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If you absolutely don't know what Tantra is; and beyond the concept you haven't heard a thing - Wonderful! You are welcome to read on and enrich your knowledge base. Regretfully, most people don't really know what Tantra is and they feed on rumors and distorted concepts about the subject. The Western world have totaly distorted the elements of Tantra and suited them to various commercial and sales elements, thus emptying Tantra from its deep and reach spiritual contents. As a result, many think that Tantra is a combination of free and wild sex with various sexual techniques. Indeed, Tantra also deals with sex, but from unique motivations on which we will elaborate and with an exalted objective.

If you belong to that group who have heard various rumors about Tantra - we hereby invite you to forget everything you have heard, clean your mind and heart and read on as a blank page, so you may really understand and grasp how wonderful indeed, is this marvelous paradigm.

Tantra is not a religeon, but is rather an ancient paradigm. The most ancient Vedas (scriptures) date back some 5000 years ago. This concept have actually been the foundation for the later development of Yoga, Tao, Dao and other related phylosophies. Many aspects of this paradigm opted freedom and liberation from bonding frameworks and the fixed morals of powerful and religeous persons. Those people naturally feared the implications of Tantra and throughout history bloody persecutions of Tantrika (those who follow the Tantric concepts) were conducted. So many were killed, that Tantra went underground and became a top secret concept, spread by word of mouth. History of Tantra is fascinating and informative. Understanding the development of the different streams contributes much to the understanding of Tantra itself

About The Tantra

Principle of the One

This is the most important basic principle of the Tantric concept. The entire Universe, on all of its aspects and contents is one. Thus, there is no distinction between creator and creation, they are one. Many implications are derived from this basic principle. One with many perspectives is the idea of non-duality. If the entire Universe in one whole and there is no distinction between the creator and creation, then there is no "right" and "wrong" (except of course from our subjective ones, but Tantra does not care for these). The mere attempt of people (referring usually to the powerful, ruling and extreme religeous) to determine what they accept and what not, stands against the idea of the One. If there is anything which is wrong - than the creator is wrong. According to the concept, if a single Atom in this Universe is not holly, than hollyness can't exist at all. As it is so, Tantra is not interested in morals. It is not to say that there is no morality, but Tantra simply doesn't deal with it, since morals are by nature, subjective. The princilpe of the One also forms the elementary basis for the next principle, which also reminds us of a cardinal principle of the Jewish concepts, as it has been quoted by Rabi Akiva who taught the whole Tora in one sentence...

You are not your body not your mind

This idea is very deep and hard to grasp by anyone not used to it. Especially for those who never practiced Tantra or its derivatives (e.g. Yoga, Meditation or a deep, meditative prayer). According to this idea, we are entities of an intelligent energy (which finds its name in different cultures as soul). This entity is part of the creator and it finds itself a physical, existential expression form as a living body. The body is merely a tool with a purpose to enable performing of a certain spiritual advancement, as part of a long path of spiritual development. The mind is also a result of the living body. Anyone with experience in Meditation, is familiar with that moment where one can watch his thoughts as a bystander and experience the amazing phenomenon where he understands that a major segment of the thoughts running through his head, are not at all his!!! He did not think, or create them and can't even tell where they came from. Even more, an experienced meditator can quiet down her thoughts and personally experience this idea that she - her entity, being and mind are separate. This comprehension, that we are not our body or thoughts has a crucial implication on the Tantric paradigm on Life and Death and the ability to understand and practice additional principles. We shall describe some of them later on.

Here and now

How simple and true, yet deep and Universal. Nothing exists but this moment, and by the time you managed to think of it, there it has gone! Past does not exist, as it has already ended. Future does not exist, as it hasen't arrived yet. There exists only the moment. Seize this moment and live it in total awareness, as it has no substitute.

This attitude enables us an amazing spiritual growth and a much more peaceful and complete life. We live dismissed of all that has gone. This is not to say we don't learn our lessons from the past, the opposite is true. But, we don't remain stuck in the past. We also life detached from future implications. Again, not to say we don't plan ahead our lives, goals and future, but we don't live in fear from any future outcome. We are not stuck bound to what we have planned, but living the moment fully.

About Sex

Now that you have read all these explanations (or have you not?) you can understand this topic at a greater depth.

Many of the concepts we have talked about, if not all of them, demand in principle a lot of internal work to comprehend and embed the principle, and even more - to implement it as a way of life. Who isn't looking for shortcuts? Perhaps some exist who will choose the long and tormenting route, but these will not be Tantrika.

Tantrika aspires obtaining an enlightenment not through "Via Dolorosa" of torment, asceticism and isolation. For a Tantrika, as long as the end result would be the one we initially aspired, than if we can cut the route shorter, and along it celebrate the wonderful celebration of life - Why not then???

