Category: Femininity

Religiously Erotic

25 April 2025
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This blog is about: 

  • Erotic drive & sexual energy 
  • Religious practices 
  • Erotic art and temples 
  • Virtues 
  • Hinduism
  • Tantric lovemaking 
  • The Yoni & the Lingam 
  • Pleasure 
  • Spiritual path 
  • Union with the Divine 

Religiously Erotic: Exploring the Sacred Union of Eros and Spirituality

I was born and raised Jerusalem, a city rich with religious history and culture and I have been a Tantric Yoga practitioner since 2001, I have come to deeply appreciate the complex interplay between spirituality and eroticism—two forces often seen as conflicting, but in reality, deeply intertwined. In this article I wish to explore the idea of being “religiously erotic” and how the erotic drive and the religious impulse can not only coexist but also elevate, support and potentiate one another.  

Growing Up Among Religions  

Jerusalem is a hub of religious movements. Growing up there, you are constantly surrounded by reminders of faith: the sound of the muezzin calling to prayer, the bells of churches, the sights of synagogues, mosques, and holy places. Though my parents were agnostics, I was born into Judaism and studied the Bible in school. Later in life, I studied other faiths—Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism – delving into their spiritual teachings.  

What I noticed across these traditions, especially in the Judeo-Christian-Islamic context, was a shared antagonism toward eroticism. The concept of “original sin” is often rooted in the notion that desire is inherently corrupting. This perspective created a tension that never quite sat right with me, we can notice this repression with relation to the feminine and how often instead of being exalted the feminine is repressed.   

A Eureka Moment: Tantra

When I encountered Tantric teachings, it was a revelation. I realized that the erotic and the religious were not at odds but were perfectly complementary. The longing for union with the absolute, a central aspect of mysticism, mirrors the deep yearning for union between lovers, my longing to deeply unite with a woman. The heart’s desire to reconnect with the Creator can be fully expressed in the act of sacred, erotic union. In the highest forms of Tantric practice, eroticism is a pathway to God.  

This realization became profoundly clear to me during a visit to the Khajuraho temples in India in 2010. These temples, covered in intricate erotic sculptures, represent a powerful fusion of spiritual and sensual art. The erotic art on the temple walls did not diminish the spiritual atmosphere; rather, it amplified it. The erotic statues, crafted with the utmost care and reverence, were not mere representations of human desire but expressions of divine union. The artisans who created these statues did so with deep reverence, using beauty and eroticism to exalt the spirit to bring the devotee to deify the being. As I approached these temples, I felt an overwhelming sense of awe and love, as if the beauty of the exterior of the temple was preparing me for the sacredness within the temple. Experiencing the delight of the erotic statues, my soul felt cleansed to fuse with the transcendental reality  

Eros as a Reflection of Divine Light 

In many religious traditions, particularly in dogmatic or exoteric practices, there is a tendency to suppress erotic energy, to refuse it or consider it dirty or unclean. While this might be somewhat true regarding gross desires, the erotic aspiration is radically different. The erotic sense is inseparable from the religious practice. We can take this analogy of a prism refracting light (just imagine the album cover of Pink Floyd’s ‘Dark Side of the Moon’). The supreme light is pure, white light, which passes through a prism and emerges as the many colours of the rainbow – each colour representing a different Godly Attribute, a characteristic of consciousness. If we wish to recreate the bright white light with another prism, if one of those colours is removed, the light is incomplete. Similarly, when erotic energy is removed from the expression of the creator within creation, the full expression of the spirit within creation is diminished and incomplete.   

There is a fear, especially in religious dogma, of the feminine, of sensuality, and of the intense energy that Eros can generate. This fear leads to a suppression of erotic potential, hindering many on the spiritual path. However, as seen above, by embracing erotic energy, we can experience a fuller manifestation of God’s light.  

The Fear of Eros and the Feminine

Why have so many religious traditions feared eroticism? I believe it stems from a deeper fear of the feminine and the sensual, energies that are powerful and transformative.  Desire stirs something primal within us, something that can be either ecstatic or agitating and unsettling. In the face of this energy, many religious traditions have sought to restrain from it completely, fearing that it could lead to chaos or distraction from the spiritual path, not realizing that the core of this desire is the deep longing for union.    

This fear has limited the full potential of spiritual life. Many devout people struggle to integrate their erotic energy with their religious aspirations, and as a result, their spiritual progress is hindered. Instead of suppressing eroticism, we need to understand its role in our spiritual journey. Erotic energy, when aligned with love and reverence, can be a powerful force for spiritual awakening.   

The Fall from Eden: A Metaphor for Separation  

The Bible offers a symbolic story of this suppression in the tale of Adam and Eve’s fall from Eden. After eating the forbidden fruit, they become aware of their nakedness and feel shame. This shame represents a separation not only from each other but also from the divine.   

In the original language of the Bible, Hebrew, as they fell from Eden it is said that they wore leathers (Orot in Hebrew) the fascinating part is that ‘Orot’ in Hebrew sounds the same as the Hebrew word for Light, ‘OR’. We can then say that from a more esoteric perspective, the fall from Eden is symbolised by covering their light, being ashamed of their nudity and eroticism.  

