What is Tantra & What It Is Not

Photo By Devon Weiland

When people start searching for Tantra, they are often confused, curious, and cautious. Some may have heard Tantra described as a sexual practice, others as a spiritual philosophy, and many are unsure whether it is safe, ethical, or appropriate for their stage of life. This explanation hopefully offers a clear, grounded perspective of what Tantra is and what it is not. Earth Tantra's perspective is rooted in embodied wisdom, conscious relationship, and lived experience not only from Tara L. Skubella (founder and guide of Earth Tantra), but from 1,000's of Earth Tantra community members.

At its core, Tantra is a path of awareness. It's a way of meeting all of life (birth, childhood, adolescence, adulthood to death) through the body, breath, sensation, emotion, and presence rather than bypassing them.

Tantra teaches that the body is not an obstacle to spirituality, but a gateway to it. Rather than transcending human experience, Tantra invites us to live life fully with in the present with attention, reverence, and responsibility.

In grounded, contemporary practice.

Tantra supports...

• embodied self-awareness

• conscious relationship

• intimacy with nature and the living world

• connection to spirit or source through lived experience

  
  

Tantra is not about achieving a state or mastering a technique, it's about learning how to be in relationship with self, others, the Earth, and the unseen. These 4 components are the 4 pillars of Earth Tantra.

One of the most common questions people ask is “Is Tantra just about sex?” The short answer is no. Tantra is not just about sex. While sexuality can be included in some Tantric traditions, Tantra itself is not a sexual performance practice, nor is it focused on erotic techniques, sexual displays, or constant intimacy exercises.

Tantra is not.....

• about sexual performance or endurance

• about being sexual with others in group settings

• about bypassing boundaries in the name of “spiritual growth”

• about "fixing" our challenges in life

 Is sex a part of tantra? Absolutely, it can be because Tantra is all of life, including our sexuality. However sexuality is just a tiny sliver in the pie of all of life.

Authentic Tantra emphasizes consent, pacing, nervous system safety, and choice. Sexuality, when present at all, is approached as one expression of all of life. Earth Tantra encourages you to find a guide or guides who focus on more than just one aspect of Tantra.

If you're interested in weaving the 4 Pillars or Earth Tantra into your path, check out our upcoming events here:

https://www.earthtantra.com/eventpage