When I first began exploring Tantra, I found myself overwhelmed by its vastness. There seemed to be so many practices, techniques, and approaches. Where to begin? What constitutes authentic practice?

Over time, I’ve come to understand that Tantra practice isn’t just about following techniques but embracing a particular way of being in the world, a way that sees everything as sacred.

Let me share what I’ve discovered so far on this beautiful journey, knowing that I’m still very much a student, continually learning and growing.

The Essence of Tantric Practice

At its heart, Tantric practice is about recognizing the divine in everything. Unlike spiritual paths that view worldly existence as something to transcend, Tantra embraces all of life as a manifestation of the sacred.

The foundational text Kularnava Tantra puts it beautifully: “Without a body, how can one attain the goals of human life?” This perspective transforms how we approach spiritual practice. Instead of rejecting aspects of human experience, we learn to work with them skillfully.

Tantric practice invites us to weave together body, breath, mind, and spirit into a unified approach to awakening. It’s less about escaping the world and more about seeing it with new eyes, eyes that recognize the divine playing in every form.

Creating Sacred Space

Most Tantric practices begin with creating a sacred container, both externally and internally.

Externally, this might involve:

Setting up a small altar with elements representing different aspects of the divine

Purifying the space with incense, sound, or visualization

Arranging the body in a comfortable, stable posture for practice

Internally, we create sacred space through:

Setting a clear intention for our practice

Cultivating an attitude of reverence and receptivity

Letting go of distractions and mundane concerns

I’ve found that even a simple altar with a candle, a natural object, and perhaps an image that evokes the sacred can transform an ordinary corner of my home into a temple. This physical preparation helps signal to the mind that we’re stepping into a different relationship with reality.

The Body as Temple

In Tantric understanding, the body isn’t an obstacle to spiritual realization but a vessel for it. Practices often begin with acknowledging the body’s sacredness.

This might include:

Gentle movement to release tension and increase awareness

Conscious breathing to balance energy

Simple self purification rituals like washing the hands or sprinkling water

Body awareness meditations that explore the inner landscape

One simple practice I love is to simply place my hands on my heart, feel the warmth and pulse there, and silently acknowledge: “This body is a temple of the divine. Within it dwells infinite consciousness.”

This recognition transforms how we relate to physical experience, bringing reverence to even mundane activities like eating, bathing, or moving.

Breath and Energy

The breath serves as a bridge between body and mind, gross and subtle. In Tantric practice, conscious breathing is a powerful tool for transformation.

Basic pranayama (breath control) practices include:

Simply observing the natural flow of breath

Deepening and slowing the breath

Alternate nostril breathing to balance the subtle energy channels

These practices affect not just our physical state but our energetic and mental conditions as well. I’ve experienced how even five minutes of conscious breathing can shift my entire state of being, bringing clarity where there was confusion, calm where there was agitation.

As we become more attuned to the breath, we begin to sense the underlying energy or prana that it carries. This awareness opens the door to more subtle aspects of Tantric practice.

Mantra: The Power of Sacred Sound

Sound is a primary creative force in Tantric cosmology. Mantras, sacred sound formulas, are among the most potent tools in Tantric practice.

Mantras range from single syllable bija (seed) mantras to complex formulas honoring specific aspects of the divine. Some basic mantras accessible to beginners include:

“Om” • The primordial sound, representing the absolute

“So’ham” • Meaning “I am That,” synchronized with the breath

“Om Namah Shivaya” • Honoring the divine consciousness within

When I first began working with mantra, I was skeptical about repeating the same sounds over and over. But I’ve discovered that mantras work on levels beyond the intellect. They create powerful vibrations that affect our entire system, aligning us with specific qualities of consciousness.

During one difficult period in my life, the simple practice of repeating “Om Namah Shivaya” while using mala beads became an anchor of peace amidst emotional turbulence. The vibration of the mantra seemed to calm my nervous system and open my heart in ways I couldn’t have achieved through intellectual understanding alone.