The erotic, when stripped of shame and seen as a pathway to union, can lead us back to the metaphorical Garden of Eden. As Jesus said, the “The Kingdom of Heaven is within you,” the  erotic energy can be a way to rediscover this inner Paradise, a return to Eden.  

Sin as Absence of Virtue 

When we talk about “original sin,” we are really discussing the absence of virtue, much like darkness is simply the absence of light. In this context, the original sin – the disordered desire – represents an inferior form of desire, one that dominates and blinds us rather than uplifts and enlighten us. It is not the desire itself that is sinful, but its misalignment with higher virtues like love, beauty, and sacredness. To shun erotic energy entirely is to reject a vital force that, when aligned with love, can elevate us toward the deification.  

Tantric Lovemaking: A Sacred Practice  

In Tantric practice, lovemaking is not just a biological act; it is a spiritual discipline. Tantric lovemaking is a method for reconnecting with the divine through the play of Godly Attributes like love, beauty, sacredness and elevated pleasure. These attributes do not merge into a single, indistinct energy but remain distinct and complementary, creating a symphony of divine expression and inviting us to experience the vivid reality of the creator within creation. In this sacred space, eroticism is not merely about pleasure or physical connection; it is a pathway to spiritual union, a religious act in its purest form.  

Tantric lovemaking invites us to see the erotic union between man and woman as a sacred act, an expression of the deepest prayers of one’s heart. The lingam (the male organ) becomes an expression of the man’s heart, and the yoni (the female organ) becomes a place of worship, a sacred space where the prayers of the heart rise to the heavens. This union is not only a union between man and woman but a union with the divine, a state of yoga, or spiritual merging. 

Not by chance throughout history, we see that many deities and spiritually enlightened beings were also depicted as having rich erotic lives. In Greek mythology, Zeus’s many lovers symbolize his divine power. In Hinduism, Krishna had 1,000 Gopis, and Shiva made love to Parvati for 1,000 godly years. Even in Jewish tradition, the “Song of Songs” is an erotic love poem often interpreted as an allegory for divine love. These examples show that the enlightened beings or Gods were often erotically active.

Some brief practices and advice on how to be Religiously Erotic

To be “religiously erotic” is to live in harmony with both the erotic and spiritual aspects of our nature. Here are five practices that can help us cultivate this union:  

  1. Distinguishing Between Sex and Eros: Sex, in its biological form, often separates us from our higher nature. Eros, however, is an upward, inward force that connects us to the divine. Understanding the difference between these two energies is the foundation of the religiously erotic path.  
  1. Contemplating Erotic Art: By contemplating erotic art, we can connect to the beauty and spiritual power that eros represents. This practice helps elevate erotic energy to a higher, more refined state.  
  1. Infusing lovemaking with Consciousness: During lovemaking, take moments to pause, reflect, and realign your intentions with love. This sanctifies the act and connects it to the divine.  
  1. Removing Shame: Shame blocks the natural expression of our erotic energy. By removing shame, we can freely express our desires and align them with the highest virtues.  
  2. Avoiding Objectification: Objectifying others or nature creates a barrier to true connection. By seeing our partner not as an object but as a divine being, we open the door to deeper communion and spiritual union.   

Conclusion: An Invitation to Fuse Eros and Spirit 

In conclusion, being religiously erotic is about realizing that eroticism and spirituality are not in opposition but are potent allies on the path to the divine. When these two forces are integrated, they create a powerful synergy that can elevate us to the highest forms of spiritual realization. The erotic, when practiced with love and consciousness, becomes a sacred bridge to the heart of the Creator.  

This is an invitation to explore the depths of eros as a spiritual path, to embrace the fullness of both our erotic and religious nature, and to rediscover the divine in the union of the two lovers.  

The Wisdom of Emotions

11 March 2025
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This blog is about: 

  • Emotional Intelligence 
  • Survival mechanism – fight or flight mode 
  • Unconcious patterns 
  • Conscious control 
  • Blending psychology and spirituality  
  • Neither suppression or indulgence 
  • Meditation, therapy and embodied awareness 
  • Deeper understanding 
  • Acceptance and transformation

Emotions are at the very core of human existence. They inform our decisions, shape our relationships, and profoundly influence how we navigate the world. Yet, despite their central role, emotions often remain misunderstood—a chaotic blend of unconscious reactions that can lead to unnecessary suffering. For decades, I have worked as a yoga teacher and psychologist, blending spiritual insights with psychological understanding to uncover the transformative potential hidden within emotions. This article explores what emotions are, how they work, and how we can master them to cultivate deeper awareness, intimacy, and freedom. 

What Are Emotions? 

At their essence, emotions are mechanisms designed to help us adapt to life’s challenges. The Zurich University department of Psychology, one of whose specialties is the study of emotions, defines them as “preparations for action.” Emotions prepare our minds and bodies to respond to various situations. For example, fear alerts us to potential dangers, triggering the fight-or-flight response to keep us safe. Anger motivates us to confront injustices and assert boundaries, while sadness reflects our capacity to love and connect deeply. 

Interestingly, emotions do not always arise from objective reality; rather, they often stem from our perceptions of situations. Imagine a hunter-gatherer sleeping alone in a forest, their anxiety keeping them vigilant against predators. This response was essential for survival. Yet, in today’s world, that same instinct may manifest as sleeplessness over trivial worries, such as meeting deadlines and what people think about us. This mismatch between ancient emotional responses and modern triggers can cause unnecessary stress and suffering. 

