Balder Ex-Libris

Author : Frawley David
Title : Tantric Yoga And the wisdom Goddesses : spiritual secrets of Ayurveda
Year : 1994

Link download : Frawley_David_-_Tantric_Yoga.zip

Foreword by Georg Feuerstein, Ph.D.. Tantrism has a long and illustrious history in India, Tibet, Assam, Kashmir, and Nepal. Once widely celebrated, it acquired during the British Raj a notoriety that led to its suppression and almost complete disappearance in India. Today Tantrism is thriving only in the form of Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana). One of the principal reasons for the decline of Hindu Tantrism was the inclusion of sexual practices in its rich repertoire, which offended the sensibilities of Hindu puritans. Although these practices were pursued by only a small Tantric minority, in the minds of the influential Hindu brahmins Tantrism and sexuality became almost synonymous. A similar confusion exists nowadays in the West where Tantrism has been experiencing a moderate renaissance ever since the psychedelic revolution of the 1960s. Here, however, it is precisely the sexual orientation of Tantrism that attracts Western seekers who have tired of the sex-negative attitude prevailing in the Judea-Christian tradition. Many Western seekers think of Tantrism solely in terms of its sexual practices, and not a few who actually immerse themselves in Tantric teachings do so merely for hedonistic reasons. Tantrism, however, is not about selfish pleasure but about ego-transcending bliss, and it is not about sex as such but about the transmutation of sexual energy. Today we fmd ads for Tantra Yoga in a variety of publications, and those who happen to have their names on a New Age mailing list can expect to receive junk mail inviting them to Tantric celebrations in idyllic settings, promising pleasure and fun. This comeback, questionable though it is in some respects, represents a significant change from the 1920s when the first English translations of Tantric scriptures (called Tantras) were published... and largely ignored. However, the recent increase in popularity has not gone hand in hand with a comparable deepening of understanding. This is most regrettable because Tantrism is a fascinating spiritual tradition that contains a wealth of insights useful to those who seek to explore the depths of human consciousness. Under appropriate guidance it can even be a potent tool of self-transformation and spiritual realization. ...