Deity Yoga: Working with Divine Forms

Many Tantric practices involve visualization and devotion to specific forms of the divine, known as deity yoga. These deities aren’t conceived as separate entities “out there” but as personifications of universal principles and powers that exist within our own consciousness.

Common forms include:

Shiva • Divine consciousness, the witnessing awareness

Shakti • Divine energy, the creative power of existence

Ganesha • The remover of obstacles, lord of beginnings

Saraswati • The goddess of wisdom, learning, and creative expression

In practice, this might involve visualizing these forms, reciting their mantras, contemplating their qualities, or creating artistic expressions in their honor.

I remember being confused by this aspect of Tantra at first. Coming from a more rationalist background, the idea of working with deities seemed strange. But over time, I’ve come to understand these practices as powerful ways of accessing different qualities within ourselves, of making abstract principles tangible through form and story.

Ritual and Ceremony

Ritual is central to Tantric practice, creating a structured container for transformation. Rituals engage all of our senses, helping to bring full presence to the practice.

Elements of Tantric ritual might include:

Physical gestures (mudras) that direct energy in specific ways

Offerings of flowers, incense, light, or food

Symbolic movements that enact cosmic principles

Recitation of sacred texts

Even simple rituals can be powerful. Lighting a candle with the intention of illuminating inner darkness, offering a flower as a symbol of the heart’s opening, or pouring water as a gesture of purification can all become profound practices when done with full awareness and devotion.

Meditation: The Core Practice

While Tantra encompasses many external practices, meditation remains at its heart. Tantric meditation often involves:

Visualizing sacred forms or geometries (yantras)

Working with the subtle body, particularly the chakras

Cultivating awareness of the space in which all experience arises

One meditation from the Vijnana Bhairava Tantra, a classical text describing 112 meditation techniques, suggests: “Focus awareness in the space between two thoughts.” This simple instruction points to the vast consciousness that underlies all mental activity.

Another practice involves visualizing the heart center as a lotus flower gradually opening to reveal a radiant light within. This light symbolizes our true nature, pure awareness.

Through regular meditation, we begin to recognize that the distinction between sacred and mundane exists only in our perception. As the boundaries dissolve, all of life becomes an opportunity for practice.

Sacred Sexuality: Clarifying Misconceptions

No discussion of Tantric practice would be complete without addressing sacred sexuality, especially given how prominently it figures in Western representations of Tantra.

In authentic Tantric traditions, sexual practices were indeed part of some lineages, but:

They were advanced practices undertaken only after establishing a solid foundation in other aspects of the path

They were approached with reverence, ethical integrity, and specific spiritual intentions

They were just one small aspect of a comprehensive spiritual system

For most practitioners, Tantric approaches to sexuality involve bringing mindfulness, reverence, and presence to intimate relationships rather than specific techniques. They invite us to see the divine in our partners and to approach physical union as a sacred meeting rather than merely a physical act.

I’ve found that simply bringing more awareness and appreciation to all relationships, recognizing the divine light in each person I encounter, transforms how I move through the world in profound ways.

Daily Life as Spiritual Practice

Perhaps the most beautiful aspect of Tantra is how it transforms ordinary activities into opportunities for spiritual practice. Unlike paths that separate spiritual life from worldly life, Tantra invites us to infuse everything with sacred awareness.

This might look like:

Approaching cooking as an offering to the divine

Seeing work as service to the universal consciousness in its many forms

Bringing mindfulness to cleaning as a form of purification

Regarding encounters with others as meetings with the divine in disguise

One practice I’ve found transformative is to pause briefly before meals, acknowledging the incredible web of connections that brought the food to my plate, from the elements of nature to the many beings whose efforts contributed to this nourishment.

Finding Balance: The Middle Path

Traditional Tantric texts often describe three approaches or attitudes to practice:

Pashu Bhava (animal attitude): Following external rules and structures, focused on purification

Vira Bhava (heroic attitude): Working directly with challenging energies to transform them

Divya Bhava (divine attitude): Recognizing the sacred nature of everything, beyond duality

Most of us begin with Pashu Bhava, establishing strong foundations through regular practice and ethical living. As we develop, we might incorporate elements of Vira Bhava, working more directly with transforming challenging emotions or desires. Divya Bhava represents the flowering of practice, where the distinction between practice and life dissolves.