The Problem of Unconscious Emotional Responses 

For most people, emotional responses are automatic, unconscious, and often maladaptive. Take anger, for example. While it might arise naturally in a crisis, societal norms frequently discourage its open expression. As a result, many suppress their anger, which does not simply vanish but instead festers, manifesting as physical tension, frustration, or even illness. 

Similarly, anxiety once served as a survival mechanism, heightening alertness in genuinely dangerous situations. However, in the modern world, this same response often activates inappropriately, leading us to waste precious time and energy worrying about non-life-threatening concerns, even in environments where we are completely safe.  

Unconscious handling of emotions—whether through suppression or indulgence—keeps us trapped in patterns of suffering. The key to breaking free lies in reclaiming conscious control over our emotions. 

Reclaiming Emotional Control 

The first step to reclaiming control is awareness. Becoming conscious of our emotions as they arise allows us to engage with them instead of being overrun. For example, when anxiety surfaces, it’s crucial to dive into it, to feel its physical presence and understand its roots. This might involve realizing, “I’m anxious because I feel socially isolated,” or, “I’m worried about financial challenges.” Once we name and embrace these feelings, they often lose their overwhelming power. 

This process is not about suppressing emotions or indulging them. Both suppression and indulgence are unhelpful extremes. Suppression denies the emotion’s existence, while indulgence allows it to control us. Instead, we can consciously observe and dissect emotions. 

For instance, sadness can be broken into components. If it stems from longing, that longing can be embraced as a deep, authentic desire. On the other hand, sadness mixed with hopelessness needs discernment; we should not feed the hopelessness. By embracing the positive core and discarding the unhelpful parts, we allow emotions to fulfil their adaptive purposes. 

Embracing the Positive Core of Emotions 

In Tantra, the approach to emotions is transformative. Tantra teaches us to extract the essence of every experience and let go of its unnecessary aspects. Emotions, when observed and broken down into their components, reveal a positive core. Fear arises to protect what is valuable. Anger emerges to correct injustices. Sadness can highlight what we truly cherish. 

Through meditation and awareness, we can hold emotions consciously, allowing their wisdom to surface. Instead of fighting the negative elements, we gently set them aside and give life to the positive components. This process, central to emotional healing, creates a harmonious integration of these energies. 

The Origins of Emotional Patterns 

Many emotional patterns are rooted in both innate tendencies and learned behaviours. As children, we unconsciously absorb emotional responses from our surroundings—parents, peers, and cultural norms. For instance, I noticed that my own anger mirrored my father’s: quiet, suppressed, and avoiding confrontation. Over time, these inherited patterns become ingrained, shaping how we respond to life’s challenges. 

These learned behaviours form what we can name the “pseudo-self.” This layer of reactive habits often obscures our authentic essence. Emotional wisdom involves peeling back these layers to reconnect with our true self—the soul or “healthy self”—that generates emotions authentically and in alignment with our deeper values. 

Connecting Emotions to the Body 

The journey to emotional healing starts in the body. Every emotion manifests physically before it becomes a mental concept. For instance, sadness often feels like a weight in the chest or a lump in the throat. Anger may create tension in the jaw or stomach, while fear might resonate in the belly or pelvic area. These bodily sensations are the raw reality of emotions, free from the intellectual filters and narratives we later attach to them. 

When we label emotions with words like “sadness” or “anger,” we risk losing touch with their raw essence. Words are approximations, but the true experience lies in the body’s sensations. By shifting focus from abstract labels to the body’s felt experience, we engage more directly with emotions. This practice—rooted in embodied awareness—helps us transform emotions at their source rather than merely analysing them from a distance. 

Blending Psychology and Spirituality 

For over two decades, I have explored both psychology and spirituality, integrating these disciplines in my teaching and therapeutic work. Silent retreats, where I spent weeks confronting emotions without distractions, have been especially transformative. During these periods of deep introspection, I confronted emotions in their rawest form, learning to navigate them with clarity and compassion. 

People often come to me overwhelmed by emotions they’ve ignored for years. For example, someone struggling with anxiety might describe it as a vague unease. By guiding them to locate the sensation in their body, they connect directly with the emotion. This simple shift often brings profound relief, revealing the “factory” behind their emotions rather than merely addressing the “products” of anxiety, anger, or sadness. 

My Personal Journey 

I’d like to share two personal experiences that highlight my own emotional alchemy: 

Healing Guilt 

For much of my life, guilt was a constant companion. I often felt I wasn’t doing enough or wasn’t good enough. During a winter retreat years ago, I was doing a meditation to heal guilt, over the course of 21 days. One day, after oversleeping and missing part of my practice, I felt a familiar wave of self-recrimination. But as I walked through the snow that evening, I had a realization that came to me in a flash: guilt was my way of motivating self-improvement. However, I didn’t need to punish myself to grow. 

This insight reduced my guilt significantly. While it still appears occasionally in other areas, the clarity of that moment transformed my relationship with it. I learned to embrace the constructive aspect of guilt while discarding its punitive elements. 

