Sometimes it's hard to get around all the eastern terms when first learning about tantra.
Here is my description and interpretation of the tantric terms Shiva and Shakti...
We all carry within us equal amounts of the complimentary energies of creation. There are many names for these energies in tantra they are identified as the tantric names of Shiva and Shakti.
Shiva is the aspect of God within you that is pure consciousness and potential power. It is infinite, aware and potential energy. It is omnipresent and the source of all that is. Shiva may be thought of as conceptual and intellectual. Shiva speaks through knowing - without words or feelings. Shiva is love.
Shakti is the aspect within you that is creative power in action. Shakti is the will or desire that brings Shiva’s potential into motion and manifests it. It passionately triggers the potential creativity of Shiva and actualises it. Shakti is expressive and speaks to you through your senses. It is inspiration. Shakti is the verb form of love - loving
Shiva and Shakti are not separate and work together within us as one. They are the 2 sides of the indivisible creator.
In tantric mythology Shakti’s love for Shiva makes Shakti dance passionately and bring Shiva’s creative potential into existence.
It is this dance of intimacy that creates you and allows you to know and experience love.
It is the source and the force behind everything including our relationships. It is the drive behind passionate love for yourself and others.
We are all Shiva and Shakti and exist together in eternal ecstasy.
When you are conscious of these universal forces within and acknowledge them as co-operative and co-creative aspects of love you experience ecstasy, wholeness and a love for all that is.
When you fall in love you are recognizing through the Shakti and Shiva within you the divinity of the other.
Within these two complementary forces there lies the cosmic force of attraction that opposites attrack, it is this very polarisation that magnetises us to a partner and generally leads us to respond in opposite ways sexually, which can be a source of tension if not understood.
So it is helpful to recognize the common differences in masculine and feminine responses to love and sex in order to bridge any gap in desire and responsiveness.
This has to do with understanding the way that sexual energy flows in people whose sexual essence is predominantly masculine in contrast to those with a primarily feminine sexual essence.
Masculine (or yang) sexual energy is like fire, which goes up. Sexual arousal quickly ignites the genitals, and then the energy moves up towards the heart and warms and awakens it. This movement of sexual energy actually helps a man open to his own feelings of love and be more receptive to his partner's love.
Feminine (or yin) sexual energy is more like water, slow to boil but once aroused can simmer and she can stay turned on for a long time. Her arousal often begins in the breasts and the heart and generally requires loving feelings to flow down to the heart. Once fully warmed in the heart, her desire then flows down to her genitals.
Celebrating summertime,
Nourish yourself
Summertime and the living is…stressful. With the longer days it has meant there’s more to do and more time to do it in. So we begin the season by throwing ourselves into it wholeheartedly with wild energy, racing from picnic to party, trying to juggle the demands of work, friends and family. When even another social event seems like just another stressful demand on our routine, we know that it may be time to take stock and find a deeper meaning to all the bounty that life has to offer.
On top of it all the current economic climate and the continual talk of doom and gloom, the bushfires in Western Australia, the floods in parts there is so much uncertainty out there that it is impossible to deal with things that are outside of our control and this creates even more stress. The government and economists don’t know how any of this will pan out. However, what is possible is that you can focus on yourself. That is the only certainty you have. Bono once wrote, "I can't change the world, but I can change the world in me." It is fair to say he changed the world.
From my own experience, this is a great time to do just that stay focused and of course extend help and support as is appropriate to as many others as you can. But the first thing you need to do is to fill up your own cup. Try not to get too distracted by all the negative happenings that are going on around you. One of my friends says that she wants to lose weight; another says she wants a new body image and yet another want’s to seriously build his health and another wants to save the planet. All of these are noble pursuits if taken in the context that really we can only begin here and now and in our own backyards.
The benefits of losing weight are enormous and getting a positive body image and feeling comfortable in ones own skin will help you feel better about yourself which boosts your confidence and self-esteem. As for the general goal of looking after your health, you would in that way be laying the foundation for overall success. The thing is to start investing in yourself. Rather than focussing on financial wealth, which by the way is important, you could focus on your health, which is the first wealth and as was pointed out recently to me the word wealth actually comes from the word meaning well - being.
To expand on this, we should always remember that another part of wealth is the value of relationships. Many people lose not just their money as shown in the credit crunch; they lose also their relationships. A good relationship is too valuable to let go of. Relationships nurture, support and empower us. So do take care of your relationships. A credit crunch is not the time to let your support system go. Nothing is.
In the midst of all this, maybe you should learn a new skill or two. There is nothing better nor more enriching than learning tantra and new intimacy and relationship skills. And it has never been easier to enjoy tantra.
You could start right now by practising this basic tantric movement. The purpose of this exercise is to prepare the physical body for extended passionate lovemaking.
The key to this exercise is to just pivot at the hip joint and get a rhythmic easy loose swing going and as the energy builds let it move up the body in waves. Imagine a clock placed on the floor between you and your partner. Allow your pelvis to rotate in a clockwise direction. Synchronise your movement so that you mirror each other. after 2 minutes stop, gaze into each others eyes and breath together, feeling your connection to each other and the Earth. Reverse directions.
So make the end of summer the perfect time to tend to your own garden. Slow done, quiet the mind, rejuvenate the body, and make time for yourself. When you take time to focus on your own well-being, you can better take care of the things that really matter to you.
In these hectic and stressful times, taking time for yourself isn’t a luxury, it’s a necessity. Tantra can help you wake up your senses, nourish your body and revive your spirit.
Good Luck and have fun!
