- Tantra - An Indian cult which its adherents maitain is older than Hinduism: this would make it a religion of the Indus Valley civilization of 2000 BD. Its followers see Yoga as being essentially Tantric, but although Yoga is now considered one of the six orthodox systems of Hinduism. Tantra has suffered constant persecution and suppression. For the purposes of this website which is concerned only with collecting some ideas about sexuality from different cultures (including the West's own folk tradition), Tantra and Yoga must be regarded as very similar. There is the same emphasis on breath control and asanas, but Tantra has more to say about sex than Yoga. That is not because Tantra is only to do with sex. The philosophy of Tantra covers every aspect of human life and embodies many highly-sophisticated concepts. There are many different sects and sub-sects, but it is a misconception that Tantra is concerned principally with sex - but this website is.
Perhaps the most important sexual point Tantra has to make is that lovemaking can be protracted. For a Westerner not interested in mysticism this does not mean that sex must always be a marathon, but given the difference in sexual response between men and women it is good if it sometimes can be. Many of those sexual positions identified as showing Tantric influence are specifically designed to maintain sexual tension while delaying (male) orgasm.
The other Tantric sexual truth which comes naturally out of the first is that the whole body can, and should, be used in lovemaking. This is the opposite of the orgasm-targetted, penis-centred approach of most Western males. In Tantra, the sexual unit is the couple, the importance of the woman paramount.
(See also: Bandha, India, Yoga)
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