Tantra massage Prague, Ltd. - Tantra and bad reputation
Most of you reading this article are probably aware of tantra and devote yourself to it or just enjoy tantra massage; you have your own opinion on tantra based on personal experience. Still, same as I, might have also encountered negative reactions to it. Connection of tantra massage today often feels like a magic formula, after hearing which people start smiling quizzically hinting at knowing what is going on. So why tantra massage is often perceived as a front for erotic services and what actually causes a negative reputation of tantra? Let´s take a deeper look.
Saying the word “tantra” in India causes people think of black magic with many tricks for various life situations; in the West tantrism is related to bloody rituals and sexual practice and lately also with infamous harlot houses offering erotic with smelly sticks scents on discount websites. Not even black magic or crazy orgies where never a way of all tantras. These directions are more likely a mixture of many elements.
Subjects of misinterpretation are also famous statues of copulating couples decorating Indian temples; amongst the most renown is for example Khajuraho. These scenes despite their explicit sexuality have a profoundly spiritual meaning hidden to an uninitiated tourist. They represent the god, Shiva, and his partner, the goddess, Shakti, in their primal state. These couples are called “maithuna”, which in Indian astrology means the same as Gemini. In European extra-Christian tradition the highest achievable state is often represented by a hermaphrodite, or in heraldic as a double-headed eagle. In maithuna a woman and a man represent spirituality and material and their connection is the final objective of tantra paths.
History
Many people think orgies and magic are inseparable from tantra yoga and tantrism. Although in past there were such cults and trends, this was not the main and only path of tantra. Same as Christianity had its inquisition; also tantra went through a long development with its dark sides. To understand the original meaning of tantras let me quote a beautiful story of the origin of tantra shastra: „One day the wife of Shiva, Parvátí, felt compassionate with all people who didn’t live like monks or hermits and therefore could not be redeemed. She begged her husband to find ways and means to show the unfortunates a path leading them towards salvation. Shiva agreed and dictated her sixty four tantra shasters.“ (In Donátová, 1973, page 25)
According to the story even those who eat meat, such as Kshatriya, a caste of fighters, got instructions on how to develop spiritually despite the fact eating meat is against rules and principles of Hinduism. Married people were through sublimation of their spiritual life put among those who could reach salvation. That proves that tantra techniques were in all aspects in accordance with common life of people and for everyone without difference of profession. In India these people were called farmers opposite to those who followed spiritual paths. Materiality has to harmonise with spirituality, Shakti in sense of energy as kundalini or serpent power is at the root of spine and devotes itself with connection to Shiva lying in Sahastrara, the seventh crown chakra, brain centre and conscious stream of energy.
Present
There are many modern tantra movements today. Original tantra mixes with current psychotherapy, bioenergy or shamanism that are all used as means to reach full being and freedom of a man. Individual schools of tantra are significantly influenced by experience and praxis of their teachers. From foreign teachers practising in the Czech Republic I would like to name for example John Hawken, the follower of Margo Anand and her movement Skydancing tantra or Alen Lowen and his Art of being. Also in our country excellent post-revolutionary practitioners appeared, such as Bc. Michaela L. Torstenová, the founder of our centre (Tantra massage Prague), Mgr. Katka Kramolišová, devoted mainly to female tantra; to name one of male representatives, Ing. Petr Šindelář alias Manguri, or partner couples Mgr. Denisa Palečková and Richard Vojík and many others who cannot be listed for capacity reasons.
Tantra can be practised as part of self-development by anyone. The society would certainly become healthier and mature if people enjoyed their sexuality and devoted themselves to this lovely method of understanding themselves. On a professional level it is an issue of experts, educated and personally mature therapists regardless their specialisation, for example psychiatrists, psychologist, theologist, dance therapists and others. Furthermore there are competent masseuses and masseurs who apart from anatomic knowledge and a perfect mastering of techniques dispose of essential communication skills and empathy and work under supervision of an experienced therapist trained to work with people. Only these experts you can trust yourselves and let them lead, massage, teach and heal you. Mentally instable never mind how charismatic a charlatan can do a lot of damage where healing is necessary. An erotic masseuse claiming herself a tantra practitioner, a beautiful girl without any knowledge of techniques and philosophy, can do you a lot of harm on a physical level and very little benefit in respect of your sexuality. Don’t get fooled and discouraged; tantra indeed is a beautiful deep philosophy worth exploring!
