My little understanding of Tantra is:
I had heard that Shiva, all content in himself meditating on a remote mountain, has a visitor, his consort Shakti.
Shakti asks questions about the manifest world, while making love to Shiva.
His answers are The Tantras.
I think there are about 100? They deal with non-duality and seeing beyond maya - illusion.
Tantric Tibetan Buddhism, from books like "Cutting Through Spiritual Materialism" by Chugyam Trungpa, seem to state that Tantra is a way-less way, it is the already existing awakening enlightenment, and there is really nothing to achieve spiritualy, except the knowing that it is already there.
Osho Rajneesh has 2 "Book Of The Secrets" which I've only read book one, and they are sort of meditation, sort of magical awareness techniques. He was a Tantra master, and strangely people mainly refer to his pink robed followers and how they were often practicing Kundalini Yoga, sexual energy raising types of practices. OK, they called it a sex farm.
I'm asking for YOUR input here, what IS Tantra? Is it lessons? Complete detachment? Sexual exercises?
Eric's oh so wise posts have got me thinking for more of an answer to "What is Tantra?"
...Shiva tells Shakti: "Answers will come, when the student is ready, when the teacher is ready, when the vehicle for enlightenment is ready."... (I just made that up)
The student is ready! This seems a great vehicle for learning. May the enlightenment begin!
Love, life and light, Teo
You can't force peace, only show it.