The Way of Tantra

Viewed from within a global mainstream perspective, Tantra is often synonymous with techniques related to sexuality, intimacy, creative energy and individualistic freedom with a hedonistic spin, and all of it loosely connected to some new agey relational conceptualization of the 'sacred feminine'.

Of course, this hasn't always been the case. Tantra has, like Yoga, undergone a major structural transformation that affects how it is understood and used. While for the modern consumer of trends, Tantra is either approached as commercial product plainly related to carnal pleasure, sexual prowess and inventiveness, or from a somewhat deeper level as ancient wisdom and know-how repackaged and rebranded as a science for relational and personal development.

If you were to follow the historical thread of Tantra's ancient wisdom towards its source, it would lead you to sacred Puranic and Vedic texts, which you will encounter as the foundation and heart of this continuously evolving, highly spiritual and multi-branched tradition called Tantra.

Stemming out of the foundations of both Hindu and Yogic traditions, Tantra can be described as the Spiritual Path of applied technique, a sort of Alchemical path of self-realization, and enlightenment.

From its Vedic and Puranic structural foundation, Tantra breaks into three separate paths: the Left-handed Path, the Right-handed path, and the Direct Path.

Left-hand path

The Vamachara, or Left-hand path, or the Path of Action and Ecstasy, and sometimes also referred to as the Path of the Goddess, approaches spirituality through many aspects of life deemed to be profane, at least by most orthodox spiritual traditions, as is sexuality, the use of intoxicants, as in wine and alcohol, and the eating of certain forbidden foods, in this case meat and fish.

Right-hand Path

The Dakshinachara, or Right-hand Path, or the Path of Devotion and Peace, takes an internalized approach to the application of all meditational and spiritual disciplines, emphasizes purity in action and conduct, and views all Tantric rituals and practices as meant to be symbolic. Traditional Buddhist Tantra follows this Right-handed Path.

While the Right-handed Path has within it similar practices related to the forbidden, it relates to them solely from a symbolic perspective, in which the sexual acts, the use of intoxicants and the consumption of forbidden foods allude to internally occurring transformational processes, or internally projected visualized rituals, the Left-handed Path relies on these spiritually liberating practices through externalized palpable actions and means.

Direct Path

On this path, the seeker gives up all her, or his attachments to rituals and disciplines, including as symbols. In fact, all forms of formal and informal worship are foregone through this approach, as the seeker having inquired into his own nature, merges effortlessly with the divine, or with his True Self.

This path which has been referred to as the Highest Tantric Path, and which is a very difficult path to truly embark on, is also known Path of Self-Inquiry, or Atma-Vichara, and is similar to the Direct Vedantic Path, as clearly exemplified by the life and teachings of Shri Ramana Mahrashi.

Tantra; A spiritually Transformational Journey

My own relationship to the Right-handed Path of Tantra is highly colored by, and rooted in my passion for the world of Vedic cosmology, through all its gods, goddesses, demons and heroic figures, and especially to the multifaceted figures of Shiva and Kali.

Dearest to my heart are the spiritually transformative teachings of the Shiva Puranas, as expressed through the Dasha Mahavidya, which are the ten forms taken by the Goddess to save the world, and the purity of Vedas, by defeating the demon Durgama who had taken control of the vedas and brought suffering down on humanity.

The Dasha Mahavidya are ten symbolic forms, expressed through representations with anthropomorphic qualities, describing from equal number of perspectives, the highest aspect of the Eternal, Infinite, Unlimitedly potentiated, All-pervading, All sustaining, Divine Feminine creative element, in relation to consciousness, life, spirituality, and especially in relation to the Tantric spiritual evolutionary journey of self-realization.

As such, the Dasha Mahavidya also represent a process that can be described as ten organic attainments and integrations of spiritual wisdom that lead to a true merging with absolute Spiritual Truth. Here, the assimilation of the wisdom of each of the ten forms of the Goddess can either be experienced as a direct portal to Self-realization and liberation, or as a partial transformational shift, part of a process requiring up to nine other shifts.

Personally, I find that the ten forms of the Goddess with their individual characteristics and qualities, offer a multiplicity of spiritual entry points leading to the same spiritual destination, for a human species which at an individual level is intrinsically uniquely shaped and constructed and can never truly benefit from a cookie-cutter approach to spirituality.

Thus, it could be said that through the ten forms of the Goddess and their respective spiritual wisdom, every seeker can be inspired to join the Tantric Path.

Sharing and Integrating Tantric Wisdom

At a soulful level, my personal relationship to Tantric Wisdom is rooted in the teachings of esteemed Bhagavan Kavyakantha Ganapati Muni.

These teachings have become, especially during this past decade, intrinsically embedded in both my daily spiritual practice (Sadhana), and overall spiritual journey (Dharma path).

If you feel inspired to find out more about my experience along the Tantric path, just give me a 'howler' by email at kfadali @ gmail . com.

I am grateful to share that which I've learned, as long as there is an understanding that no two spiritual evolutions are ever the same

Until then, May you be connected to your higher wisdom and intelligence, and as such truly empowered.