Confronting Anger 

Anger was another emotion I struggled with for years. Suppressed anger manifested physically as ulcers and emotionally as frustration. Through therapy and self-reflection, I learned to recognize and express my anger healthily. 

I discovered that much of my anger stemmed from self-importance—the belief that my goals were more significant than others’. By addressing this underlying egoism, I gradually released my anger. Over time, the ulcers healed, and my relationships improved. The process took years and remains ongoing, but it has profoundly shifted my inner landscape. 

Masculine and Feminine Dynamics in Emotional Wisdom 

Emotions often play out differently in men and women due to biological and cultural influences. Men, conditioned to suppress emotions, may struggle to connect with their emotional depth. While suppression can be helpful in crises, it becomes harmful when it blocks intimacy and self-awareness. 

Women, on the other hand, often experience emotions more intensely. This heightened sensitivity is a gift but can lead to overwhelm or manipulation if not balanced with responsibility. 

In relationships, these dynamics can complement each other. Men can offer detachment and clarity, while women can teach sensitivity and depth. Recognizing these differences fosters mutual growth and understanding. 

The Transformative Power of Suffering 

Suffering, when approached with awareness, holds immense transformative power. Emotional pain is not something to avoid or suppress—it is a gateway to growth. By sitting with our suffering without judgment, we allow it to unfold and reveal its wisdom. 

For example, many spiritual practitioners embrace intense practices, such as meditating in extreme conditions, to transform their relationship with discomfort. While most of us do not need such extremes, the principle remains the same: embracing pain fosters resilience and inner strength. 

Conclusion 

Becoming emotionally wiser is a journey of awareness, acceptance, and transformation. By embracing the positive core of emotions and releasing their destructive elements, we align with our authentic selves. This journey, while challenging, opens the door to deeper intimacy, freedom, and joy. 

Through practices such as meditation, therapy, and embodied awareness, we can transform our emotional lives, unlocking the wisdom within. In doing so, emotions become our allies—guiding us toward growth, healing, and a fuller experience of life. 

Keys to Tantric Couple Relationship

06 February 2025
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This podcast is about:

  • Transpersonal Love 
  • Tantric system 
  • Harnessing erotic energy 
  • What do men want?  
  • What do women want? 
  • Jealousy & attachments 
  • Platform for individual growth 
  • Difference between sex & eros

Most of us learn how to relate in a trial-and-error fashion but as the years and the relationships go by, we may get a little weary and even lose hope. The Tantric path teaches that the couple relationship can be integral to our personal development as we learn to build relationships full of intense pleasure, powerful attraction and deep love. Sounds good? Discover more on this one-day workshop with Tantra teachers Bogdan Radasanu and Alina Halauca. For a sneak preview listen to Bogdan in this podcast interview where he describes the first heartfelt steps to relationship heaven.

Listen on Spotify

Listen on YouTube

If you’re interested to dive deeper into topics like this, you are invited to join our courses, or check out our upcoming events to explore more!

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A taste of Polarity Retreat 2024

12 April 2024

Polarity, and the intensity of the game between the feminine and the masculine, is the source of power in our evolution and Spiritual awakening. When the game of polarity is alive and the process of inner alchemy is intense, ecstasy arises within, and with it comes existential joy and lasting happiness.

See what we experienced during our 2024 Polarity Retreat, “The Alchemy of Ecstasy”!

Live discussion – Love, Orgasms & Relationships

01 April 2024

Bridging Biology & Tantra with Dr Liat Yakir

Discover the nature of love, orgasms, and relationships in a lively discussion with author Dr Liat Yakir, a highly respected keynote speaker on topics of the biology of human emotions, and experienced Tantra teachers Maria Porsfelt and Foca Yariv.

Dr Yakir has just published her book, A Brief History of Love, well received in her native Israel. Maria Porsfelt has been teaching Esoteric Tantra Yoga for over 15 years and practising since 2001. She has been guiding men and women in workshops on eroticism, orgasms and relationships. Foca Yariv has been practising Yoga & Tantra since a young age, and has also been teaching for over 15 years. He has been guiding men on the spiritual path, supporting them in the practice of amorous erotic continence and tantric lovemaking.

Embark on a journey of understanding love from the perspective of the chemistry of the brain and how this relates to spirit, how orgasms are a necessity for both the body and soul, and how relationships are a celebration of the game between the complementary nature of the masculine and the feminine.

Discover the hormones that drive us and how by understanding our biology we can wisely navigate life and go beyond this drive, know ourselves better and achieve an elevation of the consciousness.

This discussion was hosted by journalist Vivienne Rush.

Polarity: The Play of Life

21 February 2024
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This podcast is about:

  • Universal Masculine & Universal Feminine 
  • Shiva & Shakti 
  • Tantric path – the path of energies 
  • Embracing life 
  • Key to Happiness 
  • Power 
  • Awareness 
  • Valuing both Yin & Yang 
  • Self-knowledge  

Polarity exists on many levels of our being and on many levels of planetary life. As we study the concept of polarity, we can begin to observe it playing under the surface of everything. The two polar elements, plus and minus, masculine and feminine, are in a constant dance, back and forth, striving for balance.

As teachers Maria Porsfelt and Morgan Arundel tell student Vivienne Rush, with perseverant and focused practice we can join that dance, and by polarising and harnessing energies we can feel surges of happiness and willpower strengthening at our core.

