explicit instructional films, and we really didn't know what to expect. We're delighted with the final versions. They convey the information effectively and tastefully, and the performers do a great job. We are excited about the possibility of reaching an entirely new audience.
We're looking forward to Dark Odyssey in March and also to the Virginia Festival of the Book. We've been selected as participating authors and will be doing a signing and a workshop March 28-29.
Friday, October 05, 2007
Friday, September 21, 2007
Criticism
Posting material of any kind on the internet can be a very challenging experience; you open yourself up to all kinds of attacks, especially if you allow people to comment. We've posted clips of some of our appearances on youtube and have received some harsh criticism for what we say. Most of the negative comments are inane, ill-informed or dogmatic, and the posters frequently resort to name-calling. None of them reveal any awareness of the difficulty one faces when trying to explain something as vast, complex and contested as Tantra in a brief television appearance for an audience that presumably knows nothing about the subject.
We did have one interesting set of critical comments from an Indian poster on YouTube, and we've copied it here, along with our response:
"These people are indulging into money making and sensationalising Tantra and projecting it what it is not. Tantra is not Kaam Sootra. Tantra is visualisation and modelling the entire cosmos into which we as part of and menifestation of the cosmos and reflection of the larger model look into ourselves. If sex is symbolised as ceation, that is nearest to the truth, but sex seen merely as hedonistic activity, and practiced so in the name of "Nirvana" is just rediculious.
Meditation should be done on one's own Ātmā as one with the Saviour-goddess (Tārinī). the Dhyāna of Devi, that the Man who meditates on the unattached, attributeless, and pure Ātmā which is Tripurā as one with, and not different from, his own Ātmā becomes himself Her (Tanmaya).
Sādhakas, possessed of the knowledge of Kula, then meditate on the Yoga-blissful (Yogānanda) form (Mūrti) of Śiva and Śakti present in the hearts of males and females and, calling to mind the meaning (Artha) of the Mantra of their Istadevatā, do Japa of it.
Depiction of females like this is clearly against the spirit of Tantra and merely low grade sensational gimmick.
Kindly practice kamasutra freely as Hindus did but do not call it Tamtric.
I have gone through it agin and agin..my comments below besically are reactions to clips shown at "kailash" site. Otherwise what ever has been satated is a sanctioned practice for a "Couple" (husband and wife). Turning one self into a "Veer" from "Pashu" for meditating upon Aadishakti(the orginating source) is one of the prescibed path."
We replied:
Thanks to ******* for the thoughtful, generally well-informed comments. We recognize that his perspective is one that's widely shared, but Tantra is neither monolithic nor moralistic. We teach as we do with the blessings of our Guru and out of a desire to serve and enrich the lives of others. Nothing we teach is derived from the Kama Sutra, with which we have very limited familiarity. As for making money, there are many much easier ways to make far more of it.
To expand on this initial reply, it's important to bear in mind that Tantra is an initiatory tradition, and the texts are not entirely transparent; their real value lies in the way a teacher elucidates them. For example, it's our understanding that "Veer" (hero) "Pashu" (beast) and "Divya" (spiritual person) don't really refer to three categories of human but to qualities that exist in each of us. We were also baffled by the poster's comments about the depiction of women, and this comment leads us to think his perspective is shaped by the puritanism that's characteristic of modern, Hindu orthodoxy, which has little or nothing to do with Tantra.
Posting material of any kind on the internet can be a very challenging experience; you open yourself up to all kinds of attacks, especially if you allow people to comment. We've posted clips of some of our appearances on youtube and have received some harsh criticism for what we say. Most of the negative comments are inane, ill-informed or dogmatic, and the posters frequently resort to name-calling. None of them reveal any awareness of the difficulty one faces when trying to explain something as vast, complex and contested as Tantra in a brief television appearance for an audience that presumably knows nothing about the subject.
We did have one interesting set of critical comments from an Indian poster on YouTube, and we've copied it here, along with our response:
"These people are indulging into money making and sensationalising Tantra and projecting it what it is not. Tantra is not Kaam Sootra. Tantra is visualisation and modelling the entire cosmos into which we as part of and menifestation of the cosmos and reflection of the larger model look into ourselves. If sex is symbolised as ceation, that is nearest to the truth, but sex seen merely as hedonistic activity, and practiced so in the name of "Nirvana" is just rediculious.
