Tantra

Tantra has been called ‘the cult of ecstasy’, and is strongly associated with sexual mysticism. However, even in those Tantric systems which place the greatest emphasis on harnessing sexual energy, this is just one aspect of a complex working of meditation, mantra, yantra and yoga. Tantra is a life-affirming quest which seeks to answer many fundamental questions such as ‘Who am I? ‘What is experience?’, ‘What is this world?’, but which, unlike many mystical traditions, does not deny the body a share in the highest spiritual experience. It sees the body as holy, a microcosm of the universe. The sacramental use of sexual union in Tantra has always caused controversy. Using new translations from ancient and medieval texts, Tantra, The Search for Ecstasy exarnines the many beliefs and cultural influences which make up the Tantric tradition and seeks to show that the Tantric sacraments are survivals of a quest for gnosis that is as old as humanity itself.