Is 'Tantric Massage' really Tantra?
Short answer: "It depends."Tantra has its origins in the remote past. Some say it goes far back as the 8th Century CE, and some claim it goes all the way back before recorded history. But there seems to be no hard evidence for the existence of 'Tantric Massage' (as it is now practised) before the 20th Century.
Some elements of Tantric Massage have a correspondence with Ayurvedic and Yogic knowledge of the human energy system and some techniques seem to have come from Tibet, possibly influenced by Tibetan Buddhism and the Vajrayana tradition of the Siddhas.
Although there is no universal definition of what constitutes a 'Tantric Massage' and anyone can create their own form of massage and arbitrarily call it 'Tantric', typically, some elements of what goes by the name of Tantric Massage have come from the Taoist teachings of Mantak Chia, who began a world-wide movement to reveal much of the ancient Taoist arts openly for the first time.
Some elements that are commonly found in Tantric Massage have their origin in the work of Wilhelm Reich and his students such as Alexander Lowen, which gave rise to techniques known as 'body-psychotherapy' such as Bioenergetic Massage.
So, serious practitioners of 'Tantric Massage' may have a strong grounding in either powerful 'Western' or 'Eastern' therapeutic practices.
However, many forms of Tantric Massage also exist without this fundamental therapeutic basis.
It's often difficult to know what is really being offered under the label of 'Tantric Massage'.
When is 'Tantric Massage' genuinely Tantra?
The word 'Tantra' sells. But it takes more than just a mixture of New Age music, incense, pictures of Yantras or of Indian gods, gazing into each other's eyes, combined with sensual touch, to make a massage genuinely 'Tantric'.
'Tantra' is originally a system dedicated to the attainment of Liberation, or what is traditionally known as Moksha.
A massage that is just sensual or erotic, even if it relates to sacred sexuality, is not necessarily 'Tantric' - even if it the practitioner has had training in Ayurvedic, Tibetan or Taoist therapeutic techniques.
Until new evidence regarding ancient forms of Tantric Massage comes to light, it could be argued that any 'Tantric Massage' would always be a form of 'neo-Tantra' in the sense that it is an adaptation of classical Tantra.
It could also be argued that a massage that does not include some form of Pranayama, visualization, voicework/mantra, or other key elements of Tantra should not really be classified as 'Tantric Massage'.
It could also be argued that if there are no traditional teachings to be found on Tantric Massage before modern times then all Tantric Massage should be designated as 'neo-Tantric' Massage.
However, this is not necessarily helpful to those who are seeking clarity.
For some people 'neo-Tantric' implies that it's all about sex and pleasure.
For others 'neo-Tantric' may simply imply that it is a recent version/adaptation of Tantra, possibly combined with methodologies from other traditions such as the Taoist as well as modern healing techniques and sexology, but not necessarily straying from the focus on Liberation as the ultimate goal.
In relation to my own work, I have studied with masters of the Taoist arts, including Mantak Chia himself, as well as with some of his long-time students, and I have practiced Tantric meditation in the form of Kundalini Kriya Yoga for around 20 years.
As a result of my experience with ancient Tantra and the Taoist arts and my time as a therapist, having practiced several forms of energy-work, breath-work, body-work and voicework, I developed my own approaches to massage - EnergyFlow Massage, which is a form of 'Tantric Massage' which I have taught during the last 4 years in Portugal.
I have also trained with Anand Rudra who is a humble master of Tantric energy-work and who is very skilled at combining ancient and modern techniques and perspectives to accomplish great energetic shifts.
This background, including the recent training in Tantra Kriya Yoga with Anand Rudra has been a key inspiration for Tantric Yoga Massage, which I am launching in April of 2016 as a training specially for couples and for therapists and/or teachers of Yoga or Tantra.
Whatever your level of experience, it would be a pleasure to have you in the course with us.
- Peter Littlejohn Cook
Tantric Yoga Massage Level 1 combines deep relaxation with non-genital, erotic stimulation, as well as methods for deep heart-felt connection and expansion of consciousness.
It can be learnt by therapists or by couples of all sexual orientations and ages.
No previous experience in Yoga, Tantra, or massage is required.
If you wish to train with Peter in EnergyFlow Tantric Massage (for Kundalini Integration), or Art of Relaxation - Tantric Yoga Massage, for therapists and couples, courses are now available at Senhora D'Azenha in Sintra, Portugal.
REGISTER HERE.
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