In Tantric terminology, there is a distinction between the sexual impulse and the erotic impulse. As an analogy, imagine an escalator. When going down the escalator, the person becomes more self-centered, and animalistic and follows personal instincts. When taking the escalator up, the individual acts from love, from refined and ascending energies.
“Going down the escalator” represents our sexual drive and acting to satisfy our desires. One could say that the action from this motivation is based on the idea of “taking” something from the other one, rather than giving.
As a result, when our actions and thoughts come from this place, we become more egoistic and identify with lower tendencies. On the other hand, while taking the escalator up, we are in contact with what Tantra calls Eros – the divine connection with the sublime energy of Love. From this place, our thoughts and actions are refined, and we aim for fusion. We aim to give to our Beloved and to merge with the Supreme Love.
Eros
In the Tantric context, Eros is not just something that we “do” in the bedroom. Eros is the focus of the Tantric path and the source of the Erotic drive. Eros is seen as one of the dimensions of God; in other words, a Godly Attribute. As God’s presence is in everything, so is Eros. To illustrate this, even the encounter of the atoms in our hand touching the atoms in the air is a kind of merging, and so, it is considered a fusion in Eros.
Tantric metaphysics understands that everything is created from the erotic orgasmic game of Shiva – the cosmic consciousness, and Shakti – the cosmic energy. Two complementary polarities that are constantly making love and fusing in Creation. Thus, in essence, one could say that everything is Eros and Eros is in everything.
The Tantric Path
However, the Tantric path constantly evolves, and the Tantric aspirant will often walk “up” and “down” the stairs many times (remember the escalator analogy) while mastering his or her awareness of Eros vs Sex. Let’s take a 5-minute couple interaction as an example: At the start, there are erotic kisses full of adoration. Suddenly a sexual desire “kicks in” and the person follows this animalistic action. In the next moment, the individual focuses the attention and enters again into the refined energy of love and fusion.
As Christ says in the Gospel Of Thomas: “Blessed is the lion which becomes man when consumed by man; and cursed is the man whom the lion consumes, and the lion becomes man.” The lion represents the lower animalistic nature, in this case: sex. And the man represents our soul nature: Eros.
In other words, it is a blessing when our animalistic nature is consumed by our real soul. In this way, as we walk the path of Tantra, our desires and lower tendencies will be alchemized and constantly refined.
Fulfilling Desires as a Spiritual Path
Tantra is the practice of purifying the subconscious through the fulfillment of desires, and according to the Tantric scriptures, enlightenment is accomplished by the conscious and harmonious fulfillment of our desires.
But how about Tibet’s most famous master Milarepa from the Kagyu lineage and other important Tantric masters who went all the way from ignorance up to enlightenment without referring to lovemaking as part of their practice?
This is the so-called right-hand Tantra (Dakṣiṇācāra) practice where the practitioner refrains from physical contact while maybe still making love in the astral. Whereas in the left-hand Tantra (Vāmācāra or vāmamārga), physical erotic intimate interactions are practiced. Both practices aim to gradually and continuously expand consciousness by assimilating the unknown into the known.
Shiva and Shakti
Every act of perception has a perceiver, which is masculine, and whatever is perceived is feminine. The perceiver is penetrating the perceived constantly. From this perspective, Tantra is erotic because the entirety of Tantra is a game between the perceiver (Shiva, masculine, lingam, consciousness) and the perceived (Shakti, feminine, yoni, energy).
When this process is done sufficiently it brings us to the highest state of Samadhi – where everything that is “touched” by our consciousness is completely unified with us. The unity between the observer and observed, Shiva and Shakti – leads to the holy wedding within our being and a state of orgasmic bliss.
Tantra is not only the science of Eros but rather the science of everything, as it is willing to touch every aspect of life. Tantra has techniques for when you are sad, angry, hungry, and so on. It is completely shameless and sees everyone and everything as divine, as Yogi Bhajan said: “If you can’t see God in all, you can’t see God at all.”
Tantra Spiritualizes Everything
Tantra is different from other traditions that are resistant to touching certain aspects of life, even calling them sinful. The erotic aspect of Tantra stands out and often becomes the sole focus of people observing from the outside. But in fact, it is only a small part of the main Tantric scriptures.
The Tantric path spiritualizes everything. Everything becomes an act of unification between consciousness and energy. Tantra offers a path to eroticize all the areas of our lives. In other words, awakening our ability to constantly “make love” to whatever life brings. Life becomes a continuous interplay between consciousness and energy. A constant game between the observer (consciousness) and the observed (manifestation).
This article was edited and transcribed by Larissa from the following video series;