Meditation should be done on one's own Ātmā as one with the Saviour-goddess (Tārinī). the Dhyāna of Devi, that the Man who meditates on the unattached, attributeless, and pure Ātmā which is Tripurā as one with, and not different from, his own Ātmā becomes himself Her (Tanmaya).
Sādhakas, possessed of the knowledge of Kula, then meditate on the Yoga-blissful (Yogānanda) form (Mūrti) of Śiva and Śakti present in the hearts of males and females and, calling to mind the meaning (Artha) of the Mantra of their Istadevatā, do Japa of it.
Depiction of females like this is clearly against the spirit of Tantra and merely low grade sensational gimmick.
Kindly practice kamasutra freely as Hindus did but do not call it Tamtric.
I have gone through it agin and agin..my comments below besically are reactions to clips shown at "kailash" site. Otherwise what ever has been satated is a sanctioned practice for a "Couple" (husband and wife). Turning one self into a "Veer" from "Pashu" for meditating upon Aadishakti(the orginating source) is one of the prescibed path."
We replied:
Thanks to ******* for the thoughtful, generally well-informed comments. We recognize that his perspective is one that's widely shared, but Tantra is neither monolithic nor moralistic. We teach as we do with the blessings of our Guru and out of a desire to serve and enrich the lives of others. Nothing we teach is derived from the Kama Sutra, with which we have very limited familiarity. As for making money, there are many much easier ways to make far more of it.
To expand on this initial reply, it's important to bear in mind that Tantra is an initiatory tradition, and the texts are not entirely transparent; their real value lies in the way a teacher elucidates them. For example, it's our understanding that "Veer" (hero) "Pashu" (beast) and "Divya" (spiritual person) don't really refer to three categories of human but to qualities that exist in each of us. We were also baffled by the poster's comments about the depiction of women, and this comment leads us to think his perspective is shaped by the puritanism that's characteristic of modern, Hindu orthodoxy, which has little or nothing to do with Tantra.
Saturday, September 01, 2007
Fantasy
Fantasy seems to be a loaded subject in the Tantric community and elsewhere. Recently, we talked about this with a friend and long-time practitioner, and she expressed the view that engaging in sexual fantasy is almost antithetical to the Tantric approach, since it takes you out of the moment and prevents you from being present. Others argue that fantasies are negative for a variety of reasons; some people in relationships feel that fantasizing about others borders on cheating; some people are ashamed or disturbed by their fantasies. While some who believe that we create our own reality suggest that fantasizing is dangerous because it borders on committing a thought crime.
We don't share these opinions and feel that the conscious exploration and use of sexual fantasy can be a valuable way to expand your sexual repertoire. Fantasy is also a key component for building a high level of arousal for the purposes of the sex magic practice we describe in The Essence of Tantric Sexuality. Imagination is one of the most powerful resources we human beings have at our disposal, and what is fantasy (or any form of visualization) if not an act of imagining? If you find yourself becoming too limited by or dependent on a fantasy, it is a good idea to try something new. We don't advocate fantasizing when you are with a partner (although we are not categorically opposed to it, especially in the context of mutual exploration), and retreating into the realm of fantasy to such an extent that you find it difficult to be present for your beloved is probably a sign of serious problems in your relationship.
The key is to be conscious and intentional when you fantasize. If you can view your fantasies as tools for discovering more about yourself and expanding your sexual capacities, you will not be using fantasy to escape; instead, you will be using it to enrich your life and enhance your ability to present.
We'd be interested in your thoughts on this subject, so please comment.
Fantasy seems to be a loaded subject in the Tantric community and elsewhere. Recently, we talked about this with a friend and long-time practitioner, and she expressed the view that engaging in sexual fantasy is almost antithetical to the Tantric approach, since it takes you out of the moment and prevents you from being present. Others argue that fantasies are negative for a variety of reasons; some people in relationships feel that fantasizing about others borders on cheating; some people are ashamed or disturbed by their fantasies. While some who believe that we create our own reality suggest that fantasizing is dangerous because it borders on committing a thought crime.
