Tantra: The Way of Action: A Practical Guide to Its Teachings and Techniques

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Inner Traditions / Bear & Co, 1990 - Body, Mind & Spirit - 160 pages
Tantra has been defined as a “mystical philosophy” and as an unorthodox branch of Buddhism, Hindism, and Jainism. It has also been described as an occult technique concerned primarily with polarity and sexual practices. Although each of these definitions contains an element of truth, none of them is complete.

While Tantra has mystical, philosophical, and religious aspects, it is, above all, a technique of action--a path of physical, mental, and spiritual disciplines incorporating meditation, yoga, and sacramental worship. Its sole purpose is the transformation or spiritual rebirth of the individual into a new existence and an enlightened state of consciousness.

In Tantra: The Way of Action, Francis King provides a complete theoretical and practical guide to the Tantric path of liberation. Topics covered include esoteric physiology, Qabalism, pleasure and pain, power and passivity, right-hand and left-hand Tantra, and the arousal of the Kundalini serpent power. Following the spirit rather than the letter of the tradition, King maintains that Tantric techniques are universal processes. As such, they transcend the limitations of specific faith or dogma and are adaptable to Western culture and lifestyle.
 

Contents

Pleasure and Pain
9
Power and Passivity
17
Shiva and the Qabalistic Tree of Life
37
Esoteric Physiology
54
Chakras Secret Traditions and the Golden Dawn
66
RightHand Tantra LeftHand Tantra
86
The Middle Pillar and The Serpent Power
101
Tantric Techniques of Yoga and Meditation For Westerners
108
A Summing Up
128
Brodie Innes and The Tattvas
131
The Origins of Tantra Drugs and Western Occultism
137
The Chod Rite and Asiatic Shamanism
141
Preparation for the Middle Pillar Exercise and Shakti Invocation
143
The Siddhas Chinese Alchemy and Layayoga
147
Select Bibliography
153
Index
157

Tantric Rituals for Westerners
120

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About the author (1990)

A highly regarded authority on magic, mysticism, and religion, Francis King offers a view of Tantra that is at once contemporary, scholarly, and accessible to the Western reader. He is the author of Techniques of High Magic, as well as several other works on mysticism and ritual.

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