Author: Alex Getts

Traditional tantra practice is a combination of breath, sound, movement, and meditation. The purpose of the tantric meditation practice is to open energy channels called chakras within the body.

The subject of tantric meditation is a bit mystifying as many seek out tantric meditation for couples or tantra sexuality meditation, especially because of the way tantra is portrayed in the West. Traditional tantric meditation has a history in the East that is very sacred.

Tantric practices and traditions originated in India during the first millennium. These practices were from the Hindu community, but Buddhist Tantras can also be traced to the 7th century. Tantric meditation is part of a spiritual tradition that is one of the most difficult to define.

The tantra tradition has roots in the wisdom of Ayurvedic medicine, Yoga philosophy, Astrology, and other spiritual practices. Over time these practices have shifted with modern times as the tantric meditation practice has traveled to the western world, but the sacred practice of traditional tantra remains as powerful as it has always been.

The Purpose of Tantra Meditation

Tantra is an ancient science and study of energy, so tantric meditation is energy based. Tantric meditation is an ancient meditation technique that uses different forms of energy such as sounds, colors, yantras, mantras, and visualizations to unblock the chakras, or energy centers within the body, and unleash the power of kundalini energy.

Kundalini energy is a primal energy source that is thought to be synonymous with the energy of creation. The kundalini energy is also sexual energy, which is why tantric meditation has also become so popular for people trying to enhance their sex lives with tantric meditation for couples.

The kundalini energy that is unleashed through tantric meditation is an energy that is said to lie dormant at the base of your spine until it is awakened. When kundalini energy has been awakened, it begins to flow along the spine through each of the chakras until rising all the way up to the crown chakra. This is thought to be the process of reaching enlightenment. Kundalini yoga is an ancient practice that is believed to be especially helpful in this process.

What Are Chakras

In Sanskrit, the word chakra means “wheel.” Chakras are energy points in your body. They are believed to be spinning discs that energy moves through. When the chakras are opened and energy is flowing through them uninterrupted, we are in alignment. The chakras are connected to the energetic body, so having unblocked chakras that allows energy to flow freely affects our physical and mental well-being.

There are seven chakras in the energy system. Tantric meditation is used to move energy through these seven chakras.

The first chakra is the root chakra, or Muladhara in Sanskrit. This chakra is located at the base of the spine. It helps you feel grounded and affects your sense of security. It is associated with the color red.

The second chakra is called the sacral chakra, or Svadhisthana. This chakra is located just below the naval. It is said to be connected with the sexual organs and kidneys. It is associated with the color orange.

The third chakra is the Solar Plexus, or Manipuri. It is located from the center of the naval up to the sternum and is associated with the color yellow.

The fourth chakra is the heart chakra, or Anahata. Having a healthy and open heart chakra promotes love and healing. When this chakra is blocked we can have difficulty giving and receiving love.

The throat chakra, or Vishuddha is the 5th chakra. This chakra affects our communication.

The 6th and 7th chakra are the third eye and the crown chakra, or Ajna and Sahasrara. These chakras work together well as the third eye is how we open the door for spiritual communication and is located between the brows. The crown chakra is located at the top of your head and is associated with spiritual connection and communication.

The third eye chakra is associated with the color indigo and the crown chakra is violet. A tantric meditation practice helps energy move freely through each of these chakras. Knowing more about the location of the chakra and the color associated with it can help focus the energy when working with that particular chakra.

Tantric Meditation Tools and Practices 

Tantric meditation uses both yantras and mantras in conjunction with breath work, sound, and vibration. Breath is also known as “prana.”

Traditional tantric practices, including Tantra Yoga, practices of general Tantric Buddhism, and Tantric meditation techniques, all involve breathing techniques and methods of using the physical body to spur physical growth.

Ancient tantric texts have revealed how Tantra practices and following the Tantric path can help people find their divine light and achieve enlightenment. While the west tends to home in on sexual rituals, there is much more to the Tantric teachings and spiritual practice.