Tantra makes use of Sensuality, Nudity, Touch and Sex to intensly and quickly internalize many concepts. Among those would be Love of mankind, separation of our being from mind and body, acceptance and surrender, non attachment and above all, Meditation and connecting with the One.

When a person removes many barriers and protecting shields by being naked, when there is a direct contact with her by touch and when her mind is quieted by Meditation, there is not much to interfere with assimilation of the concepts.

According to Tantra, there are three states where one is as close as possible to enlightenment. These are Death, deep Meditation and the moment of deep Orgasm and they are all considered to be close to each other, since through all of them, we are nothing but a pure being.

Then why is it, that in most of the Western world Tantra has become a synonym with Swinging and partner swapping, wild Orgies, esoteric sexual positions and techniques for delayed male orgasm? So simple!!! Western world is mostly a material world, driven by power of the money and Sex, what can you do, has an enormous sales power. Thus, people of interest, took this amazing, unique attitude, stripped it naked of all its deep spirituality and turned it into piles and mountains of pornographic tapes and plenty of Internet sites full of bullshit and totally distorted information.

Yes indeed, should you learn Tantra in the proper places, you will be exposed to nudity, touch and dealing with sexuality, but these will come at the right time and place, to enable and enhance personal spiritual, social/emotional development. To help you live a prosperous calm and full life. Things will allways be performed while maintaining the honoring, sacred place. That very place where we see the person in front of us an integral part of the creator and the creation, which are one.

To Partners

With pleasure we will consider offers by the organisation of  the workshops and seminars. Seminars are possible without becoming attached to Kiev.

The conditions which is necessary for the workshop:

1.Large hall or country house for carrying out of a seminar from calculation about 3 sq. m on the person.

2.Sound equipment adequate to the sizes of a premise.

3.Financial maintenance of journey of the teacher.

About  the Teacher

It is an official site of the  TatntaTeacher and deep inner transformations expert  Godulyanov Igor  :

The graduate of the Filosofic -ethical  school of a name of Roerichs.

The deplumed expert in history , culture and religion.

The leader of trainings by practical psychology and personal growth

Ten years of experience in esoteric s

The second step of dedication of the Japanese system Reiki

The musician

"I went through the many workshops, systems and seminars, and compiled the best, to chare it with you”

Запись

What is Tantra?

The spiritual art of love...of connecting spirit with form. It is experiencing love through through the beauty of the earth and all existence. It is about acceptance, rather than denial. It also embraces compassion...about truth within unconditional love...

What are its elements? Is Tantra a yoga?

Some call it Tantra Yoga. If we see yoga as union, then I agree. Others say Tantra is not a part of Yoga, which most people see as Hatha Yoga anyway, but rather an entire lifestyle. Many in the yoga community consider Tantra "something they would rather not deal with," so to speak. So, in that sense it is not about yoga as practiced in America, unless that yoga teacher also embraces the openness an sensual nature of Tantra.

Is Tantra a religion, or a movement within religion(s), or is it entirely separate from religion?

Tantra is not a religion. It is a spiritual path. When religion enters, then barriers are drawn. However, some call Tantra a religion, although there is no organized body of thought or practitioners as such. Tantra cannot be encapsulated into a religion or dogma.

What distinguishes Tantra from neo-Tantra?

Historic/cultural Tantra follows many rituals, yantra and mantra. Neo-Tantra is an adaptation by a particular teacher. Few today follow classical/historic/cultural Tantra, which can be read in boring texts. Swami Virato teaches authentic Tantra for the 21st Century based upon Tantra's essential spiritual nature. However, learning technique, method and practice are the choice of the adapt. Swami Virato's sannyasins (disciples) are asked to become unconditional love. Tantra is essentially a lifestyle...a way to acknowledge our sensual and spiritual selves... To accept all...even the paradox... To open the heart totally.

What is the exact relationship between Tantra and sexuality?

In Tantra, sexuality is total and filled with bliss. However, Tantra is not about sex. Sex practiced or performed in Tantra is what is taught by most teachers of this spiritual lifestyle. In Swami Virato's experiential events sexual ignition energy is used as a tool to raise the Kundalini, or the participants bioenergy. Swami Virato simply uses this energy as a tool. At some point Tantrikas experience a bliss-filled state that can be identified as asexuality. Perhaps because of general sexual suppression by cultures and religions, ancient carvings in Nepal and India depicting unbridled sexual sharing create indelible labels. Some Tantrikas do not engage in sex at all.

Practice

Is Tantra an attitude, a belief, or a practice?

No belief. It is an attitude and there are practices, in sex, and many other areas of life that can be used as tools. Many of these include contemporary conscious psychotherapeutic methods, as well as  Eastern philosophy and techniques, such as pranyama, yantra, mantra, etc., as well as simply applying expanded consciousness to one's existence.

