Tantra yoga workshops tend to inspire curiosity, mainly because not many people actually know what tantra yoga is, and also due to its immediate association with sex.
But what really happens in a tantra yoga workshop? What will you learn? And is it all about sex positions and the kama sutra?
In this article, you’ll learn the basics and benefits of what you’ll learn in a tantra yoga workshop so that you can make your own informed decision if tantra yoga is for you.
What Will I Learn On A Tantra Yoga Workshop?
What you learn at a tantra workshop firstly depends on what type of tantra yoga workshop you’re going to because there are many different lineages and types of tantra practised around the world.
For example, if you visit a tantra yoga workshop in the West, it’s way more likely to be based on sexual pleasure and intimacy.
Whereas, if you go to a classical tantra workshop, it’s highly unlikely to even touch on sexual pleasure at all. And it’s more likely to focus on traditional, authentic, and holistic spiritual philosophy and techniques for spiritual awakening.
But in general, when you go to any tantra workshop, you’ll most likely learn a variety of spiritually enlightening skills along with some basics on the philosophy behind tantra yoga.
Tantra yoga is quite misunderstood around the world, especially in the West. But in a good tantra yoga workshop, not only will you learn effective mind-blowing skills that help you to increase pleasure and fulfilment in your life—you’ll learn what tantra is truly all about.
Quite commonly in the West, when we think about tantra, we immediately relate it to the karma sutra and tantric sex. Sensual pleasure, intimacy, and sexual pleasure certainly are a part of tantra yoga, but it certainly shouldn’t be mistaken as tantra yoga in its entirety.
Tantra yoga is an ancient spiritual practice that is based upon a complex but deep and rich holistic spiritual philosophy that seeks to free the practitioner from the illusion of the world and their consequential suffering. In tantra yoga, you embody spiritual awakening by focusing on the beauty and magic of life, the cosmos, and yourself.
But if you’re still confused, the reduction is that; tantra yoga is a practice of spiritual liberation that originates in Asia.
What Are The Pillars Of Tantra Yoga?
Yoga is an ancient spiritual practice that helps practitioners to silence the mind and become unified with higher consciousness or the source of all creation. Yoga basically means to unite, and the unity of yoga is in reference to the practitioner becoming one with the source energy of the universe.
Yoga is the result of the practice because you gain unity through the practice of yoga. But the techniques used to gain unity with universal consciousness are also called yoga. And, there are many different types of yoga in terms of practice, of which tantra yoga is one.
Tantra yoga is a blend of animistic, yogic, Buddhist, Jain, and Hindu philosophy, techniques, and practices that teach you to see the microcosm as the macrocosm. This basically means that you are the world, the cosmos, and universal consciousness, and therefore whatever is happening within you, is also a representation of the universe at large.
Tantra yoga promotes presence, self-love, self-acceptance, self-awareness and bliss consciousness. It encourages you to use your energy field and explore the inner universe of the human body and your existence as a mirror to the outer world and human existence.
The 4 Pillars Of Tantra Yoga
1. Asana
Asana is the Sanskrit word for yoga posture or yoga pose. In tantra yoga, we use yoga postures for moving meditation.
And asana is used to cleanse and strengthen the physical body which allows your energy to move through the body freely.
Asana helps you to make the most of your energy centres (chakras) and can really help to increase your vitality, and because you are utilizing your inner power properly.
2. Bandha
Bandha is a Sanskrit word which roughly translates to ‘lock’. Bandha is the practice of learning how to control the energy within your energy channels (nadis) and energy centres (chakras). Bandha techniques teach you how to lock energy in certain parts of your body, and how to decrease energy from other parts of your body.
Bandha is often practised with breathwork (pranayama).
3. Mudra
Mudra is a Sanskrit word which roughly translates to ‘gesture’, ‘sign’, or ‘seal’. Mudras are techniques and poses for the body which allow you to channel the movement of your energy in certain directions around your energy channels (nadis) and energy centres (chakras).
You might be shocked to know that you already know some common mudras—such as the prayer position for the hands! The prayer position is known as anjali mudra.
It can be said that yoga postures (asana), are a mudra (sacred seal) for the entire body.
4. Nada
Nada is a Sanskrit word that roughly translates to ‘vibration’ or ‘sound’. In tantra yoga you’ll tap into the power of sound and vibration through mantra, chanting, and sound healing which helps to cleanse and purify your energy body along with re-tuning your frequency back into free-flowing power and bliss consciousness.
If you’d like to learn more about the healing effects of sound and music, check out my blog article here.
