Note: For the complete lessons, with additions, see the AYP Easy Lessons for Ecstatic Living Books.

Lesson 21 - Ancient advice on tantric sex

From: Yogani
Date: Fri Mar 26, 2004 2:52pm

New Members: It is recommended you read from the beginning of this tantra yoga archive, as previous lessons are prerequisite to this one. The first lesson is, "What is tantra yoga?"


Back in 1957, a little book was published in Japan called "Zen Flesh, Zen Bones: A collection of Zen and Pre-Zen writings," compiled and transcribed by Paul Reps and Nyogen Senzaki. It includes writings from some ancient Indian scriptures. Several of these, the 4,000 year old Vigyan Bhairava and Sochanda Tantra, plus another, were combined to form the 112 techniques called "Centering Practices." This is an all-encompassing survey of the techniques of tantra yoga, covering both right-handed and left-handed methods.

The 112 techniques are a few lines each, and, all together, fill up a few pages. You can find them in the links section of this group and at:

http://www.spiritual-learning.com/centering-reps.html

As was discussed in the first lesson here, tantra is the broadest of all the yoga systems, leaving nothing unattended as a tool of spiritual transformation. Virtually all of the lessons of AdvancedYogaPractices are touched on in one way or another in the 112 techniques, which is amazing, because they were not used as a guide for writing the lessons. What is true in yoga today was just as true, and was documented, 4,000 years ago.

You will recall that the principle of brahmacharya is at the heart of managing sexual energy for spiritual purposes. Brahmacharya is preservation and cultivation of sexual energy. This is accomplished in particular ways in sitting practices, and in other ways during tantric sexual relations.

Technique #43 of the 112 techniques captures the essence of tantric sex, and contains within it all of the sexual practices discussed in the lessons:

"At the start of sexual union, keep attention on the fire in the beginning, and, so continuing, avoid the embers in the end."

From this one sentence, all of tantric sexual methods can be derived. In fact, volumes have been written to expound upon it. The late Osho/Rajneesh, the famed tantra guru, wrote a 1,000-page book expounding on the 112 techniques. It is called "The Book of Secrets," published in 1974.

Nothing is new in yoga. The human nervous system functions the same today as it did thousands of years ago. It is just a matter of understanding the underlying principles involved in human spiritual transformation. Once we know those, it is easy to evaluate the efficacy of spiritual practices, and integrate them into a simple, powerful routine that can alter our lives, opening us up to unending ecstatic bliss.

The guru is in you.

Note:  For detailed instructions on the methods of tantra in relation to the broad scope of yoga practices and the enlightenment process, see the AYP Tantra book.

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