Listen on Spotify

Listen on YouTube

To find out more about other Tantric principles and practices, join our ongoing Tantra course!

Find out more about the Tantra course

Journeys of Awakening Shakti

10 January 2024
Femininity on the Tantric path

A vital part of a woman becoming her true, authentic self is to embrace the gift of Shakti, and connect with the creative life force inside her being, that is waiting to be activated.

For many women there is a moment when the desire to fully awaken becomes powerful and insistent. The question then is, what to do next?

Tantra provides many answers, many techniques to support and maintain this awakening, including the opportunity to be in a community of women who are learning to open their hearts and indeed their whole beings, to Shakti; learning to see what is beautiful in others.

This perspective is a welcome relief from the pressure to compete, that many girls and women experience, which forces them to push down or ignore their natural, powerful selves.

In this podcast, Tantra teachers Magdalena Hau and Mojdeh Moasser share with student Vivienne Rush the magnificence of awakening Shakti in their own lives.

Tribute to the Eternal Feminine ~ Part 1

08 March 2023

Tribute to the Eternal Feminine & to the Feminine Mystery that exists in every woman

What the woman wants, and when it is good,
God wants it too.

Even for the uninitiated, the feminine nature has a mysterious resonance with the poetic sentiment. In human beings who aspire to discover their soulmate, this passionate search is fundamentally about discovering the polar opposite half that we lack. In reality, this quest illustrates the unconscious desire to achieve the androgynous state. In the realm of manifestation, some human beings sense, and others even intuit, that beyond the binary pulsation of plus-minus, yang-yin, solar-lunar, masculine-feminine, lies the mysterious unknown and infinite, or God the Father, who works incessantly. 

I remember that when I started practising yoga, at one stage I had the opportunity to study a Tantric text, in which I discovered a phrase that appeared to be surprising to me at the time. Here is that sutra that I memorised: “If a practitioner of the Tantra system can understand the soul of a woman – due to their state of perfect identification, or Samyama, they will thus be able to know the world, together with the occult forces that reside beyond it, and at the same time they will be able to find the Almighty and Eternal Brahmin, God, who exists beyond this world.”

This phrase appeared to me as being banal, but at the same time fascinating and enigmatic. If it would be read in a superficial way, it would make you think of a kind of cliché that we meet in some age-old traditions. The ancient archetype of the anima mundi, or the Soul of the World, has been perpetuated in the esoteric traditions of the West since ancient times. On this it can be said that in a certain way, many people have the intuition of the fascinating, intimate connection of women with the nature of the World. It is worth remembering that it is no coincidence that the 21st card of the Tarot, which represents the World, has a beautiful naked woman in the centre as its symbol, that for the initiated, evokes the Mystery of Shakti. 
 
Regarding the sutra that I quoted, it is necessary to add that when I read it, I had a flash of intuition of a truth that was hidden behind the apparent truth of those words. It was then that I began to intuit that there was undoubtedly a mysterious “something” beyond the World, and I might say that after this, the intuition settled in my consciousness forever. The enigma that was intuited in the sutra remained alive in me for many years, and even became a leading idea during my spiritual transformation that, over time, became a guiding beacon that helped me very much. 

Any spiritual transformation undoubtedly hides countless paradoxes. As a whole, as soon as they begin to indicate the tortuous path of spiritual transformation, establishing milestones and essential stages ,most traditions of wisdom do not hesitate to advise, and even often dogmatically forbid, any form of association or companionship with women. During the period in which he composed hymns dedicated to the Mother Goddess, the great sage and yogi Shankaracharya wrote (because of his rejection of woman and femininity) the following: “Of all forms of birth, human birth is the most difficult to obtain; but even more difficult is to obtain birth in a male body.” 
 
Whether they belong to the East or West, a large number of monastic traditions – which preach asceticism and renunciation as the only way to spiritual liberation – insist irrevocably on the need to distance yourself from everything that is directly or indirectly related to femininity. In their view, femininity is the cause of all sensual and worldly deviations, being also seen as the object of many temptations. 
 
The sutra, however, spoke about the woman’s soul and contained a secret whose intimate and deep understanding could lead to a much greater knowledge. That sutra was referring to the knowledge that lies beyond this world and even beyond it all. But we know that behind the occult energies of this world there is nothing else but GOD THE FATHER, who is also the Absolute and the mysterious Unknown. The sutra revealed a great secret. Properly understood, the sutra sought to make us understand that knowing through perfect identification (SAMYAMA) the soul of a woman can also help us to know the mysteries of Creation and, more than that, can even help us discover GOD THE FATHER. 
 
The message of the sutra made “something” profoundly resonate in my being. Afterwards, I often meditated on the enigmatic message of the sutra . Little by little, I felt that message literally invading my entire being as if it had awakened, in a certain way, every cell. Then, that ineffable state that arose gradually amplified and enlivened my being, often causing an intense and profound uplifting thrill to appear. When the state became more and more extensive and overwhelming, I meditated deeply upon it. 

