IS TANTRA RIGHT FOR ME?
AND AM I READY FOR TANTRA?
A message from Peter Littlejohn Cook:
There is one conviction at the heart of my work.
I believe that we're all looking for peace. We're all looking for love. We're all looking for fulfilment. There's something that connects all of these core needs: we're looking for a feeling of inner freedom and wholeness. Of course, most of us are looking for these in the wrong places and remain frustrated, getting older, getting tired, getting cynical or holding on desperately to some addiction or belief system that will save us from despair. Each person has their path and learning process for sure, but some tools, if taught clearly, in the right way, at the right time, have the capacity to make our paths so much easier, our journeys so much lighter. I'm dedicated to recovering the ancient and timeless teachings of the great masters who have understood and demonstrated the potential and the principles of human spiritual development. My calling is to demystify and transmit what is valuable for the modern seeker of self-realization, turning the generally misunderstood Tantric and Yogic liberation teachings into a simple, safe and enjoyable practice. I know 'oriental teachings' are popular these days, but to me these teachings transcend culture.
I'm not interested in 'converting' people to a new belief system. We find the essence of these practices and teachings in all wisdom traditions. When understood, these practices are incredibly powerful tools for self-realization. Yes - both 'fulfilment' on the personal level, as well as the deepest Divine Realization - the experience of non-separation from the Source. We live in a time of extreme beliefs... extreme materialist fundamentalism (falsely identified as 'skepticism'). And on the other hand extreme attachment to spiritual and religious or political beliefs, sometimes beliefs that alienate us from the world or the people around us. There is no justification for keeping the great teachings secret anymore. Most of the teachings have actually been openly revealed and can be found in one form or another. But, for most of us, 'knowing' the teachings has not been enough, because the teachings need to be fully assimilated in order to be truly transformative. My work has been to create a method of teaching that not only transmits the sacred knowledge but also makes it easily digestible to Westerners. The deepest teachings can and must be simplified for people in the West. We who have not grown up in the original cultures where Tantric and Yogic teachings developed have difficulty in penetrating the meaning behind the symbols and the teachings. Neither superficial nor dogmatic approaches have succeeded in spreading the teachings in a way that truly serves peoples' understanding and liberation. On the contrary, we have become burdened with 'head-knowledge', that was supposed to be 'taken to heart'. Thanks to divine guidance, the teachings that were kept secret (or just misunderstsood) can be finally revealed more openly - with their full life-giving impact. All that is required is a willingness to undergo change in our lives - and in our understanding of Life. This is the one pre-condition. We must face our fear of change. You cannot do any deep work with Tantra and not be transformed. Tantra is not for playing with, it is a method of profound transformation. There are good reasons for many of the methodologies to have remained secret for so many generations. I am making the teachings available to help all who have a sincere calling to awaken and develop their full potential. I am making these teachings and practices available and simple for those who are seeking Spiritual Liberation. I teach on the authority of the great teachers that I have studied with and who have inspired and guided my path. The teachings I share are not new. Their only difference is the simplicity and the effectiveness. They come from personal experience and understanding, and from continuing to open to divine inspiration. I have no interest in adding more opinions and theories to the field of personal development and spirituality. We've all seen how religion has divided people around the world, and left them divided within themselves. But a true understanding of the teachings of Yoga, Tantra and Advaita promotes unity in the diversity of people and cultures. It promotes an understanding of the key teachings of all the spiritual masters. People from all religious cultures may find here a deeper understanding of the essence of their teachings that had become hidden by the dogma of generations of disciples, priests and political manipulators. You might wonder... why am I giving Tantra such far-reaching importance? After all the popular view of Tantra is very far from what I'm referring to here. It is completely wrong to associate Tantra only with sexual practices. All is included in Tantra. This is why sexuality is included. Sexual energy is one key expression of Life's intelligence. But Tantra is not about improving our sexual relationships and attaining bigger, better orgasms. Tantra is not only about fulfilling sensual desires - far from it. Tantra is about healing the divide between 'Heaven' and 'Earth' that is spoken of in so many spiritual traditions. Tantra is powerful 'spiritual technology'. It transcends any single tradition. This is why forms of it have been found in Hinduism, Buddhism and Taoism, and why the ecstatic teachings of the saints of Christianity and Sufism are sometimes indistinguishable in their content from the Tantric teachings of India. All spiritual teachings throughout our history have tapped in to some aspect of Tantric knowledge. Tantric Yoga is the knowledge of the Life-force, and how it relates to consciousness. ... and Consciousness is of course our gateway to experiencing the Divine. 