I’ve found that different phases of my journey have called for different approaches. There were times when I needed the structure of regular, disciplined practice. Other times called for directly facing and working with difficult energies. And there are blessed moments when life itself seems to unfold as divine play, without effort or striving.

Practical Guidance for Beginners

If you’re drawn to explore Tantric practice, here are some suggestions based on my own experience:

1. Start with the basics: regular meditation, conscious breathing, and cultivating reverence for life in all forms.
2. Find reliable sources of knowledge, whether books by respected teachers or classes with those who have deep experience in authentic traditions.
3. Begin where you are, with practices that feel accessible and resonant for you personally.
4. Be patient and consistent. Transformation happens gradually, like the slow opening of a flower.
5. Approach practice with both discipline and joy. The path should feel enlivening, not burdensome.
6. Remember that the purpose of all practices is to recognize what is already present, your own divine nature, not to acquire something new.
7. When possible, practice in community (sangha) with others who share your intentions.

A simple daily practice might include:

Morning: 10 minutes of sitting meditation followed by a few rounds of conscious breathing

Throughout the day: Pausing occasionally to feel the breath and set an intention to see the sacred in ordinary activities

Evening: Brief reflection on the day, perhaps with gratitude practice or devotional reading

Challenges and Obstacles

Like any spiritual path, Tantric practice comes with challenges. Common obstacles include:

Inconsistency: The benefits of practice emerge through regular engagement over time.

Misunderstanding: Without proper guidance, it’s easy to misinterpret practices or their purpose.

Spiritual materialism: Using practice to enhance the ego rather than transcend it.

Seeking experiences: Becoming attached to special states rather than recognizing our true nature.

I’ve encountered all of these obstacles at various points. What’s helped me navigate them is remembering that the path isn’t linear but spiral, returning again and again to fundamental truths with deepening understanding.

During periods when sitting meditation feels difficult, I might focus more on bringing awareness to daily activities. When intellectual understanding clouds direct experience, I return to simple practices of the breath or body awareness.

My Continuing Journey

My own journey with Tantric practices continues to unfold. There have been periods of intense engagement and times when life circumstances called for simpler approaches. Through it all, the fundamental perspective of Tantra has transformed how I experience the world.

I’ve found that even basic practices, when approached with sincerity and consistency, create profound shifts. The boundaries between sacred and ordinary have gradually dissolved, revealing a world alive with divine presence.

I share these reflections not as someone who has mastered these practices but as a fellow seeker who continues to learn and grow through them. The beauty of the Tantric path is that it meets each of us where we are, offering practices suited to our unique constitution and life circumstances.

The Invitation

Tantra ultimately invites us to see with new eyes, to recognize that what we’ve been seeking has been here all along, hidden in plain sight.

As the Spandakarika, a text of Kashmir Shaivism (a Tantric tradition), states: “That which appears as the universe is a reflection in consciousness.”

This recognition doesn’t come through belief but through direct experience, cultivated through patient, loving practice. It’s available to all of us, regardless of background or belief system.

If something in this description resonates with you, perhaps it’s an invitation to explore these practices for yourself, to discover how they might illuminate your own unique path.

May your journey reveal the beauty and divinity that permeates all of existence, including your own being.

References and Further Reading

1. Frawley, David. “Tantric Yoga and the Wisdom Goddesses.” Lotus Press, 2003.
2. Kempton, Sally. “Awakening Shakti: The Transformative Power of the Goddesses of Yoga.” Sounds True, 2013.
3. Odier, Daniel. “Yoga Spandakarika: The Sacred Texts at the Origins of Tantra.” Inner Traditions, 2005.
4. Singh, Jaideva. “Vijñānabhairava or Divine Consciousness.” Motilal Banarsidass, 1979.
5. Wallis, Christopher. “Tantra Illuminated: The Philosophy, History, and Practice of a Timeless Tradition.” Anusara Press, 2013.
6. Muktananda, Swami. “Play of Consciousness.” SYDA Foundation, 2000.
7. Saraswati, Swami Satyananda. “Kundalini Tantra.” Yoga Publications Trust, 1984.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Do I need a guru to practice Tantra?

