Spirituality for Living

Pentacles in the minor arcana represent physical progress. Cups represent gathering, the first mystery of the heart. They are the suit in the minor arcana of the personal life in contrast to the physical or mental, and then wands which are often shown as torches. Wands symbolize the inner fire, inspiration and spirit, and its [...]

In spiritual pursuits there has always been an element of sexuality. But as far as the philosophies go, like many other things there have been two paths. Seemingly opposed.
One path of austerity and moralism. “Pure” pursuits of selflessness, etc. It’s the dominant path in our culture even today and even in sexual roles. Though the [...]

Normally Tantric rites are observed in a very sacramental way. Selective diet before the coming together, contemplative meditation, prayer to ready the participants mentally and emotionally because during the embrace there is surrender. Totally for the female, and surrender in the context of the forms for the male.
The actually embrace is not hastened through. It [...]

Tantra is seen as dark, especially among the Ophites. A Tantric practicing Gnostic Christian sect for who the serpent was both eros and wisdom. Thus sex became separate from religion in Christianity. Most of the sexual beliefs in Christianity came well after the time of Christ. He did not teach them himself, and he even [...]

We were warned off of Tantra from someone, and about practising and discovering it for ourselves. That it was dangerous. Well actually any religion is, but fear is a cult dogma and there are those who take the sacred and profane it with ideas of ownership. Saying you must adhere to their guru, and know their [...]

To overcome, some require some rather dramatic stuff. Familiar at all with any of the mystery cults? They are called cults only because some insights could only be shared when the disciple was ready. Like the elusian mysteries, notice the psychodrama? They called them morality plays later. It is very similar to shamanic dancing and [...]

Tantrism tends to be karma yoga. Liberation by exhausting the karmas, positive or negative. In the tantric view you willingly incure positive karma in sex. Delve into it. Lose yourself in it, and by doing so see it for what it is. But also, and this isn’t so public, they do embrace negative karma also. [...]

What would you say about someone who has killed a couple of hundred people, and accepts that, sleeping soundly knowing that only the dark part of his soul enables that same sleep? Is the soldier a criminal for having killed? Is someone who sees the world darkly an enemy for that view alone? I would [...]

The Chinese New Years celebration, their own version of the day of the dead ritual, has its origin in Bon. The new year for Bon is the same as the Chinese New Year, and their lunar calendar arose from it.
The people of the lowlands were more fractured, while the tribes of the Tibetan mountain range [...]

Even the “saints” felt spiritual darkness. The term “dark night of the soul“ was used to describe the doubts experienced by a man now seen as an exemplar of his faith. It’s been expressed in a lot of art also, but people don’t seem to think about it. The poem “Footprints in the Sand“ says in your [...]

Sex is a way of being in the now? Well, it can be yes, but it’s usually not, because people focus on external sex and seek a disconnecting catharsis.
The need for orgasm is external? The “need” is yes. The “need” is a judgment. Otherwise orgasm is a part of the flow, and would be much [...]