The origins and meaning of tantrism
Tantrism is a spiritual ideology derived from Hinduism's Buddhism branch and originating in India. Tantrism is in fact a set of texts, rituals and methods to bring the human being towards an integral path of his body through the five senses.
Note that many do not agree on the meaning of tantrism according to research, especially since the original tantrism and tantrism popularized in the West would not be to the same extent. André Padoux, French Indianist and world specialist in Tantrism says that “Tantrism wants to allow man to achieve liberation without renouncing the world, to achieve the paradoxical coincidence of manifestation and divinity.”
Two opposing ideologies leading to Tantrism
What we also know is that at that time in India, there were two different ideas of thought that were opposing each other in their society. There was the Vedic civilization which put desire at the center versus Brahmanism which is against self-liberation being more conservative. It would be in this context that Tantrism would have seen the light of day to balance the mentality that desire should be prioritized since it represents “the energy of the world”.
Tantrism and sexuality
Tantrism is said to be a method of increasing one's long-term sexual satisfaction although the experience and belief may differ from one person to another depending on various factors. It is especially in the West that Tantrism has been associated with sexuality although this theme represents a small percentage of the original texts. However, a bit like the Kama Sutra, the part of sexual practices has attracted more attention from our side (see article: https://fleursauvagelingerie.com/blogs/news/histoire-de-la-sexualite-les-origines -and-meanings-of-the-kama-sutra).
The ideology of Tantrism goes above all through psychology and how we feel inside our body. On the other hand, sexual energy is associated with a chakra located in the region of the genitals which we must connect in a certain way to our mind to be able to stimulate this energy. The principle of tantrism would therefore be to be able to be fully aware of your body and to be able to concentrate on freeing your mind by connecting to our chakra. Indeed, it is important to be able to connect to our entire body as much as possible to be able to achieve greater fulfillment.
It is important to understand that Tantrism is an ideology that requires time and very good self-knowledge. This allows us to cut contact with our thoughts and explore our senses more to seek more pleasure. It is possible to practice it solo or with a partner or in a group.
Tantrism rituals or activities to practice to increase sexual satisfaction
Here are some examples of tantrism rituals or activities:
- Full body massages with oil or gel
- Individual or guided meditation
- Visualization
- Touching parts of the body excluding the genitals
- Breathing control
- Cut off one or more senses (blindfold, tie hands)
Sources:
- https://www.charles.co/blog/sexualite/quest-ce-que-le-tantrisme/
- https://archipel.uqam.ca/8838/1/M14403.pdf
- https://www.viversum.fr/online-magazine/tantrisme