We don't share these opinions and feel that the conscious exploration and use of sexual fantasy can be a valuable way to expand your sexual repertoire. Fantasy is also a key component for building a high level of arousal for the purposes of the sex magic practice we describe in The Essence of Tantric Sexuality. Imagination is one of the most powerful resources we human beings have at our disposal, and what is fantasy (or any form of visualization) if not an act of imagining? If you find yourself becoming too limited by or dependent on a fantasy, it is a good idea to try something new. We don't advocate fantasizing when you are with a partner (although we are not categorically opposed to it, especially in the context of mutual exploration), and retreating into the realm of fantasy to such an extent that you find it difficult to be present for your beloved is probably a sign of serious problems in your relationship.
The key is to be conscious and intentional when you fantasize. If you can view your fantasies as tools for discovering more about yourself and expanding your sexual capacities, you will not be using fantasy to escape; instead, you will be using it to enrich your life and enhance your ability to present.
We'd be interested in your thoughts on this subject, so please comment.
Sunday, August 05, 2007
Tantric Sex in the Modern World
Although our background and training are more traditional than many Western Tantra teachers, we've taken some criticism on one website for our emphasis on the sexual aspects of Tantra. Some of these criticisms are dogmatic, ill-informed about our work, or based on a more general lack of knowledge about the Tantric tradition; others are more substantive and serious. We usually strive to make it clear that sex is only a small part of Tantra and that many practitioners are celibate. At the same time, sex is what attracted us in the first place, and it's what most people -- whether they're journalists or members of the general public -- are interested in talking about.
The role of sexuality in Tantra is a contested one. Today, most traditional pracititioners are very conservative and puritanical, and most scholars of the tradition take a very dim view of Neo-Tantric sexual practices, pointing out that they are quite far removed, in both form and content, from Tantric sexual ritual. This is true even when, like David Gordon White, they embrace the idea that sex is what sets Tantra apart from other South Asian religious traditions.
While we don't expect to sway our critics, we strongly believe that the conscious exploration of one's sexuality is one of the richest arenas for self-discovery and for practicing within the spirit, if not the letter, of the classical Tantric tradition. Despite the fact that sex is everywhere in our society, sexual knowledge, or better yet, sexual gnosis is taboo. The conscious violation of social taboos was an integral part of ancient Tantric practice, and we believe that deliberately delving into one's sexuality, with the intent to discover and connect with its potentially transcendent power, while breaking free of society's constraints, is an authentic way of practicing Tantra in the contemporary Western world. This is one of the central themes of our next book, Tantra for Erotic Empowerment.
Although our background and training are more traditional than many Western Tantra teachers, we've taken some criticism on one website for our emphasis on the sexual aspects of Tantra. Some of these criticisms are dogmatic, ill-informed about our work, or based on a more general lack of knowledge about the Tantric tradition; others are more substantive and serious. We usually strive to make it clear that sex is only a small part of Tantra and that many practitioners are celibate. At the same time, sex is what attracted us in the first place, and it's what most people -- whether they're journalists or members of the general public -- are interested in talking about.
The role of sexuality in Tantra is a contested one. Today, most traditional pracititioners are very conservative and puritanical, and most scholars of the tradition take a very dim view of Neo-Tantric sexual practices, pointing out that they are quite far removed, in both form and content, from Tantric sexual ritual. This is true even when, like David Gordon White, they embrace the idea that sex is what sets Tantra apart from other South Asian religious traditions.
While we don't expect to sway our critics, we strongly believe that the conscious exploration of one's sexuality is one of the richest arenas for self-discovery and for practicing within the spirit, if not the letter, of the classical Tantric tradition. Despite the fact that sex is everywhere in our society, sexual knowledge, or better yet, sexual gnosis is taboo. The conscious violation of social taboos was an integral part of ancient Tantric practice, and we believe that deliberately delving into one's sexuality, with the intent to discover and connect with its potentially transcendent power, while breaking free of society's constraints, is an authentic way of practicing Tantra in the contemporary Western world. This is one of the central themes of our next book, Tantra for Erotic Empowerment.