I found, over time, that what settled in my inner universe by evoking the magic of the words in the sutra was a great fecundity. It was, I could say, also an intense, poetic state. The sutra therefore awakened an intimate and ineffable state of poetry in my inner universe. At the same time, a spontaneous state of transfiguration appeared, and my perception of the whole world and even of my own being became completely different. In order to define it, I could say that the state was at the same time an ineffable, poetic experience. When I entered that state, I discovered mysterious rhythms and an indescribable “music” that circulated both through everything that existed in my being, as well as through what was outside of me. At the same time, a mysterious reality began to be revealed to me, which existed simultaneously beyond all partial realities and it made me experience something mysterious, ecstatic and intoxicating. The state that revealed itself to me was magical and at the same time poetic. 
 
Later I realised, due to the intensity of that experience, which became more and more profound and clear, that many human beings seek to live and understand in a way, I could say poetically, beings, phenomena and things. Now I could say that at that time I undoubtedly entered deep states of beneficial trance and was often animated by an almost visceral need to experience the magic and poetry of Life. That indescribable twinning of magic and poetry, which I lived fully, revealed in my being a condition of the soul that penetrates the nature of all things, to discover in all of them the intimate vibration of all they have inside. The enigmatic and essential music conveyed by their form made me discover certain subtle messages that were hidden beyond them. 
 
When I was intensely and deeply experiencing this state, I had the feeling that it is a complex and indescribable experience. Beyond all this, however, I had the feeling that I was experiencing something that was essentially feminine. This deeply feminine something that was contained in my inner universe appeared to me as a body, simultaneously new and old, which existed in my own body. That feminine something was a body of magic and poetry. 
 
Through repetition and gradual deepening, this state triggered deep transformations in me. Later I came to realise that in fact there is no true philosophy, no religion and no true spirituality without poetry, without transfiguration, without magic and without conscious Eros. The Eternal Feminine, that in the East is expressed by the state of shakti, gives spirituality a certain poetry, magic, transfiguration and mystery. 

Regarding these states that I previously described, I could also add that, around the age of nine, an extraordinary event made me aware of my spiritual destiny. I remember that at the age when many boys are tempted to masturbate, I experienced an inexplicable and even ecstatic exaltation in my whole body, which made me enter a mysterious and magical world – a world that, in my view back then, was imaginary and unlimited. That mysterious and magical land I entered was made up of gigantic, never-before-seen arabesques and brightly coloured swirls. At the same time, the experience made me sink into a state of timeless interiorisation. In this way, bodily instincts and sexuality were in a certain way replaced in me – in fact, I could say they were sublimated – through the means of this much more subtle and intangible Eros, which travelled more through my psychic universe rather than my senses, feeding me with magical states and images, and opening in me a mystical fondness. 
 
Although I was quiet and solitary in nature, when I sometimes returned from school with two little girls of my age, I felt the urge to tell them some extraordinary stories. I realised, especially then, that the wonderful and charming world that existed in me could only be understood and shared by those two little girls, who I remember were very attentive to everything I told them. This intimate state of listening produced in me a kind of constant stimulation, which in this way fed an uplifting, euphoric aspiration of my unconscious Eros, which was in effervescence. Now I could say that then there was a perfect symbiosis between the receptivity of those two little girls and the inner, spontaneous activity of my creative imagination. 
 
Back then, without realising it, through everything I was doing, I was already on my way to courting the MUSE of inspiration. At the same time, I was communicating with Eros and even realised – without knowing it – the first sublimation of amorous energy, in a complete state of innocence. Much later, I came to understand that Eros, in my case, was much more mobilised by my inner femininity than by my outer masculinity. The state of listening is, without a doubt, a feminine activity that invites sharing in the most natural way, as well as inviting a liberating activation of the creative imagination. 
 
Human beings who nurture an intense state of spiritual aspiration end up living in a mysterious intermediary world, which is tangent to two complementary realities: the reality of the Visible World and that of the Invisible Worlds. The aspirational engagement on a spiritual path aims to reconcile these two worlds in the universe of the being, eventually making them mutually interchangeable. Their respective realities mix and melt at a certain point in the reality of the being in which they acquire a unique meaning. 

Through her biological, vital and psychic nature, the woman lives in a similar world, between manifested and unmanifested, within which the perception and understanding of things, phenomena and beings have a character that is more aesthetic, I could say, than moral. I want to emphasise that here I use the word “AESTHETIC” in its widest and at the same time deepest sense: the Greek word AISTHETIKOS actually expresses an ineffable faculty of being penetrated, which makes us feel in an intense and profound way the harmonious unity of things and beings. This faculty is, we could say, predominant and inherent in femininity. The woman feels intuitively before she knows, the man wants to know before he feels, the woman lives to understand, the man must understand in order to feel that he lives. 
 
For those who look with great attention at the surrounding reality, it is deeply significant that ethe world of poetry and art in particular is so permeated by the feminine presence. This aspect is valid even if most of the authors who have given humanity the greatest masterpieces belong to the male sex. It is worth asking ourselves if it is not through them that the feminine aspect manifests itself. 
 
Today I could say that, thanks to a mysterious inner magnetisation, whose subtlety and magnitude grew over time, I gradually became aware of the importance of the androgynous state. This process was accompanied by an ever deeper awareness of the inner feminine. Through awakening the androgynous state, that feminine sensitivity which the masculine dexterity uses is then manifested in an ample and profound way. 
 