A: Traditionally, many Tantric practices were transmitted directly from teacher to student. For basic practices like meditation, mantra, and developing reverence, you can certainly begin on your own using reliable resources. As you progress, finding a knowledgeable teacher becomes more valuable, especially for advanced practices involving subtle energy. Look for teachers with authentic lineage connections and ethical conduct. Trust your intuition when seeking guidance, and remember that the true guru ultimately resides within your own heart.

Q: How is Tantric practice different from other forms of yoga?

A: While many modern yoga styles focus primarily on physical postures (asanas), Tantric yoga integrates multiple dimensions of practice including mantra, visualization, subtle body awareness, ritual, and philosophical understanding. Tantra also tends to have a more embracing attitude toward the world, seeing it as a manifestation of divine consciousness rather than something to transcend. That said, many contemporary yoga practices have been influenced by Tantric perspectives, so the boundaries aren’t always clear cut.

Q: How much time should I devote to practice?

A: Quality of presence matters more than quantity of time. Even 15 minutes of fully engaged practice can be transformative. Consistency is more important than duration. Daily practice, even if brief, creates more lasting transformation than occasional longer sessions. As your practice develops, you might naturally find yourself devoting more time to formal practice while also bringing its awareness into daily activities.

Q: What’s the relationship between Tantra and Hatha Yoga?

A: Hatha Yoga, the physical yoga widely practiced today, has strong roots in Tantric traditions. Many of its practices were developed as ways to prepare the body and energy system for deeper Tantric meditation. The Hatha Yoga Pradipika, a classical text on Hatha Yoga, incorporates many Tantric concepts about subtle energy. You might think of traditional Hatha Yoga as one branch of the broader Tantric approach to spiritual practice.

Q: Are there different types of Tantra?

A: Yes, Tantra encompasses several distinct traditions, including:

• Shaiva Tantra, focusing on Shiva as divine consciousness
• Shakta Tantra, centering on the Divine Mother in her various forms
• Buddhist Tantra (Vajrayana), incorporating Tantric methods within a Buddhist framework
• Vaishnava Tantra, integrating devotion to Vishnu with Tantric practices

Within these are numerous sub schools. The practices I’ve described draw primarily from Shaiva and Shakta traditions, but each lineage has its unique emphasis and methods.

Q: Is Tantra connected to religion?

A: Tantra emerged within the cultural and religious contexts of Hinduism and Buddhism, and many traditional practices do incorporate devotional elements. However, the core practices of mindfulness, energy awareness, and seeing the sacred in everything can be adapted to various spiritual frameworks. The fundamental recognition that consciousness is the basis of all reality transcends particular religious forms, though it may be expressed through them.

Q: What about the sexual aspects of Tantra that are often emphasized in the West?

A: The common Western emphasis on Tantra as primarily sexual is a significant distortion. In authentic traditions, specific practices involving sexual energy were just one small aspect of a comprehensive path, typically undertaken only after establishing a solid foundation in meditation, ethics, and other practices. For most practitioners, Tantric perspectives on sexuality involve bringing greater awareness, reverence, and presence to intimate relationships rather than specific techniques. The commercialization of “Tantric sex” often bears little resemblance to traditional approaches.

Q: Is Tantric practice compatible with modern life?

A: Absolutely. While some traditional practices might require adaptation for contemporary contexts, the essential approach of bringing sacred awareness to all aspects of life is perfectly suited to modern living. In fact, Tantra’s embrace of the world rather than rejection of it makes it particularly relevant for those of us living active lives in society rather than in monasteries or retreats. Simple practices like conscious breathing, mantra repetition during daily activities, or seeing the divine in everyone you meet can be integrated into even the busiest lifestyles.