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
Mating in Captivity
We've both been reading Esther Perel's excellent book Mating in Captivity: Reconciling the Erotic and the Domestic. It is well worth your time, whether you are partnered or not. Perel treats individuals and couples; she has a wonderfully clear-headed and non-judgmental approach, and her views on contemporary relationships and what it takes to make them function well, erotically and emotionally, are very much in line with our own. We discuss some of these issues in Chapter Five of The Essence of Tantric Sexuality and will examine them in even more depth in Tantra for Erotic Empowerment.
Here's a brief quote from Perel:
"For many of us, premeditated sex is suspicious. It threatens our belief that sex is subject only to the machinations of magic and chemistry. The idea that sex must be spontaneous keeps us one step removed from having to will sex, to own our desire and to express it with intent."
The Tantric approach to sexuality is all about consciousness and intentionality. The result of bringing awareness to sex and treating it as something to be discovered, again and again and again, is magic, not the illusory magic of infatuation and chemical attraction, but something deeper and more powerful because it is willed.
We've both been reading Esther Perel's excellent book Mating in Captivity: Reconciling the Erotic and the Domestic. It is well worth your time, whether you are partnered or not. Perel treats individuals and couples; she has a wonderfully clear-headed and non-judgmental approach, and her views on contemporary relationships and what it takes to make them function well, erotically and emotionally, are very much in line with our own. We discuss some of these issues in Chapter Five of The Essence of Tantric Sexuality and will examine them in even more depth in Tantra for Erotic Empowerment.
Here's a brief quote from Perel:
"For many of us, premeditated sex is suspicious. It threatens our belief that sex is subject only to the machinations of magic and chemistry. The idea that sex must be spontaneous keeps us one step removed from having to will sex, to own our desire and to express it with intent."
The Tantric approach to sexuality is all about consciousness and intentionality. The result of bringing awareness to sex and treating it as something to be discovered, again and again and again, is magic, not the illusory magic of infatuation and chemical attraction, but something deeper and more powerful because it is willed.
Thursday, July 05, 2007
The Story Behind The Essence of Tantric Sexuality
We wrote The Essence of Tantric Sexuality with the blessings of our teacher, Dr. Jonn Mumford (Swami Anandakapila Saraswati). The book is based on lectures he gave at Gnosticon in 1976, and while it touches on some of the themes he addressed in his own books -- Ecstasy Through Tantra, A Chakra and Kundalini Workbook, and Magical Tattwas -- none of his work delves so deeply into the specifics of Tantric sexual practices, in large part because he was reluctant to allow the material to appear in print. Even in those areas where his books and ours overlap, the perspectives and practical details are significantly different.
It has been our privilege to study with Swami Anandakapila for the last eight years. At Gnosticon, Swamiji discussed arcane, complex, traditional material in way that would be accessible and practical for Westerners; thus the teachings are at once original and traditional -- his unique synthesis. Gnosticon was also possibly the first time an initiated Swami spoke publicly to an American audience about the sexual aspects of Hindu Tantra. Over the years, other authors have borrowed from these pioneering lectures (which were available on tape in the late 1970s and early 1980s), often out of context and often without crediting Swamiji as the source. We wrote The Essence of Tantric Sexuality to insure that his authentic teachings would be available for future generations, in context and with proper attribution. We had his support and cooperation throughout the process, and as a result, the book is considerably more detailed than the original lectures.
Our next book is based on our online course The Fundamentals of Tantric Sexuality.
We wrote The Essence of Tantric Sexuality with the blessings of our teacher, Dr. Jonn Mumford (Swami Anandakapila Saraswati). The book is based on lectures he gave at Gnosticon in 1976, and while it touches on some of the themes he addressed in his own books -- Ecstasy Through Tantra, A Chakra and Kundalini Workbook, and Magical Tattwas -- none of his work delves so deeply into the specifics of Tantric sexual practices, in large part because he was reluctant to allow the material to appear in print. Even in those areas where his books and ours overlap, the perspectives and practical details are significantly different.
