Sacred Tantra

Type :

Term papers

Pages :

6 pages

Format :

.doc

Published date :

04/30/2009

Category :

History & geography

Sub category :

Ancient history

Oboulo.com selection criteria

$ 12.95 Add to cart

Summary :

Introduction
Tantrism according to Feurestein
The origins of tantra according to White
The earliest proto-tantric sexual rituals of Indo Vedic origin
The medieval iconography in Buddhist and Hindu cultures
Worshipping using food or very disciplined notated rituals
The act of love making
Conclusion
Works cited

Abstract

tantra, is set of mystical practices employing rituals, mythologies, and sacred sexuality to achieve divine awareness. It is a system of mysticism found in both Hindu and Buddhist spiritual traditions and perhaps predates them as well. This paper will discuss the transition from very intense ancient Vedic blood-sex rituals to meditation substitution or tantrika initiation rituals involving sexuality that is sacred rather than hedonistic or centred in a normal understanding of sexual pleasure.Feuerstein (1991) in a descriptive recreation of a secret tantric ritual ceremony circa 1200 A.D. describes a group of initiates who meet every two weeks at the home of a guru. His home is transmuted into the temple for tantric spiritual ecstasy. The ceremony (puja) is described as a three day process which includes cleansing fasts for twenty four hours, yoga chanting of mantras, symbolic offerings to deities, meditations in graveyards, and other ceremonies, ending, finally in the burning of rosewood and other sacred substances in bowls. This is followed by each set of partners "anointing... with a reddish paste while muttering holy mantras....smeared paste on her forehead, throat, breasts, abdomen, hands, feet and last, the pubic mound." (Feuerstein: 132) This sets the ritual context for the divine congress.