Today, I invite you to explore a passage from my manuscript, “Tantric Sexuality,” as we delve into the profound significance of the Muladhara chakra, the first of the energy centers. This chakra serves as the seat of Kundalini energy, housing our deepest passions, desires, and the shadows of guilt and fear. It is here that we confront the agonies that shape our experiences.
Physiologically, the Muladhara is linked to our excretory and sexual organs. The emotions and energy it contains are intense, making its awakening and purification essential. Our lives- our likes, desires, actions, and achievements – are often dictated by unconscious yearnings that emerge from this foundational chakra.
Tantric philosophy teaches us that our lower karmas and samskaras reside within Muladhara, anchoring our entire being in this potent sexual energy. This energy is one of the most powerful creative forces available to us. However, if misdirected – whether through excess or repression – it can become destructive. Sigmund Freud hinted at these complexities, yet many have misconstrued his teachings, focusing on fragments rather than the holistic understanding he offered.
Those who cling to rigid notions of sexuality and confine love and relationships to predefined boxes often struggle to elevate their Shakti energy beyond this chakra, leading to imbalances in their lives. The spectrum of love encompasses six types, with romantic love being just one expression among many. A fulfilling monogamous relationship can bring as much joy or strife as a more open or unconventional one, depending on the motivations at play. As both Tantra and Gnosticism emphasize, true happiness stems from the sincerity of one’s heart, regardless of the relationship’s form…be it monogamous, same-gender or polyamorous.
Lovers, by Tantric and original definition, are not side sex buddies, nor are there to use one another. Over time, the term lover was used to describe someone to have mundane affairs with or to use for sex-money transactions; however, choosing to change its terminology does not change its actual etymology and pure meaning. In its purest sense, the term “lover” transcends mere physical connection; it embodies a profound friendship rooted in love. This connection requires mutual understanding of each other’s joys and sorrows – far removed from the superficial engagements often labeled as “friends with benefits.” True lovers are akin to what most know as twin flames, are rare, and necessitate honesty with one another. It is entirely possible to discover such a bond within any relational structure – be it monogamous, polyamory, same-gender – Tantra does not seek to mandate but simply offers you to look in and reflect on what resonates with you and what works for you and your mental, spiritual and physical expansion while coming from the heart….that is congruency; only then can we say we are living in integrity.
Sexual satisfaction, or its absence, can heavily influence our lives. Until the Muladhara is purified, our minds risk stagnation. Sexual experiences are not sinful; they are a source of vitality that can awaken and recharge us. However, it is crucial to approach intimacy with awareness, avoiding the pitfalls of hollow or casual superficial encounters, which ultimately undermine the essence of sexual union – its potential to heal and transform and drain you of vitality.
Tantra specifies that the purpose of the sexual union can have 3 components which depend on the mental and spiritual frequency of the individual. Some practice it for procreation, others only for empty pleasure because that is their level of mind and spirit; as such, the powerful energy of sexuality is wasted. Level 3 is what Tantrics are concerned with… Tantrics practice it to open the window to samadhi. We do not care about using it only for procreation; when we do choose to procreate, like old Gnostics, we pick the right alignment of mental, physical, spiritual and external energies. We also don’t care about empty satisfaction or fake passion because we know sexuality very well; we cherish and honor it, so we live in holistic passion, not seeking mundane moments of it. There would be no point in mindlessly sharing oneself with another mindless person; if desired, a Tantric can self-love with consciousness–no need to use someone else. We only care about awakening, expanding, and sublimating the sexual union with a partner or lover, taking it to another level, a level of ecstasy and spirituality. Through such experience, the upper chakras are opened.
**Anyone who believes Tantra is just about sexual techniques or denigration of self and spirit, is NOT a Tantric. As I mentioned before, actual Tantra is rare and difficult to learn…. although Tantrism shares some of the same components with sexology, they are vastly different.
Those who practice the ordinary sexual act must first awaken muladhara through different styles of yoga, meditation, mind expansion, etc. Energies exchange profoundly in a sacred union with a true Tantric or lover – this is why one must be discerning about whom they allow into their intimate space, as this connection can either heal or harm. Men, in particular, may find pathways through Kriya Yoga and techniques like vajroli mudra to awaken their energies.
Sexuality was never meant to be repressed. Spirituality, and yoga should not be pathways of renunciation or denial. Ancient sages imparted wisdom that was often lost in translation, particularly when institutionalized teachings prioritized control over the full spectrum of experience. Humanity’s greatest errors have been in waging war against its own nature. Some view sexuality as evil, while others deem it so sacred that it becomes unreachable. Yet, to treat sexuality as sacred means to approach it with reverence, not restriction.
Sexuality is indeed sacred, and as beings intertwined with divinity, we are meant to embrace it fully. In genuine connection, allow yourself to let go, to revel in the joy of intimacy….awaken and heal through the beauty of shared experience.
Eiros 