Translated from Sanskrit, prana is life force energy. Prana is said to connect the elements and encompass the universal energy of creation. This makes prana, or breath an important aspect of tantric meditation, which uses breath work to break through any blockages that prevent energy from flowing freely through the chakras. The use of yantras and mantras are also enveloped in the tantric meditation practice. 

A yantra is a diagram with pictures of sacred geometry that is arranged in a particular design. The design emits positive energies of the cosmos, transmutes negative energy, and helps to upraise spirituality. The yantra helps to focus the mind and bring the thoughts to stillness during tantric meditation. A yantra is also capable of assisting in channeling universal energy into the body. In tantric meditation the yantra can be used as a tool for meditation, mantra recitation, and prayer.

There are different types of yantras, and each yantra has the power to connect the practitioner with a specific deity or divine energy. Shiva and Shakti are two well-known deities in the Hindu tradition, so many people practicing tantric meditation would call on these deities.

One of the most widely used yantras is the Sri yantra. The Sri yantra consists of nine interlocking triangles. Four of the triangles face upward and represent Shiva, while five of the triangles face downward and represent Shakti. The triangles represent the cosmos and the human body. Yantras are a great tool for focusing your energy during a tantric meditation. 

The concept of using mantras is more familiar to many people even if they have never practiced tantric meditation. Many who have taken part in a meditation class or workshop at a local yoga studio have at least heard of mantras.

A mantra is a word or phrase that when repeated sends signals to the brain in order to achieve a desired result. The mantras in tantric meditation use bija, or seed sounds. The sounds do not have a specific meaning, but they represent a particular deity or divine energy. These sounds cannot be directly translated but offer up salutations to the deity or divine energy that is being called into meditation.

How Tantra is Practiced Today

Today tantric meditation is practiced all over the world. The rising up of kundalini energy, which is synonymous with sexual energy, is enticing. This prompts many people to look for tantric meditation for couples. In many places when people think of tantra, they think tantric sex.

The promise of a more intense and fulfilling sex life or the possibility of deepening the bond with their significant other sparks enough curiosity for vast numbers of people to sign up for classes and workshops that will teach them more about tantric meditation.

These workshops are more focused on a western idea of tantric meditation that has developed over time. In these classes practitioners enter as couples or are partnered with others who are either starting or deepening their practice with tantric meditation.

Once paired with a partner in the workshop, students are asked to engage in exercises that may be outside of their comfort zone. It is most important to communicate with your partner in the workshop and set boundaries first. Even though sexual activity will not be engaged in, many tantra workshops teach people about setting healthy boundaries before engaging in tantric sex or tantric meditation for couples.

In these classes students are also encouraged to explore their feelings around fear and desire. This aids them in the boundary setting process. After clear boundaries have been established the students may engage in exercises where they will gaze into each other’s eyes for extended periods of time.

There may also be exercises that incorporate light touching into the practice. This type of tantric meditation class is all about feeding the senses, feeling energy, and feeling empowered in your own body. This will lead to a deeper bond with your partner and a more satisfying sex life.

There may also be exercises in which the students are asked to make various sounds or breathe together in unison. These exercises are outside of what qualifies as normal to most people, but this teaches a deeper level of communication and understanding between you and your partner, so you can more easily anticipate each other’s needs.

Whether you are looking for a more traditional approach to tantric meditation, a tantric meditation for couples class, or a tantric sex workshop tantra is a part of the fabric of creation. Tantric meditation is the most efficient way to tap into creative life force energy.

The most important part of any tantric meditation is feeling the energy of the universe and being in alignment, so this is a practice that many can benefit from on whichever level they need.

Regular meditations of this kind can be great for opening your chakras and navigating the problems of daily life. It will keep you grounded, help you fall in line with the wave of good fortune, and make sure you stay steady on your destined life path.

This article was originally posted on Intuitive Souls, and re-posted with permission. 

About the Author

As a practicing Tarot reader and astrologer of 15 years, Intuitive Souls Founder Alex Getts leads the Intuitive Souls mission to help people manifest the lives of their dreams. She’s personally worked with hundreds of clients over the years and has achieved international recognition for her work.

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