It has been our privilege to study with Swami Anandakapila for the last eight years. At Gnosticon, Swamiji discussed arcane, complex, traditional material in way that would be accessible and practical for Westerners; thus the teachings are at once original and traditional -- his unique synthesis. Gnosticon was also possibly the first time an initiated Swami spoke publicly to an American audience about the sexual aspects of Hindu Tantra. Over the years, other authors have borrowed from these pioneering lectures (which were available on tape in the late 1970s and early 1980s), often out of context and often without crediting Swamiji as the source. We wrote The Essence of Tantric Sexuality to insure that his authentic teachings would be available for future generations, in context and with proper attribution. We had his support and cooperation throughout the process, and as a result, the book is considerably more detailed than the original lectures.
Our next book is based on our online course The Fundamentals of Tantric Sexuality.
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Punk Tantra
We usually write and post as a team, but this one is just from Mark. These are some preliminary thoughts on a subject that probably deserves to be explored in more depth. Punk Tantra may seem like an oxymoron to some, but my Tantric sensibility was shaped by my involvement in Punk. Just as we started getting active on myspace, I received a couple of CDs of material my first college band, The Relaxors, recorded in 1978 or '79 in Ann Arbor and learned that our old manager had set up a page for the band. When the package arrived I had already added a few of my favorite groups to our friends list. It was an odd sycnchronicity, and it encouraged me not only to revist my roots but also to dig through my archives. Some of the material I find may show up on the Relaxors page in the near future.
Patti Smith's Bottom Line show in December of 1975 was a life-changing experience for me. I'd seen plenty of rock bands by that time but had never experienced something of such transcendent power. About a month later I ventured into CBGBs, where Television and Talking Heads were on the bill. I knew I had found a home. This was before the crowds there got huge, and before Punk got codified, either as fashion or as a sonic style. Back then the scene was diverse, tolerant and accepting. I had the sense that we were all outsiders seeking freedom from received social norms -- whether musical, social or political. We were seeking intense experience, or as Patti Smith put it:
"I seek pleasure. I seek the nerves under your skin.The narrow archway; the layers; the scroll of ancient letters.
We worship the flaw, the belly, the belly, the mole on the belly of an exquisite whore.
He spared the child and spoiled the rod. I have not sold myself to God."
Anyway, Tantra. It's really the same thing. No need to sell yourself to God when you can find God inside yourself, but I digress. Contrary to popular myth, Tantra's got very little to do with sexual technique, and it's certainly not all new-age sweetness and light. It's about finding the divine through experience, wherever you are, including in the gutter. And those transcendent moments in the dirty dank and sweaty rock 'n' roll clubs in New York, Detroit and Ann Arbor were truly Tantric. The ego dissolved, and I became one with the sound.
We usually write and post as a team, but this one is just from Mark. These are some preliminary thoughts on a subject that probably deserves to be explored in more depth. Punk Tantra may seem like an oxymoron to some, but my Tantric sensibility was shaped by my involvement in Punk. Just as we started getting active on myspace, I received a couple of CDs of material my first college band, The Relaxors, recorded in 1978 or '79 in Ann Arbor and learned that our old manager had set up a page for the band. When the package arrived I had already added a few of my favorite groups to our friends list. It was an odd sycnchronicity, and it encouraged me not only to revist my roots but also to dig through my archives. Some of the material I find may show up on the Relaxors page in the near future.
Patti Smith's Bottom Line show in December of 1975 was a life-changing experience for me. I'd seen plenty of rock bands by that time but had never experienced something of such transcendent power. About a month later I ventured into CBGBs, where Television and Talking Heads were on the bill. I knew I had found a home. This was before the crowds there got huge, and before Punk got codified, either as fashion or as a sonic style. Back then the scene was diverse, tolerant and accepting. I had the sense that we were all outsiders seeking freedom from received social norms -- whether musical, social or political. We were seeking intense experience, or as Patti Smith put it:
"I seek pleasure. I seek the nerves under your skin.The narrow archway; the layers; the scroll of ancient letters.
We worship the flaw, the belly, the belly, the mole on the belly of an exquisite whore.
