Читать книгу A Woman's Guide to Tantra Yoga - Vimala McClure - Страница 9

Tantra is the oldest Eastern tradition of spiritual philosophy and practice, having originated more than 7,000 years ago in India. From its origin to the present day, it is a revolutionary approach to human evolution. The word Tantra means liberation through mental expansion, and the word yoga means union, in this case the unity of the self and all creation with the source of all being. The basic tenet of Tantra is that all of life is food for spiritual development, from the most mundane tasks of everyday living to the deepest meditation. Tantra teaches us to embrace life, to strive to see the Creator in everything within and around us. The practices, including concentration, meditation, yoga postures, relaxation, visualization, nourishing food, community involvement, service, and right conduct, are all designed to help us experience body, mind, spirit, joy, peace, suffering, and pain as changing aspects of one indivisible Being.

You may have heard Tantra referred to as the “yoga of sex.” While sexuality is a part of Tantra because it is a part of life, it is not the core of Tantric philosophy or practice. In Chapter Seven, we will examine this issue more closely, clarifying the underlying tradition that led to this misinterpretation of Tantra’s focus and meaning. Practitioners of Tantra often refer to it as the “yoga of everything.” Unlike many religious philosophies that separate the spiritual from the mundane by rejecting that which is not overtly spiritual, Tantra teaches us that in order to realize our oneness with the Supreme Being we must accept, not reject. We must embrace life in all of its struggle and pain, and through this profound acceptance we will find peace and experience freedom from the bondage of self-imposed limitation.