Tantra and The Fasting Path
Although The Fasting Path does not adhere to any one religion, practice or teachings, using the word “tantra” is the best way I know how to put a label on the perspective or “way of seeing” you will be exposed to during our retreats.
The question of “what is tantra?” is one that you will most likely receive many different answers to depending on who you ask. There really is not a defined answer with tantra going through so many alterations and variations over the thousands of years in existence.
The first time I ever asked the question to a tantric master, I heard, “Tantra is not just about sex as many think. Tantra is saying yes to life. Sex is only one aspect of it.”
“Tantra is saying yes to life.”
As I have continued to explore spirituality, life and love in all its forms, I have come to not only understand, but to fully embrace this way of being. For me, tantra is a way of seeing ourselves, our lives, the world and everything in it and on it as Divine. Tantra transcends the duality of good, bad, right and wrong. It encounters life face to face, neither thinking, “This is good,” nor thinking, “This is bad”: instead simply facing that which is. Tantra sees everything, everyone, and every experience a part of the ONE DIVINE. Put simply, tantra is a path of unconditional love.
I can not really say that it is a path that I have followed, more that it is a description of the path that has naturally evolved within me as a result of my awakening and continual search for a way out of the darkness. For years, I tried to fix my depression and suicidal thoughts by pushing them away. It was not until the idea of embracing them awakened within me, learning to see the perfection and gifts in the darkness, that I saw my way through to the light.
“In all chaos there is a cosmos, in all disorder a secret order.” – Carl Jung
Seeing all experiences (no matter what they look like on the outside) as a gift to be embraced has become the essential foundation of all areas of my life. A knowing that all of life is happening for us, not to us. To me tantra is living life from the perspective of the soul, the part that knows that everything is perfect and a part of the whole. We live this, not by trying to eradicate the ego, but instead by simply becoming aware of it, witnessing it, loving it and from that space of allowing, choosing the soul perspective.
Tantra has been a path to finding something that had eluding me my whole life, personal freedom. Seeing life this way has opened the door to living life, instead of just enduring it. Tantra has helped me to love all parts of myself and in turn, love and embrace all of humanity as Brothers and Sisters. Tantra has opened my heart to compassion instead of judgment, acceptance instead of resistance and oneness instead of separation any yes, has made me a more conscious lover as well:).
Tantra During the Retreats
The Fasting Path shares tantra and its practices/teachings as a way of cultivating love and acceptance and ultimately, more personal freedom in your life. The newfound awareness will filter into all areas of your life, including, but definitely not limited to, your intimate relationships. Beliefs of separation, unworthiness, unloveable, not good enough, not smart enough, etc will dissolve as you awaken to the Divine being that you are.
Yes, we will touch on how Tantra plays into sexuality and how it can awakening deeper levels of intimacy and truth in your intimate relationship, but will not do any sexual tantric practices whatsoever during the retreat. I will however, certainly recommend retreats geared toward that expression should you be interested.
“Enlightenment is your true nature, we only need to let go of all beliefs to the contrary.”
Click here to read a beautiful Q & A about Tantra as shared by tantric educator, Dharam Avtar.
