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There is Tantra and there is Tantra

topic posted Wed, May 7, 2008 - 12:14 PM by  350ppm
what do you think?

From the postings and threads, would you say this tribe is for anything related to the word "tantra" as used by anyone?Or something more precise?

If you had to restate this tribe's mission, what would it be?
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350ppm
offline 350ppm
SF Bay Area
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  • *B*
    *B*
    offline 220

    Re: There is Tantra and there is Tantra

    Wed, May 7, 2008 - 2:56 PM
    Actually, if yu read the tribe intro - this tribe is dedicatd to ALL forms of sacred sexuality, not just tantra. I think tantra tends to be discussed more frequently since more folks seem to be familiar with tantra in one formor another.

    BUT (heh, I like big buts...butt I digress...) this tribe is certainly not dedicated to *any* one path over another.
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    • 350ppm
      350ppm
      offline 41

      Re: There is Tantra and there is Tantra

      Wed, May 7, 2008 - 3:18 PM
      this is the tribe mission statement: this community is for people who are interested or practice tantric yoga.

      Is this what you refer to as the tribe intro?

      If so, I am not sure this can be interpreted as "dedicatd to ALL forms of sacred sexuality, not just tantra."

      am I missing something?

      I do like the idea that all forms of sacred sexuality is welcome (hehe even the big bootie kind)
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    • Sham...
      Shambhalanth
      offline 53

      Re: There is Tantra and there is Tantra

      Wed, May 7, 2008 - 4:45 PM
      B, I would make one small change to what you said.

      You wrote, "I think tantra tends to be discussed more frequently since more folks seem to be familiar with tantra in one form or another."

      I think it would be more accurate to say, "I think tantra tends to be discussed more frequently since more folks seem to THINK THEY ARE familiar with tantra in one form or another."

      Namaste!
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      • arun
        arun
        offline 364

        Re: There is Tantra and there is Tantra

        Wed, May 7, 2008 - 11:56 PM
        With all apologies to those who are trying to pursue the original path delineated by the scriptural term "Tantra"...
        there is this wonderful renewal of the idea that all aspects of life can be considered as Sacraments
        and that our most intimate energies...those of erotic communion...can be the highest Sacraments of all.
        All things pertaining to that concept, I once called "tantra" but now call many other things. This is because
        I met those who are practicing the scriptural "Tantric" traditions and not necessarily involved in the
        "incense and handcuffs" variety.
        Words divide more than they unify...but we are stuck with them for now... especially on tribe.
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        • Ryan
          Ryan
          offline 55

          Re: There is Tantra and there is Tantra

          Thu, May 8, 2008 - 4:21 AM
          > those who are trying to pursue the original path delineated
          >by the scriptural term "Tantra"...

          Up until about 20 to 30 years ago, "scriptural" tantra was the only tantra that existed. Or perhaps we should say "lineage" tantra, since many practitioners (Indian and otherwise) had never read a tantric scripture. In any event, given that non-scriptural tantra is only about a quarter century old, the term neo-tantra is quite apt.

          More and more, I've noticed a trend in which there is growing interest in scriptural tantra within neo-tantra circles. A development I welcome.

          Warm Wishes,
          Ryan
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          • Sham...
            Shambhalanth
            offline 53

            Re: There is Tantra and there is Tantra

            Thu, May 8, 2008 - 7:24 PM
            Ryan wrote: "Up until about 20 to 30 years ago, "scriptural" tantra was the only tantra that existed. Or perhaps we should say "lineage" tantra..."

            I don't know about the dates, but I would say that rather than "Scriptural," "Lineage," or "Classical" Tantra I prefer to use the expression "Traditional Tantra." Is that because the other three, or terms like them, are inaccurate? Not at all.

            I just like the alliteration of "Traditional Tantra."

            :-)

            Namaste!
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          • ஹૐ adya
            ஹૐ adya
            offline 351

            Re: There is Tantra and there is Tantra

            Fri, May 9, 2008 - 4:34 PM
            Traditional Tantra was an oral tradition way before it was written down... sexual practices in Traditional Tantra are such an extremely small aspect of what is actually taught and has been handed down from guru to chela that they are rarely mentioned....

            I will add that I have tremendous respect for the ancient roots of Traditional Tantra and my teachers and Satguru who do teach authentic and ancient forms of Tantra and this is where my experience lies.

            Neo- tantra is a western born child which bears little if any resemblance to Traditional forms of Tantra since it focuses on sexual practices, as far as I know, really has nothing to do with Yoga either.