Spirituality, art and poetry are, we could say, a continuity of nature within the human being. When they act together, in complete symbiosis, they “fertilise” the human soul. The feminine is not only related to nature in a symbolic way. More than that, the feminine is the keeper (most often unsuspecting) of nature’s secrets and at the same time the open-air altar of its essence.  
 
Being at the same time the giver and nurturer of Life, the woman embodies the reality of the realised human nature. She has exercised this sacerdotal mission since the dawn of history, when she “conspired” with nature, sowing the first seeds that gave birth to agriculture; while men conspired by stalking game in the forests or hatching plans that would lead them to endless wars and the organised destruction of nature. 

At the present time, especially through art, the feminine manifests itself in the world. In the East, the feminine accompanies aspirants along their spiritual journey, especially through the Tantra Yoga system. Achieving the glorious androgynous state is an alchemical fusion of the masculine and feminine, which brings forth a mysterious third entity that can only be enjoyed by those who have attained this extraordinary state. 

Tantric Massage Explained

17 January 2023

To many, the word massage summons up experiences of being pummelled or kneaded like dough. Immediately banish this image from your mind! Tantric Massage is completely different. It is a path to self knowledge. It is an unimaginably sublime experience in which we travel through layers of our being to reach the hidden treasures of one’s own self and that of the other. Here teacher Ben Carver describes to student Vivienne Rush the myriad delights of Tantric Massage.

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The Universal Principle of Polarity

31 August 2022

“The Principle of Polarity states that all manifested things have ‘two sides’; ‘two aspects’; ‘two poles; and, ‘everything has its opposite’ with manifold degrees between the two extremes.” – The Kybalion, a text of hermetic wisdom

The study of alchemy and the seven Hermetic Principles of the Universe demonstrates the importance of understanding the Principle of Polarity and how it reflects in the Greater Whole. Polarity is a principle that governs everything in creation, and is  expressed in many other philosophies and traditions, as well as in science.

Polarity is an expression of universal duality. To better understand polarity, it is necessary to begin from the perspective of the universe as a unit that perpetually generates two poles that mutually co-exist. The idea or plan of the universe unfolding in creation is made possible by the constant, dynamic generation of the pairs of opposites. 

In ancient Chinese wisdom the symbol of Yin and Yang, Taijitu, is expressed by a circle divided equally into black and white halves. Each half of the circle contains a spot of the opposite colour. The Yin, the black half, and the Yang, the white half, each represent different qualities.

This symbol shows how opposites are connected and cannot exist without each other. They exist as part of the same whole, and the two opposite characteristics can exist in harmony and complement each other. This last aspect is represented by the soft ‘S’ shape that divides the two halves, rather than a sharp line. The small circles within each half show that nothing is absolute. In all yin, some yang inevitably exists, and vice versa. The outer circle of this symbol represents the entirety of the Universe.

In Hindu mythology, Brahma emerged from the Cosmic Golden Egg and created everything ‘good’ and ‘evil’, and ‘light’ and ‘dark’. In Christian tradition, God also created everything in creation from his single being, and all opposites, good and bad, life and death, flesh and spirit. These pairs are often seen as being separate, but they are actually interwoven as part of a greater whole.

The Tantric Perspective on Polarity

In Tantra it is said that,

“All that exists is a creation of the two complementary principles: masculine and feminine. In Creation, the Supreme becomes Shiva and Shakti, the static and the dynamic aspects of the transcendental Consciousness.”

It is said that the whole universe is sustained by the cosmic lovemaking between Shiva, consciousness or the masculine principle, and Shakti, the energy or feminine principle.

Shiva and Shakti, the cosmic couple, represent archetypal polar opposites: masculine and feminine; yang and yin. Shiva is symbolised by the erect lingam,  or phallus, and Shakti by the all-embracing yoni, or vulva. The lingam and yoni are polar opposites, but at the same time they perfectly complement each other, easily uniting in amorous ecstasy.

In the ancient times, Hermes Trismegistus said:

“The Sun is its father, the moon its mother”

Here he refers to the game of polarity played in nature – a duality that is born from non-duality. The complex game of polarity is an expression of the universal duality. The universe is a unit that constantly generates two poles, and gives birth to all pairs of opposites.

Nature reflects this cosmic perspective; the game between the masculine and feminine is constantly played out in all fauna and flora on this planet, including humans, since time immemorial. At the time of the Kama Sutra the natural game between the masculine and feminine was a vivid part of life. Men and women had distinct and complementary roles, which when united, created a magic both between them and individually.

The Scientific Perspective

According to science, polarity is

“a state or a condition of an atom or a molecule inherent in a body that exhibits opposite properties or powers in opposite parts or directions.”

It is discussed in connection with bonds formed between molecules and atoms because of different electronegativities. In chemistry and physics, a negative pole has the most electrons, while the positive polarity has fewer electrons. Polarity can be easily observed in magnetism and electricity, and can be understood by observing the simple attraction and repulsion between magnets. The plus and minus poles of two magnets attract each other, while the same poles, minus-minus, plus-plus, repel each other.