He spared the child and spoiled the rod. I have not sold myself to God."
Anyway, Tantra. It's really the same thing. No need to sell yourself to God when you can find God inside yourself, but I digress. Contrary to popular myth, Tantra's got very little to do with sexual technique, and it's certainly not all new-age sweetness and light. It's about finding the divine through experience, wherever you are, including in the gutter. And those transcendent moments in the dirty dank and sweaty rock 'n' roll clubs in New York, Detroit and Ann Arbor were truly Tantric. The ego dissolved, and I became one with the sound.
Friday, June 29, 2007
We've set up a myspace page -- www.myspace.com/tantrapm
We will be blogging there regularly and cross-posting here.
Here are the entries from this past week:
Friday, June 29, 2007
Come Together
The past few days have been both exhilirating and depressing. On the positive side, Barbara Carrellas's book launch party (Tuesday night) and the fifth monthly Pleasure Salon (last night) were exciting and inspiring events. It's absolutely thrilling to be part of a burgeoning sex positive movement in New York and to see such a diverse group of people finding common ground and common cause.
On the downside, there's the ongoing, pointless war in Iraq, the failure of our political leaders to do anything meaningful about global warming (of course, these are nothing new), and the recent series of appalling, intellectually bankrupt decisions by the Supreme Court -- supporting corporate "free speech" but denying it to high school students (bong hits for Jesus anyone?), removing the prohibition on corporate price-fixing, and perhaps worst of all, effectively endorsing the re-segregation of our public schools.
These are grim times, and we fear that things will get much worse. It is time to come together, to stand up for our rights and to defend the Earth. Everything is connected.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
New York, New York
Last night we went to the launch party for our dear friend Barbara Carrellas's book Urban Tantra. Barbara's presentation was just brilliant; she's a dynamic and incredibly entertaining lecturer. She has been an important figure in contemporary American Tantra for many years now. She is truly a kindred spirit.
There was a small after party that included a number of luminaries from the New York area -- sex educators, practitioners, old friends and new. Interesting things are happening here, and it's incredibly exciting to see diverse groups and individuals coming together. Barbara's been building these bridges for years. She's an inspiration.
Monday, June 25, 2007
Teaching Today
We're in NYC today to teach. We get great satisfaction from teaching privately. We are able to adjust the content of the lessons to each couple's level of knowledge and particular goals. Often we can delve into subtleties that we are unable to address in our open workshops. Ongoing study is usually more rewarding than attending a weekend workshop.
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Kirtan
We had a very late night last night. We went to Bhagavan Das's kirtan at East/West Books on 5th Avenue between 13th and 14th. It was great to see Bhagavan Das again; it made us long for the days when he was living in New York.
We don't get to kirtans often enough, and it's always amazing how powerful they are, especially with Bhagavan Das. We had a fairly stressful day and left for the city later than we'd planned, so we weren't in the greatest frame of mind when the kirtan started. It took a little while to get into the flow of things and for the mental chatter to subside, but eventually the energy of the group and the power of the mantras took over, and we were transported.
That's how it always seems to work. Chanting is a simple but astonishingly profound practice.
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Hot Sex and Zero Sum Games.
Not long ago, we received an inquiry from a man whose partner was reluctant to explore Tantric sex because she was afraid she would lose the ability to enjoy more 'conventional' forms of sexual activity, that sex would no longer be 'hot.'
We're here to tell you – you can practice Tantra, and still have hot sex. For us, Tantra is about an approach to living that includes and embraces sexuality, recognizing it as one of the richest arenas for spiritual exploration. Awareness is the key, and in Tantra this applies to all aspects of life, not just sexuality. Choosing awareness will add new dimensions and enable you to go deeper, when you want to. It won't turn sex into a chore or detract from your ability to enjoy a quickie.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Online Interview
We've been regular guests on Ann Sanders's show, doing a monthly Tantra Tuesdays segment for almost a year now. We just recorded the July episode in which we discuss Tantric massage and describe some techniques from chapter 14 of The Essence of Tantric Sexuality.
