Sacred Sexuality Practices
Have you ever had sex and wondered, is this all there is? Just asking this question takes courage and the nerve to begin to exploring possibilities in an area that has so many taboos. If you have asked this question, your answer may be found in Tantra Yoga, the Yoga of Sacred Sexuality.
This is the practice of bringing your full awareness into your body, breath, movement and voice. Tantra Yoga is a practice of reawakening your authentic spontaneity and celebrating the divine within yourself and your partner. It is a practice that connects sex with spirit. Tantra is often translated as: weaving the opposites of spirit and matter, light and shadow, male and female, expansion and contraction into the tapestry of our lives. This is a path of self-discovery.
At first we practice accepting all parts of ourselves, healing shame and self-criticism. As we become more whole we can then accept the shadow in ourselves and others. Acceptance is saying Yes to life. This attitude allows us to dive into the realms of sacred sexuality. Many of us have had experiences of spiritual sex when we felt our soul connected with our partner’s soul. Some people have even said they were sure they had conceived during this lovemaking and in fact they had! These are times when all the elements were right and they spontaneously felt a deep spiritual connection with their partner.
We can cultivate the depth of our spiritual sexual connection with Tantric practices so that these experiences are not a matter of chance. Tantra is also called the Yoga of Relationship. There are many spiritual paths that are solitary and celibate. Tantra Yoga is a spiritual path that is in the world, in the nitty-gritty of our daily lives.
Practice These Exercises
Musical instruments need to be tuned to play together and so do people. One of our favorite Tantric exercises to deepen intimacy is the Melting Hug.
Begin by looking into your partner s eyes, soften the front of your body and move toward each other slowly with full awareness, being mindful of any thoughts or feelings as you approach. As you embrace allow all parts to touch, all of you is sacred. Synchronize your breath, let your bodies melt, again witnessing any thoughts or feelings that arise. Continue to breathe together 3-5 full minutes. Let this be a meditation for you both as you feel yourselves come into resonance. When we take time to synchronize our breath, slow down and come into harmony, we can make Divine music.
Another simple yet profound Tantric practice is the Soul Gaze.
If you want this to be more formal or special, first create a sacred space with flowers, candles, incense or whatever is sacred for you. Sit in the sacred space with your partner and commit to looking into each other’s eyes, without looking away, for a period of time (at least 5 min). This is not a staring contest, blink as you need to. Yes, this is not easy. Resistance will probably come up. Renew your commitment and continue to stay connected with your eye gaze for the full time. Sometimes you may experience odd phenomena or your partner’s face may appear to change, stay with it. Gaze into his or her eyes, the doorway to the soul and see the divine in your partner. You can complete with a Melting Hug and allow the magic of this sweet, loving connection to unfold.
Lexi Fisher and Kip Moore have been practicing Tantra Yoga together since 1995. They have studied with the great Tantra Yoga teachers: Charles and Caroline Muir, Margot Anand, Bodhi Avinasha, Sunyata Saraswati, David Deida. Satyen and Susan Raja. They have been certified to teach both SkyDancing and Ipsalu Tantra. They offer weekend workshops, advanced residential retreats, men’s and women’s groups and private sessions.
For more information call Kip at 760-329-2718 or visit: www.TantraT.com.