The Perspective of Alchemy

Within every phenomena or system there are three forces, generally referred to as ‘plus’, ‘minus‘ and ‘neutral’. The first two forces represent opposite poles of any phenomena – positive/negative, light/dark etc. These two poles make up the entire range of possible phenomena. The ‘0’ or neutral or ‘0’ aspect exists at a higher level, and is difficult to perceive as it is beyond the physical and that which can be seen. This neutral (0) aspect exists because of the unity of the two polar aspects i.e., when plus and minus unite, they are perfectly balanced. This neutral (0) aspect unites the polar elements and is considered to be the essential nature of spirit.

Although the creation seems to be very diverse, by understanding the principle of polarity and other principles, we see that this complexity comes from a core of laws that are essentially simple, and which then unfold through different resonance processes.

It can thus be said that from any state of unity, the state of duality and polarity comes. And since nothing in the universe is completely static, the two polarities develop a dynamic character, which manifests as endless variations in creation, such as plus / minus, male / female, hot / cold.

Alongside the alchemists,  science has confirmed, that these polarities are found everywhere, in all levels of creation, from small particles to cosmic bodies, and these are all harmoniously and profoundly connected. They are also inside us. Our body is made of structures of polar alternations vibrating continuously. 

By becoming more conscious, we can begin to recognise the importance of knowing how to harmonise these rhythms or we lose our inner equilibrium, which will also show on the outside in the actions we do.  Thus, we understand, sooner or later, that our personal rhythm is in an intimate natural connection to the Universal rhythms which we come from in fact, and the only way for us to find inner fulfilment is to profoundly tune ourselves in to these Universal Rhythms. But first we need to understand these rhythms which are based on the polar alternations.

When the alchemist understands the principle of polarity, they can understand all their inner processes and will become able to raise or lower their vibrational frequency and tune in, at will, to what is beneficial. By consciously applying the principle of polarity, the alchemist canperform physical, mental, and spiritual alchemy both within his own being, and in the outer environment.

How does the understanding of polarity fit in today’s society?

Men and woman are the clearest examples both of polarity, and the importance of understanding this principle in life. 

Most people in society today can be considered to be out of balance. There is a huge predominance of what can be defined as yin energies in society – creating inertia, lethargy, over sensitivity, greater susceptibility to disease, poor digestion and a lack of motivation. As the embodiment of masculinity, yang-ness, solarity, men should be more yang, and less yin, but men are also prone to excessive yin-ness. This imbalance is due to many factors such as poor diet – the overuse of refined sugar, processed food, preservatives and chemicals in food, and environmental determinants, such as electromagnetic fields, plastic and other pollution, hybrid crops and ignoring the natural circadian rhythm. Excessive yin-ness can be counterbalanced by amplifying its opposite – solarity and yang-ness. This will bring more centredness, dynamism, verticality, and much more emotional balance, as well as greater physical and mental health overall.

It is also necessary for women to amplify their yang-ness, despite their being the embodiment of yin, to balance the prevailing amount of yin energy within their inner universe. If excessive yin is not polarised by yang, it can lead to the issues described above, including emotional rollercoasters and a lack of direction and harmony.

The game of polarity is a secret key to happiness in a couple relationship, keeping attraction and passion alive.

When yin and yang are completely balanced in either a man or woman, a very special state of consciousness known as the glorious androgynal state awakens, that is connected to the zero point, or neutral state, the plus and minus uniting in perfect balance. The androgynal state very much enlivens and awakens the spiritual power of the being.

The game of polarity is also a secret key to happiness in a couple relationship, keeping attraction and passion alive. As weak magnets will have a weak attraction to each other, strong magnets can attract each other even from a distance, and unite with a much greater force. The attraction in a couple is also due to the strength of the opposite polarity between them. The stronger the masculine and feminine energies in the couple, the stronger the attraction between them. When strong masculine meets strong feminine, sparks fly.Human beings are very complex however. Each of us have a little part of the opposite pole within, just as in the yin-yang symbol there is a small circle of the opposite in each side. Thus, when a woman truly relaxes in her femininity and a man feels at ease in his masculinity, it is much easier to find fulfilment in the relationship. 

Ways in which individual polarity can be balanced

  • The practice of Yoga – Hatha Yoga means the ‘union of sun and moon’, the sun being the masculine, yang, emissive aspect, and moon the feminine, yin, receptive aspect. The union of these two poles reflects the middle way. Many Yoga postures as they are practised in this school work on directly balancing both the Yin and Yang aspects  of the different levels of the practitioner.
  • Vira and Shakti groups – At Tara Yoga Centre, we run groups especially for women, called Shakti groups, and for men,  called Vira groups, where spiritual notions and practices that are directly related to the feminine and masculine are explored, for the purposes of personal growth and transformation.
  • Rest well – Sleeping sufficiently and early increases yang energies.
  • Exercise – Exercising causes deeper breathing, making the body more yang.
  • The practice of erotic amorous continence – Practising erotic amorous continence with love and transfiguration, and separating orgasm from ejaculation amplifies yang energies.
  • Reduced exposure to Electromagnetic fields – Electromagnetic fields amplify yin.
  • Reduced Stress – Stress has a very yin effect on the body, depleting us of vital nutrients and damaging the system, leading to degeneration.

Final Thoughts

The Principle of Polarity is an essential principle to understand and apply in order to support our spiritual growth. By observing this principle in all aspects of our life we can reach a state of balance and harmony that is essential for true spiritual awakening, empowerment and the revelation of our Godly Nature.