Shows are archived at:
http://www.healthylife.net/RadioShow/archiveAA.htm
We just learned that our beloved teacher Bhagavan Das will be in New York City this weekend. We can't make the Friday Kirtan at Jivamukti Yoga, but we're hoping to attend the Saturday event at East West Books. If you've never been to one of his kirtans, you've missed something extraordinary.
We will be blogging there regularly and cross-posting here.
Here are the entries from this past week:
Friday, June 29, 2007
Come Together
The past few days have been both exhilirating and depressing. On the positive side, Barbara Carrellas's book launch party (Tuesday night) and the fifth monthly Pleasure Salon (last night) were exciting and inspiring events. It's absolutely thrilling to be part of a burgeoning sex positive movement in New York and to see such a diverse group of people finding common ground and common cause.
On the downside, there's the ongoing, pointless war in Iraq, the failure of our political leaders to do anything meaningful about global warming (of course, these are nothing new), and the recent series of appalling, intellectually bankrupt decisions by the Supreme Court -- supporting corporate "free speech" but denying it to high school students (bong hits for Jesus anyone?), removing the prohibition on corporate price-fixing, and perhaps worst of all, effectively endorsing the re-segregation of our public schools.
These are grim times, and we fear that things will get much worse. It is time to come together, to stand up for our rights and to defend the Earth. Everything is connected.
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
New York, New York
Last night we went to the launch party for our dear friend Barbara Carrellas's book Urban Tantra. Barbara's presentation was just brilliant; she's a dynamic and incredibly entertaining lecturer. She has been an important figure in contemporary American Tantra for many years now. She is truly a kindred spirit.
There was a small after party that included a number of luminaries from the New York area -- sex educators, practitioners, old friends and new. Interesting things are happening here, and it's incredibly exciting to see diverse groups and individuals coming together. Barbara's been building these bridges for years. She's an inspiration.
Monday, June 25, 2007
Teaching Today
We're in NYC today to teach. We get great satisfaction from teaching privately. We are able to adjust the content of the lessons to each couple's level of knowledge and particular goals. Often we can delve into subtleties that we are unable to address in our open workshops. Ongoing study is usually more rewarding than attending a weekend workshop.
Sunday, June 24, 2007
Kirtan
We had a very late night last night. We went to Bhagavan Das's kirtan at East/West Books on 5th Avenue between 13th and 14th. It was great to see Bhagavan Das again; it made us long for the days when he was living in New York.
We don't get to kirtans often enough, and it's always amazing how powerful they are, especially with Bhagavan Das. We had a fairly stressful day and left for the city later than we'd planned, so we weren't in the greatest frame of mind when the kirtan started. It took a little while to get into the flow of things and for the mental chatter to subside, but eventually the energy of the group and the power of the mantras took over, and we were transported.
That's how it always seems to work. Chanting is a simple but astonishingly profound practice.
Saturday, June 23, 2007
Hot Sex and Zero Sum Games.
Not long ago, we received an inquiry from a man whose partner was reluctant to explore Tantric sex because she was afraid she would lose the ability to enjoy more 'conventional' forms of sexual activity, that sex would no longer be 'hot.'
We're here to tell you – you can practice Tantra, and still have hot sex. For us, Tantra is about an approach to living that includes and embraces sexuality, recognizing it as one of the richest arenas for spiritual exploration. Awareness is the key, and in Tantra this applies to all aspects of life, not just sexuality. Choosing awareness will add new dimensions and enable you to go deeper, when you want to. It won't turn sex into a chore or detract from your ability to enjoy a quickie.
Wednesday, June 20, 2007
Online Interview
We've been regular guests on Ann Sanders's show, doing a monthly Tantra Tuesdays segment for almost a year now. We just recorded the July episode in which we discuss Tantric massage and describe some techniques from chapter 14 of The Essence of Tantric Sexuality.
Shows are archived at:
http://www.healthylife.net/RadioShow/archiveAA.htm
We just learned that our beloved teacher Bhagavan Das will be in New York City this weekend. We can't make the Friday Kirtan at Jivamukti Yoga, but we're hoping to attend the Saturday event at East West Books. If you've never been to one of his kirtans, you've missed something extraordinary.
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