Misconceptions About Tantra

01-19-2006, 07:16 PM

font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:#CA0E00;font-weight:bold">Misconceptions About
Tantra
font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:#3E3E3E">Tantra has always been a secret path.
At all times there were opponents. That is why we are taught never to give away
our mantra: It is a specific injunction that a person shall not be initiated
into Tantra without specific testing as to suitableness. Vaidikas - the
followers of Veda - on many occasions derided the Tantra path. But there are
also references in Puranas extolling virtues of Tantra.
font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:#3E3E3E">People in the West have not seen or
been made familiar with all the
Tantric practices -- even by those who have opened parts of it to the West.
Thus, the West was mistakenly led to believe that Tantra is nothing but
"glorified sex". This misperception has led many astray, and has kept
many really deserving persons away from the practices. It has also brought many
sexually unsatisfied persons to what they think
is “Tantra”. It has helped many people to cash in on the
“fad” and the “need”.
font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:#3E3E3E">But let me clarify once and for all
that TANTRA IS NOT ALL ABOUT SEX.
font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:#3E3E3E">Real sexual practices may play some
role in the first stages -- and at certain much, much higher stages -- but it
is not the be-all and end-all of
Tantra. Because, you must understand, sex in Tantra simply plays the same role
as in ordinary life. We have sex in our life but sex is not what we live for.
It has its role in the psychological and procreative spheres. In the same way
does sex has some role in Tantra. But it is not an essential thing.
font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:#3E3E3E">In Tantra there are three
sub-divisions:
color:#3E3E3E">1.
bold">The Dakshinachra.
color:#3E3E3E"> The Right-Hand Path, which is closely linked to Vaidic
practices;
margin-left:1.0in">2.
font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:indigo;font-weight:bold">The Vamachara.
font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:#3E3E3E"> The Left-Hand Path, which partakes
all that is good from all systems and is essentially Kundalini Yoga. Here, all
differentiation between good and evil are destroyed. It is also called the
Kaula Path. This is my path.
margin-left:1.0in">3.
font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:indigo;font-weight:bold">The Samayachara.
font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:#3E3E3E"> This is a purely mental process.
The Vamachara
system has gained great notoriety because of its use of various items like
Meat, Alcohol and sex in the practices. Actually, this is a misplaced
notoriety. These items are only given the same amount of usage they receive in
ordinary life!! If anybody uses these items in excess in ordinary life, it is
not a good thing. And the same principle applies to Tantra as well.
Furthermore, the interpreters have indicated time and again that these can be
replaced with symbolic items. The greatest danger of the path is that powers
come to you easily and fast along this path; but any misuse leads to eternal
damnation.
font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:#3E3E3E">The first and last systems have no
physically sexual content. The system that is chosen by a practitioner will
depend on his or her mental attitudes and spiritual development as assessed by
the teacher. But before starting the practices, a student must assess his or
her own fitness for the system. He/She must ask:
margin-left:1.0in;text-indent:-.25in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2">
Symbol;color:#3E3E3E">·
color:#CA0E00">Am I capable of UNCONDITIONAL LOVE?
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Symbol;color:#3E3E3E">·
color:#CA0E00">Am I willing to spend the time and energy to lead a life that --
from daybreak to nightfall -- will be governed by secret co-relation with
Tantric practices and attitudes?
color:#3E3E3E">
font-family:"Trebuchet MS";color:#3E3E3E">The greatest beauty of Tantra is that
once the student becomes a full fledged practitioner, s/he will no longer be
governed by the normal rules of Karma. Outwardly s/he will be leading a normal
existence -- but inwardly s/he will be leading a very balanced life, so that
all actions are properly identified and hence s/he will not be bound by the
Karmic link and s/he will always be free from the Karma of all his actions,
because s/he has the right attitude. The Karmic bond is snapped once for all
once the student becomes a real Tantric. S/he is no longer bound by the mundane
differentiations of GOOD and BAD. The dualities in life cease to have any
role!!
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