Are there common elements in its practice, if it has any? If so, how do these relate to any common attitudes or beliefs? When you say you "practice" Tantra, what do you do exactly?

Tantra is a lifestyle of letting-go, feeling a oneness with everything. If we were to relate Tantra to life in general, we would say there is much more lay-back living, more enjoyment of our sensual nature, a sexual freedom which follows a lifestyle of let go as well. Practicing Tantra is to walk our talk...to visualize others as Divine... to meditate, get and give and receive massages ..and to say YES! more often...to seek for the purest, highest quality of life, yet to accept whatever we have...and to feel our Divine nature...God...Goddess.

Origins/Ideals

Where and when did Tantra start, if it had an origin?

While there are many opinions, there is no real beginning as such. See articles and books, particularly the Hindu vedas, and the spiritual philosophy of Tilopa and Milaropa. However, it is now known that using sexual-heart  energy of the Kundalini for transcendence and connecting with God or Divinity was known by many cultures throughout the world. There are references to it in both the new and old testament's of the Bible, in the Koran, the Bhagavagita and countless other spiritual texts.

Are there certain types of cultures where it arises?

Interesting question. Tantra seems to arise and gain interest when we have gone too far with our material world. More of the lay-back, natural cultures like the Cherokees and Polynesians follow a similar lifestyle. Some pagan traditions also do. Whenever civilization has filled its members with fear, Tantra becomes popular. It is something we all experience at one time or another in our lives. Now, in Russia, Tantra has become very popular.

Are there historical or fictional people associated with its origins?

You can see glimpses of Tantra in Krishna's playfulness with the dakinis, and Jesus, no doubt, was also a Tantrika based upon his words of love and his association with Mary of Magdalene and Veronica of Nazareth. Tilopa, Naropa and Milaropa also were the so-called original messengers of Classical Tantra. However, even with the writings of Sir Richard Burton, much has been lost to antiquity

Is there an 'ideal' Tantra, regardless of how it manifests today? If so, what is this like?

Returning to the Biblical Garden of Eden, or a vision of Nirvana or Heaven. A community of people filled with unconditional love, bliss, a joy of life, tenderness and acceptance of all. Enjoying the good life, so to speak, unaddicted yet experiencing with totality and enlightened, of course [chuckle].

Is there an objective or ideal focus of a Tantrika? If so, what is it?

Not really. Maybe enjoying God's existence at every moment and allowing enlightenment to occur in the process. Becoming aware...awake. Follow a form of mantra or yantra meditation, eat a proper vegetarian diet, be gentle and find love within you at each moment. The lifestyle itself is the gift and path....

What are the essentials of 'Tantric philosophy' if there is such a thing?

Same as above.

How does this relate to other Eastern or Western philosophies?

Most philosophies and religions have a dogmatic point-of-view of existence. Eastern and Western philosophies are tied up in dogma. Tantra is about dropping dogma, and simply being in bliss. This is difficult to talk about since all talk is the beginning of a philosophy. Philo from the Greek language means "life" and "sophy" from sophic represents study. In Tantra life in its totality is beyond study... It is experience.

Sociological/Cultural

Are there certain sects of religious traditions which consider themselves or are considered by others to be 'Tantric'?

Yes, many. Yogi Bhajan of the 3HO organization (adapted from the Sikh tradition) considers his path "white" Tantra. Pagan traditions call it Tantrik practice, Tibetan Buddhists follow a Tantra path (commonly called yellow Tantra), and aspects of Voodoo and Santamaria use similar practices as in black Tantra, and the worship of Kali, the destroyer. This is only a sampling. There are many texts available on Classical Tantra in new age book shops and select libraries. Swami Virato follows the path of red Tantra...for the passion of flesh and spirit.

Are there Western forms of Tantra or rough equivalents?

Not really. Perhaps what is being taught by most teachers today could be called Western forms. Quodoshka was a similar form practiced by Native Americans (Cherokee).

Can Tantra be found in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Taoism? If so, in what forms and characters?

Yes. Read the various texts. Some say Tantra predates all of them.

Why do people get excited and mention sex when they hear the word Tantra?

Because sex sells, and most Tantra teachers accent this portion of the Tantric lifestyle in their courses, workshops and seminars. However, Tantra is much more than sex.

What inhibits Tantra, what stimulates it, and what kinds of people are more likely to practice it?

Fear and a closed mind inhibit living the Tantric life, while dance, other movement, meditation and pranyama (various breathing techniques) stimulate it. People who are adventurous and open are more likely to connect to a Tantric lifestyle.

Is it possible for Tantra to die out?

Never!