'God', or 'the Divine', is the all-inclusive Consciousness. Seeing this bigger picture and accessing the core practices of the ancient teachings, in an understandable and easy-to-use system is deeply empowering. This empowerment, combined with a willingness to be of service, will transform our world. When we are at peace with ourselves, feeling whole, neither stuck in earthly concerns and pleasures, nor seeking to escape the body and our emotions through 'premature transcendence', we have the potential to co-create a culture of peace, and to live in the brotherhood and sisterhood that our world's spiritual teachers and indigenous peoples have continually been reminding us of. Tantra is neither all about sensual pleasure, neither is it all about transcendence. It is a path that takes us from wherever we truly are, with integrity, to where we can be, if we are ready to grow with courage and discover our potential. ... Maybe you're thinking: "That sounds nice, but.... what about 'Tantric sex'?" I used to get that a lot in my public talks... So, am I saying that 'Tantric sex' is just a myth? Or that it exists but is a distraction from 'authentic Tantra'? The whole fascination with improving our sex-life is, generally yes, a total distraction and has nothing to do with the goals of true Tantra. But if we're lucky, we'll find a practice that takes us from where we are right now, with very human senses, and desires, to an integrative expansion of our awareness into the realms of Divine experience - without needing to become cut off in any way from our humanity. Coming to the core of our humanity, to the core of our experience, and finding the Divine - finding 'God' finally revealed there... this is Tantra. This sounds very grand maybe, but this truly is Tantra. This is why I distinguish between 'authentic' and 'pop' tantra. My path to the deeper sexual aspect of Tantra came through accessing my deepest humanity. It came from dedicating myself deeply to a spiritual practice because that's where I saw a real potential for peace and fulfilment. After some years of spiritual practice the sexual dimensions of Tantra began to reveal themselves. Sex itself had become a meditation. Sex had become an opportunity for the deepest healing of the soul. The 'side-effects' that Tantric practice has in the bedroom with my beloved are a blessing. But they're just the 'icing on the cake'. The profound soul-intimacy shared with my beloved, and the intuitive energy-flows that arise take us into Divine Bliss. I would love for you to experience this in your relationships too of course. However, it is the potential that true, demystified, Tantra and Yoga have for creating wholeness within, and a culture of peace that inspires me most profoundly. This is what I'd searched for all my life. This is the bigger picture, and this is why I am dedicated to sharing these teachings and practices. Please note that although the courses, trainings and consultations have prices attributed to them, no one is excluded from participation due to lack of money. If you have economic difficulties but feel sincerely called to participate in a training or other event that is taking place online or at my centre, you will be welcome to join. I also offer many opportunities for free consultations online. If you wish to participate in an in-person training, all I ask is that you be open and ready. If you have any doubts about this being the right time for you, get in touch and we (my colleagues at the school of integrative spiritual embodiment and I) can help you find the appropriate path or practices for you right now. Spiritual awakening can happen in an instant. Recognizing your true nature can happen any time - or perhaps you've already experienced it. But there's a difference between 'knowing who you are' and 'embodying your full potential'. Spiritual embodiment may require a process of 'digestion', or 'integration'. If this is where you feel you are on your journey, we can help. Do not underestimate the importance of clarity in the teachings to support your integration. Also, of course, applying the practices is the basis for cultivating and maintaining the conscious divine connection that otherwise may just appear rarely. Whether you are beginning on this path, recovering from a previous disappointment on the spiritual path, or looking for a deeper approach to continue your journey, all are welcome. Whatever your religious background or beliefs you are welcome. I am happy to support you in integrating and if necessary, adapting the practices to your life-circumstances and individual path. If you are not afraid of change, and are open and willing to dedicate yourself to practice what is shared, you are ready. |