            ~Om Shanti
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      • *B*
        *B*
        offline 220

        Re: There is Tantra and there is Tantra

        Thu, May 8, 2008 - 6:49 AM
        "more folks seem to THINK THEY ARE familiar with tantra in one form or another."

        ya know, when I wrote that - I thought of saying folks are more familiar with the word "tantra" but didn't go back and edit. You are correct - there are far more who 'know' of tantra only as a word used to describe sexuality that might or might not also be spiritual/sacred. Many associate it only with a certain style of sexual activity or techniques for better sex.
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        • Re: There is Tantra and there is Tantra

          Thu, May 8, 2008 - 10:42 AM
          www.amazon.com/s/ref=sr_nr_seeall_16

          ~V~
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          • 350ppm
            350ppm
            offline 41

            Do you welcome all things whatever "tantra" here in this tribe?

            Thu, May 8, 2008 - 11:08 AM
            So I am gathering no objection to postings that anyone calls "tantra" related, even if it is.. a "tantra pill" that claims to open up the chakras for enhanced bliss? Or an event posting for a "tantra" magik show?

            I'm actually quite pleased that there seems to be great tolerance for diversity of thought around anythinig "tantra."
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            • Ryan
              Ryan
              offline 55

              Re: Do you welcome all things whatever "tantra" here in this tribe?

              Thu, May 8, 2008 - 12:27 PM
              >Do you welcome all things whatever "tantra" here in this tribe?

              Yes, pretty much, although spamming is considered rude.

              >a "tantra pill" that claims to open up the chakras for enhanced bliss?

              Do you have some of these pills? If so, how much are you selling them for?

              Actually, the creation of such pills (Sk. Gutika, Tib. ril bu) became a science that attracted considerable interest in Indo-Tibetan Tantra. The use of "nectars" (Sk. Amrta, Tib. bdud rtsi) in liquid, powder or pill forms, was considered especially suitable for the Kali-yuga because "the people of this dark age have little diligence and less merit, so that they are unable achieve any accomplishments". The Third Dodrup Chen Rinpoche jig med ten pa'i nyi ma (1865-1926), in his text _Wonder Ocean_ , says that:

              "if one takes the nectar by itself the channels (rTsa), essence or semen (Khams), energy [or air] (rLung) and mind (Sems) will receive blessings spontaneously and excellent accomplishments will be achieved."

              From _Hidden Teachings of Tibet_ © 1997 Tulku Thondup Rinpoche, pgs 152-153

              Warm regard,
              Ryan
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              • 350ppm
                350ppm
                offline 41

                Re: Do you welcome all things whatever "tantra" here in this tribe?

                Thu, May 8, 2008 - 12:40 PM
                <<Do you have some of these pills? >>

                sorry, I don't. I got an adversity towards pills of any form for any purpose...although I do like the cute roundy shape of the little things..hehe

                in regards to my bliss, i am doing just fine with what I got.. the biggest problem I have is not increasing potential but dimishing resistance towards the potential that I already have.
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  • Sain...
    Saint MaximusGodfuck
    online 8

    Re: There is Tantra and there is Tantra

    Mon, May 26, 2008 - 6:50 PM
    there is tantra, then there is tantra, then there is tantra, then there is tantra...
    I mean how many different methods are called Tantra by those who use Sanskrit. The Vajrayana Buddhists alone have Action, Performance, Yoga and Highest Yoga Tantra, if you aren't dividing the Highest Yoga Tantra into mother, father, and non-dual tantras, and the non-dual tantras into mind, space and Upadesha. Oh, then there are the Kalachakra and Chakrasamvara styles. The HIndus have the Kaula, Shri Vidya, Siva Siddhanta, Trika school, the Recognition and Spanda Schools, to name a very few. There's tea-totaler tantrikas and flesh-eating, booze-guzzling tantrikas. Tantra pervades even the non-tantric schools, and also heads East. How much of Taoism is influenced by Tantra, and can we still just call it tantra? If Chi-Gung is Chines yoga, then is Taoist Alchemy Chinese Tantra? Hmm, how much Indian Tantra might be influenced by everything from Dravidian"prehistoric" rites to the influx of Greco-Roman paganism?
    Then there is the sense it has taken on in the West, where the meaning simultaneously expands to include a lot of different practices and purposes of practice, while focusing in on the sexual aspect of tantra.
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