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Tantra


Himalayan Mystic

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Tantra has become a word which can create a myriad of images in different minds. It started in another way, was described in more than 300 tantra scriptures and refers to a strong tradition in India and Tibet up to a century ago. Today with digitization and the world wide web making details available in bits and pieces the very nature of transmission of tantric knowledge has changed. The well preserved tradition of master disciple lineages has changed. We have access to sacred knowledge that was once kept secret.

So i hope to explore this topic with the help of this thread where we could try to independently research meanings and practices and try to understand how much of the true meanings have changed and in how many ways knowledge has been modified to suit short term commercial interests.

What is the meaning of tantra?

Who is a tantric?

What is the objective of tantra?

And so on..........

In what way does knowledge get misinterpreted and cause problems for the society?

Respected members of UM can we have your point of view here.

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strong tradition in India and Tibet up to a century ago...........................

I think that the Tibetan and Hindu tantra are a little different paths.

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and a tradition that stretches far further back than 'a century ago' ...

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Today with digitization and the world wide web making details available in bits and pieces the very nature of transmission of tantric knowledge has changed. The well preserved tradition of master disciple lineages has changed. We have access to sacred knowledge that was once kept secret.

As far as I know, master/disciple relationship hasn't changed in the Open-Eye Meditation way since Swami Rudrananda (a disciple of Swami Muktananda) started it, and that tradition has Tantric Shaivism elements. Transmission of knowledge is usually done through subtle energies (including voice) and Shaktipat. There's so much to say.

You may want to check these out:

Edited by No-thingBornPassion
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okay! A rundown of what Tantra even means, please? Should I just google it? I'm the average brained kid here. I suppose I could google every topic before I come through with a response but that would be a little shady and a 15 second bit of knowledge I have gained. I am interested.

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It's hard to define Tantra because as Wiki states, "Rather than one coherent system, Tantra is an accumulation of practices and ideas; because of the wide range of communities covered by the term, it is problematic to describe tantric practices definitively." It's the reason why I mentioned that the Open-Eye Meditation has "elements" of Tantric Shaivism, such as breathing technique (pranayama), physical yoga (Hatha Yoga), a specific mudra, idolatry (meditation on the master or deities), and other secret teachings and definitions, including aspects of Buddhist teachings, especially the Zen and Tibetan sides. In the end, what it boils down to is the overflowing of Shakti -- you either feel it or you don't, it's either working ("manifesting" in realtime) or it's all in the mind. The goal is, of course, "liberation."

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Is shakti god or is it evil? I read online shiva is the devil. What do you guys think?

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okay! A rundown of what Tantra even means, please? Should I just google it? I'm the average brained kid here. I suppose I could google every topic before I come through with a response but that would be a little shady and a 15 second bit of knowledge I have gained. I am interested.

Tantra is an Eastern name for the secret science - secret teachings . As in the West occultism. There are two basic types of tantra - Buddhist and Hindu. What is on the West presents like the concept of tantra is usually only sexually oriented essence of Buddhist tantra.

Buddhism says that life is suffering and learn how to stop the cycle of life. Buddhist practice has lead to the end of the cycle of lifes. In this and in the spiritual worlds too.

Hindu tantra shows all the options that a person has in front of him and allowed him to choose which path he chooses.

Buddhists tantra books are for exapmle:

Hevajra tantra, Guhyasamaya tantra, Kalachakra tantra, ............ and so on

Hindu tantra boks ......

Sat chakra nirupana, Kali tantra, Shiva samhita, Gheranda samhita (yoga teaching yet also calls itself a tantra).........................and many others

Hindu tantra has sometimes close to spiritual alchemy. See for exampla Chinese book The Secret of the Golden Flower transalantion by Richard Willhelm.

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Is shakti god or is it evil? I read online shiva is the devil. What do you guys think?

Hindu religion has a Divine Trinity, similar like Christians.

Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.

Brahma is the Creator.

Vishnu is in urgent cases being born on earth as the Son of Man. Rama, Parashurama, Krishna... Similar like Jesus

So Shiva is something like Holy Spirit, I think.

Shakti is something like the feminine principle of divinity.

Edited by Lumpino
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Here's the bad news for all of us. To practice Tantra, you'd better be physically fit.

It depends what tantric practices. Some techniques of Tantra contrary strengthens health and prolong life, protect against disease. For example contemplation on Anahata chakra............. :yes:

But at the Anahata Chakra meditation is necessary be careful. It depends on mind control. Any improper thoughts can cause damage.

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  • 2 weeks later...

It is quite true that many masters continue teaching as they always have,

yet probably, because "information is so widely available and so easily available that it can frequently appear trivial"

I saw a lot of people identifying tantra with just sexuality

There is no point in unnecessary debate,

Knowledge belongs to everyone

But sacred knowledge that has been preserved in so many ways

It will impart light only if people appreciate it and value it

The mystical dimensions of tantra have profound secrets

How to perform physical union in the best way or how to enhance this dimension is a very small part of tantra

but it is somehow becoming the main focus of the world.

After all for sexuality there is a separate compendium of ancient knowledge and it has always been completely embraced and celebrated. as is evident from the temples of khajurao and the kamasutra.

However i believe one needs to spend time to realize the mystery of tantric knowledge

Only if enough intelligent people study the ancient knowledge and expound it as it is

only then can misconceptions be reduced, tantra is a great tradition.

All texts are available online in their ancient form if people

study them i'm sure it can change lives.

Robert e. svoboda writes about left hand tantra in his book aghora

but the right hand tantra is the major form of tantra.

Any way i could go on....

but if this is what is going on then so be it....

peace.............

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I don't know much about Tantra, but I do remember reading The Buddha saying, "Beware, the guru (philosopher) enters the village". I think one must explore any spiritual or esoteric path at first with objective, open-eyed skepticism.

Becoming overly attached to any method of enlightenment is in my view questionable, I think spiritual practices are only helpful if at some point one can let go of it and leave it behind, having gained what in the beginning one had wanted to achieve, or has not achieved.

What is the point of being a life-long adherent of some practice or teacher? The objective (if I can use that term) is to transcend the practice or teacher. In my experience, many gurus don't like this idea, don't want any of their desciples to ever get up and sit next to them.

Tantra in its many forms may be a good thing to practice, but how long do we practice before we graduate?

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The Budha was very objective, very clear always

I would completely agree when the purpose is reached the method may be dropped

What is the purpose?

A guru always wants to awaken us i believe

But those you refer to are they all really guru's

you must know.

The guru was himself once a disciple who received and worked towards it in many ways

Countless gurus have come and countless disciples .

I think in tantra there are all kinds of methods

Kriya yoga

Rituals

Devotion

Knowledge

Only meditation etc

The vigyan bhairav tantra is the one of the best for meditation methods

But any path chosen by someone

I feel its fine if its working.

Why not....

I think there is no need to identify with just one path or method

But all i want to say is that

the tantra's are ancient

they are full of wisdom

So are there many well established methods........

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I kid you not. Tantra is often associated with marathon sex with acrobatic positions. I say again, I am NOT kidding.

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