TANTRA offers a path to self-development and awakening
Tantra is a technique - an inner technology
It is a capability - to be able to make use of your internal energies
Through sessions at SNATCH, you can focus your energy on bringing forth the changes that you want for your life
Tantra is more a science than a religion
It has no belief system or dogma and doesn't require you to believe in anything for it to work
It also does not require you to 'give up' your current religion in order to practice it
Tantra is accessible to everyone through their own subjective experience
In following this path, you will explore a set of initiations illuminating key qualities of the tantric paradigm
This knowledge will allow you to validate Tantra's existence for yourself rather than taking others' word as gospel
This ability to be tried and tested by anyone with the time and interest is what distinguishes Tantra from religion
Tantra can be defined in two ways:
'to weave' and 'to expand'
The split of the primordial principle into the duality of the feminine principle (SHAKTI) and the masculine principle (SHIVA) has created the opposing forces we are surrounded by today.
ENERGY and CONSCIOUSNESS
SHAKTI and SHIVA in Tantra
YIN and YANG in Tao
MAGNETIC and ELECTRIC in Hermetics
BINAH and CHOKMAH in Kabbalah
However, what appears to be contradictory, is seen in Tantra as inherently complimentary
Tantra says that by exploring all of existence, going deeply into both polarities with the view to them both being equally sacred rather than judged as a duality (good or bad), we can find the ultimate TRUTH, and expand our consciousness to meet with the universal
To weave in Tantra is to incorporate the inherent dualities of ourselves and our lives - particularly the earthly with the spiritual - until they become one and the same, with no attachment to either as being 'better'.
When you are able to do this, you can expand into a state of joy and a way of living that is pleasurable and fulfilling.
When we see a lotus, it is beautiful, pure, a sign of peace and spirituality.
But that lotus had it's seed within the mud.
It's roots firmly planted within the dirt, it stretches away from earth below reaching up towards the heavens above. This is an analogy for tantric practice. We begin by finding your roots, checking in with your hidden parts.
As you uncover your shadow, you can start to move up into the light, into awareness.
Sexuality is an inescapable part of this journey – it need not be avoided on your path to ascension but also not overly focused on
It is simply there and to be accepted as a part of yourself, rather than something to get hung-up on or obsess over.
You will learn how to explore sexuality as meditation, celebrating your sexual energy as a way to power up your creativity and goals in life
There is space to acknowledge, accept and work through the shame, fear and anxiety that we, as a culture, hang on to around sexual topics
The body is an instrument through which cosmic forces act
The body as a microcosm reflects the universe as macrocosm
As such, it is a sacred place of learning about our place in the cosmos
In Tantra, it is said that the universe was created through an act of love.
The yin manifestation of the divine, SHAKTI, embodying pure primordial energy, gave form to the spirit of SHIVA, the yang manifestation of the divine, embodying pure consciousness.
In the tale, Shiva and Shakti's merging brought our universe into creation - their 'orgasm' at this moment of conception the big bang that blew existence into being.
This tale of Shiva and Shakti can be seen, as all things, on two planes.
‘AS ABOVE SO BELOW’
On the one level, ABOVE, their union created the universe.
On another level, BELOW, within yourself, an inner union of yin and yang opposite energies can bring about an awakened state in it’s most ecstatic and dynamic form.
This is the union – the ultimate union – we are all looking for, consciously or unconsciously.
This is the true love spoken of in every fairy tale and romanic novel or film.
The union of opposites, of yin and yang, body and mind, heaven and earth, spirit and matter, energy and consciousness, being and doing.
Start this sacred journey to unity within yourself, with the other, with the world around you and ultimately with the divine.
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Tantra is the alchemy of transforming sexual energy into spiritual power