Tantra is a set of spiritual philosophies and practices that aim to relieve individuals of suffering caused by their thoughts, bring the body and mind into harmonious union, transcend the dualistic perception of reality, and cultivate acceptance for all that is by developing compassion for oneself and others.

Tantra is an umbrella term in which there are dozens of lineages of Tantra that each possess their own set of unique philosophies and practices that vary from one another either slightly or greatly. Tantra originated in ancient India as a rebellion to cultural attitudes that asserted that only upper-caste people could engage in certain spiritual practices. As Tantra spread further east, it expanded into Buddhism. Tantra today consists of Hindu Tantra and Buddhist Tantra.

The Sanskrit definition of Tantra means “vehicle for expansion” when you look at its root words tan meaning “expansion” and tra meaning “vehicle.” Although each branch of Tantra may vary from one another, they ultimately share the same motivation, which is to have practitioners engage with a specific lineage’s techniques and methods in order to acquire wisdom, transcend reactive modes of thought, speech, and behavior, and become one with all that is in a state of unperturbed bliss.

Because each branch of Tantra has distinct goals and motivations, it’s suggested that if you’d like to learn about Tantra and engage in Tantric practices such as meditation and breathing exercises, it’s important to work with one lineage at a time.

When you work with more than one Tantric lineage, the practices and philosophies may cause confusion in the body on a cognitive, physical, and energetic level. Some branches of Tantra involve intense energetic release from the body while other branches require energy to be circulated throughout the body. Understanding that not all lineages of Tantra are created equal is essential so that prospective practitioners can find success in choosing a lineage that resonates with their beliefs and what they’d like to attain from Tantra.

Tantra has become a popular term in the West used to describe “sacred sex” or “sacred sexuality.” Tantra is neither sexual nor non-sexual; rather, Tantra is something that can be applied to sex and sexuality.

Several lineages of Tantra have a concentrated focus on incorporating sex into their practices while other lineages prohibit working with sexuality, or simply ignore it. Even in lineages that advocate for applying Tantric practices sexually, it isn’t necessarily a requirement, it’s simply suggested because other practitioners have experienced profound spiritual realizations and/or healing on a mental, emotional, and physical level by working directly with the power and potency of sexual energy.

In Tibetan Tantra, specifically the Shangpa Kagyu lineage, Tantra means “weaving light with sound and form.”

What this means is that the practices and methods used in this lineage weave light, visualization, sound, vibration, movement, and the body all together in order to transcend one’s thought, speech, and behavior for the benefits of oneself and all beings. With regular practice, one’s conditioned perception of life and reality transforms an individual to live in a state of focused, relaxed awareness that is open and receptive to life, regardless of its circumstances.