Benefits Of Going To A Tantra Yoga Workshop
During tantra yoga, you are using your body, mind, and energy field as a powerful tool for spiritual awakening and enlightenment. Tantra yoga really is a beautiful and deep holistic practice that’s nutritious for the body, mind, and soul.
Here are some cool things that you can expect to learn at a good tantra yoga workshop!
Cool Things You’ll Learn On A Tantra Yoga Workshop
1. Pleasure-Based Living
In terms of living a more fulfilling life that is full of content-filled freedom and genuine happiness—pleasure-based living is really key.
In a good tantra yoga workshop, you’ll learn and practice techniques to unlearn old programming that no longer serves you or your ancestral lineage.
During your everyday life, you pick up programming from your ancestral lineage, your experiences, and your environment—but that doesn’t mean that all of it is helpful for you in the present moment.
In tantra yoga, you consciously create a safe space for yourself. This security allows you to peel back the layers to discover what you need in the present chapter, and what you can let go of.
Learning how to embody pleasure-based living isn’t always easy. You may find that you’ve been programmed to self-limiting beliefs, victimhood, and therefore suffering. Tantra yoga teaches you how to immerse yourself in the beauty and pleasure of your own life and spiritual path, without shame.
2. Deep Acceptance
Tantra yoga encourages and teaches you all about deep acceptance of the past, present, and future. Acceptance doesn’t mean that you have to settle for ‘how things are’, especially if you want to self-develop and improve your circumstances. But practising deep and loving acceptance makes the road of self-growth more enjoyable.
Acceptance allows you to forgive with kindness and compassion, release anxiety about the future, and enjoy the present moment while on your journey of spiritual awakening and self-evolution.
One of the most powerful things about acceptance is the element of universal trust that comes with it. When you accept and trust, the universal floodgates open for abundance and pleasure.
3. Self-Love
If you struggle with self-love, you’re not alone—so many of us struggle with consistent self-love! Tantra yoga is an extremely powerful tool to expand your self-esteem because it really expands on self-love and self-acceptance.
In tantra yoga, you’ll learn techniques that teach you how to love yourself with more grace and compassion, which in turn increases your inner power too.
If you’re looking for more tips on how to access your inner temple and cultivate inner power then check out my blog article here.
4. Sacred Intimacy With Others And Yourself
Tantra yoga teaches you how to be intimate with yourself, and with others. If you’ve experienced trauma or even simply persistent unhappiness (perhaps through poor mental health) you may have used numbing and dissociation as a coping mechanism.
If you’ve lost your connection to yourself, the world around you, or your loved ones—tantra yoga could really help you to shift into a different mindset and way of living. Tantra yoga takes you on a journey of reconnection and opens you to experiences and sensations.
Sacred intimacy with yourself and others allows you to feel pleasure-based consciousness in your life and can really help you to start living with more fulfilment and bliss.
5. Presence And Mindfulness
Presence and mindfulness are vital tools within all yogic lineages. Mindfulness techniques are really the opening gateway that allows the other benefits of tantra yoga to unfold.
Without self-awareness and stillness, there isn’t any self-development or spiritual awakening.
Presence and mindfulness are the foundation upon which the other benefits of your tantric yoga practice will grow. We all reach presence and mindfulness in different ways because our constitutions of body, mind, energy body and soul are different.
A good tantra yoga teacher will guide you to a tantric yoga practice that suits you, even if you’re a beginner to meditation. And a tailored tantric yoga practice will allow you to build upon your ability to be present and mindful.
If you’d like to learn more about the different stages of spiritual awakening and healing, then check out my blog article here.
6. Tantric Sexuality
Tantric sexuality workshops will teach you how to use your sexual energy, sexual practice, and spiritual practice for spiritual growth.
A tantric workshop that is based on sacred sexuality, sexual intimacy, and spiritual sexual practice can be great if you’re wishing to deepen your relationship with yourself, your life, and your partner/s.
If you’re ready to learn more about sexual awakening for women, then check out my blog post here.
Conclusion
Tantric yoga isn’t just about tantric sex. In a good tantra yoga workshop, you’ll learn a variety of different techniques to strengthen your holistic tantric practice which can help to improve your daily life.
This may include a tantric hatha yoga class, mantra, breathing techniques, pranayama, asana, ritual, chakra work, awareness techniques, and much more.
Traditional and classical tantra yoga are extremely vast and expansive practices… But the main goal of every tantric tradition is to reveal your true self.
And the techniques are generally taught in the context of the accompanying yogic philosophy so that you understand how the practices support your spiritual realization.
Have you ever been to a tantra yoga workshop or tantra class? What were you shocked to learn? Let me know in the comments!
If you liked my article, why not share it with your friends?
