Imagined as the most radical aspect of Indian religions, Tantra This content downloaded from Urban demonstrates that Tantra is a remarkably fluid category, whose meaning shifts according to historical, cultural, and political contexts.
Drawing on the work of Walter Benjamin and Michael Taussig, he argues convincingly that Tantra is a "dialectical category" produced by various encounters between Indians, Europeans, and Americans from the colonial period to the present. Urban is especially concerned to demonstrate that Tantra is neither simply an Orientalist construction nor a purely indigenous Indian religion. The projection of diverse fears and fantasies, Tantra is a composite of "Orientalist projections, indigenous counterprojections, and the play of misrepresentation between them" p.
In doing so, Urban displays the agency of Indian political and intellectual figures who appropriate Orientalist constructions of themselves to different and sometimes subversive ends. In keeping with the etymology of the term itself, Urban describes Tantra as a "densely tangled web of intersecting threads" p. Chapter 1 analyzes early discussions of Tantra by eighteenth- to nineteenth-century European Orientalists e.
Wilson , Christian missionaries e. William Ward , and Hindu reformers e. Chapter 2 explores the political significance of Tantra for British colonial authorities e. Chapter 3 discusses late nineteenth- and early twentieth-century British and Indian fiction e. Chapter 4 turns to early "sanitizers" of Tantra, notably, Sir John Woodroffe and Vivekananda, who, in different ways and to different ends, defend Tantra while subjecting its most transgressive aspects to censorship.
Chapter 5 examines twentieth- century European and Indian Orientalists e. Chapter 6 discusses twentieth-century Tantric gurus e. Urban skillfully untangles these threads, demonstrating that Tantra, which has meant wildly different things to different people, is a contested category that has been continuously reimagined by Indians, Europeans, and Americans in the course of their encounters with one another.
Equally important, Urban also reveals that Tantra has played a vital role in the construction of colonial and postcolonial identities. The various threads of Tantric discourse are themselves interwoven with larger discourses of identity, notably, colonial discourses on power, Indian discourses on Hinduism and nation, Victorian and twentieth-century American discourses on sexuality, and Orientalist discourses on the nature of a "spiritual" East versus a "material" West.
As This content downloaded from Urban explores the book's considerable ethical and methodologica in his concluding chapter. Which, then, is the 'real' Tantra? Focusing on one of the oldest and most important Tantric traditions, based in Assam, northeast India, Hugh B Urban shows that Tantra is less about optimal sexual pleasure than about harnessing the divine power of the goddess that flows alike through the cosmos, the human body and political society.
In a fresh and vital contribution to the field, the author suggests that the 'real' meaning of Tantra lies in helping us rethink not just the history of Indian religions, but also our own modern obsessions with power, sex and the invidious legacies of cultural imperialism. Tantric Sex is a form of Sacred Sexuality practiced by Tantrics, using many ancient Tantric teachings.
Many people are interested in the many sexual tips and tricks that Tantric Sex offers. While you will experience an increased excitement and enjoyment of each other's bodies and minds, the principles of Tantric offer so much more in terms of helping you develop closer, more meaningful, and highly rewarding relationships.
With the consistent application of Tantric principles, you'll find that your commitment and love will only grow deeper. Most scholars trace Tantra back to India around AD. These set of beliefs, teachings, and practices help practitioners worship and experience the Divine. Through this worship, Tantric practitioners aimed to achieve spiritual awakening, enlightenment, and freedom. Much like other Eastern traditions, Tantra promotes a greater awareness of the Divine in yourself, others, and the world.
Join me in learning the amazing impact that Tantra can have on the quality of your life and of your relationships. Here is a preview of what you will learn In this accessible guide, Shashi Solluna breaks all preconceptions about Tantra and introduces us to the real philosophy behind this sacred practice. In traditional descriptions, Tantra is often defined as meaning "to weave", and can be compared to the weaving of a fabric.
Tantra is therefore a path that weaves together. Ultimately, Tantra points us to the highest level of consciousness in which one merges into Oneness and no longer feels like a separate physical entity. This is sometimes called "Heaven" as opposed to the more tangible experience of "Earth". This book explains how Tantra can allow us to move from a physical solid experience of reality into the lighter more ethereal experience — or from Earth to Heaven — and then ultimately bring Heaven to Earth!
Achieve Cosmic Consciousness through Sexual Ecstasy This hardcover edition of an influential classic provides sexual techniques and positions for ritual intercourse that will flood you with physical ecstasy and activate expanded states of consciousness.
These Tantric practices not only teach you how to build sexual love and passion to an amazing peak, but also how to push your mind even higher to reach transcendental bliss. With more than forty years of experience, Dr. Jonn Mumford helps you bring holiness and magick into your sexual relationship. This book skillfully interweaves theory and practice so you can understand why you are doing each exercise as you learn potent techniques.
Learn how to engage in the Asanas of Love and use a powerful technique known as the Rite of Naked Fire. Featuring a new introduction and a wealth of illustrations and photographs, this book reveals the secrets of erotic mysticism. Jacob- chapters in both Devan5gar7 script and roman India , Pinney is able to show how Indian citi- son.
Leiden: Brill, The book concludes with notes zens worked out their religious and political on translation and versification. Despite the identities through images. The articles are all Indian religion; other more complete transla- insights about visuality in India, which every on the topics of yoga, usually inclusive of tions of the BhP and tenth skandha are more student knows is central to an embodied Indian S5m.
Rather, it is probable that this worldview. In this excellent study, Pinney throughout his distinguished career. Regard- created and circulated for different reasons, sen, Pflueger, Lidke, Kumar, Muller-Ortega , less, scholars of Vaisn.
The book not only advances Larson has been associated over the years Frederick M. Smith theoretical arguments about the relationship Rukmani, Pal, Zysk. The book is lavishly illus- that she sees becoming diluted as S5m. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University in undergraduate classes. By Susan Snow Wadley. Harihar5nanda :ra n. Based on a lifetime yoga, written their books, and not left for any well in a modernizing, economically growing of collecting, translation, and analysis, Wadley reason for decades at a time.
By no means do Indian state. It is largely through education, he here utilizes a number of orally performed these exhaust the list of valuable articles in this argues, that the priests have acquired new spir- variants of the epic to address how the folk volume. A few are much too long for their own itual authority, which appeals to their increas- view of such things as caste and gender differ good and should have been subjected to a ingly wealthy and increasingly religious clients from common textual understandings in the strong editorial hand, notably A.
This is somewhat painful leading to a better economic life and, in some though sometimes oral and written accounts given the cost of the volume. Thus, this valu- instances, employment in the United States. By Christopher Pin- translation as well as analyzing the context of relevant scriptural sources, the Shaiva Agamas.
London: Reaktion Press, Based of various castes interact with each other, but Lipner seeks nuance where others have not. If there is any complaint, it may be that emphasizing the roles that ethnicity, gender, Frank J. With a lives of Korean Buddhists. By Meher translation and a critical study of the text. Buddhists deploy select Buddhist beliefs and Baba.
Hatcher as ethnic and religious minorities. While more Baba was one of the best- Illinois Wesleyan University carefully argued and nuanced than this sweep- known spiritual figures of India during the ing summary might suggest, the book is not twentieth century.
0コメント