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An Introduction to Tantric Meditation
I had been meditating for nearly ten years when I was introduced to Tantric Meditation, and it felt like a natural pairing with my background in Reiki and energy practice. Within a couple months I shifted my practice to begin incorporating these principles, first studying with Tracee Stanley, and then with Swami Premajyoti Saraswati. Initially I focused on developing my own Sādhanā, dedicated spiritual practice, but as I felt the transformative effects of Tantric Meditation I decided I wanted to obtain the necessary training to effectively and ethically share these practices with others. Meanwhile, I have continued to deepen my own practice through lineage teachings and initiation into Kriya Tantra Yoga.
My classes present classical techniques that are safe and suitable for those of all levels of meditation experience.
A note on trauma recovery: There was a time early in my own practice when much about meditation felt inaccessible to me. I did not feel comfortable closing my eyes, it was agitating to retain my breath, and stillness was deeply uncomfortable. If this is you, I see you. I remember how this felt. You are welcome to join me, and move at the pace that is nourishing to you. Options are always available to move to various depths and complexity within the practices, and you’re always welcome to not do something that doesn’t feel right for you.
That said, it wasn’t until my experience with Tantric meditation that I was offered a roadmap to build tolerance for these practices. The intro video on this page is an example of how we may gradually build the practice of breath retention, and I believe that (assuming you don’t have a medical reason not to retain the breath) this has a meaningful, positive effect on the nervous system. You are always welcome to keep your eyes open with a soft gaze, have the eyes partially open as you gaze towards the floor, or slow blink the eyes open and closed.
If you have any concerns about this, just send me a note when you sign up!
What is Tantra?
Tantra is a spiritual approach practiced in both Buddhism and Hinduism. The classes I teach are rooted in the Yogic perspective, and informed by Sri Vidya, Kriya Tantra, and Shaivism.
Tantra is a non-dual philosophy: the world we see appears to be one of opposites, yet all are One. In Tantra, Divine Consciousness is believed to be present in everyone and everything, even that which appears to be destructive or seems to be in duality. It is considered that one of the great illusions of human experience is that we are separate and need to find connection or restore goodness, and Tantra tells us that in connecting to the deepest sense of Self (our True Nature), distinct from personality and experience, we find that we are already a part of that wholeness that we seek.
This is not achieved by simply ignoring what is unjust, or never having “negative emotions.” Rather, the practices work through patterns of thought and action rooted in the subtle body (energy body). We also practice cultivating elevated attitudes and wisdom in meditation, which eventually influences our day to day actions. Through cultivating the position of an observer of our own consciousness— accepting all of it both positive and negative— we develop space to respond more wisely rather than react. Further illustrating the nondual perspective: we both pursue right action AND cultivate the ability to accept things as they are.
Misconceptions about Tantra
For many, the word Tantra brings to mind an association with sex and sexuality. And there are roots of this within classical practice, namely in the context of Bramacharya: one of the Yamas of the eight-fold path of Yoga, which advises the conservation of sexual energy.
There are traditional practices (most which are only part of oral tradition and passed down through lineage teachers) which relate directly to the cultivation of sexual energy as a form Shakti, the creative force of prana. Some Western applications of Tantra are centered on this relationship to sexuality and sexual practices, but in the ancient lineages this is in direct relationship to meditation, and is a devotional practice.
My teaching focuses on the meditation aspects of Tantra, as well as Yogic Philosophy and Asana, and does not explore this area.
Tantric Meditation
Tantric meditation is comprised of techniques that work with the subtle body to still the fluctuations of the mind and allow us to access inner knowing, and eventually experience the state of Samadhi, enlightenment.
Tantric techniques in this tradition generally include:
Pranayama
Breath Awareness
Dharana (concentration)
Kriya techniques (visualization and breath/movement)
Mudra (hand gestures)
And observation of Chittakash (the mindspace).
In some ways Tantric practice is like a pantry that can creates variations on different recipes. Certain aspects of Tantric meditation are very much the same practice to practice. This is by design, the subtle body becomes accustomed to the flow of prana, and over time this takes less and less mental effort to follow. Many Tantric practices are deceptively simple— they are subtle and the deeper wisdom within these practices becomes available through dedicated and consistent practice. Other practices are more complex and require concentration, Dharana, and so here we have the balance! There is a science to Tantra, wherein certain practices are combined and produce reliable results. Over time we develop familiarity with our own subtle system, and in self-guided meditations, choose practices that will bring us into balance.
My ongoing class Shakti Rising has open enrollment on a monthly basis, and each month works with a theme so that specific practices can be developed over time and one can understand the effects those practices on their own system:
A note on Morning Meditation:
I’ll be the first to admit that it took me a long time to develop a morning practice. Many, many years of meditating! But there are definitely benefits, one of the biggest one being that life can get busy and chaotic unexpectedly, and meditating first thing in the morning is one way make sure that our practice remains uninterrupted. A simple way to approach this is to wake up 30 mins before you need to get up and begin attending to the needs of your household, and start your day with meditation. It’s useful to inform member of your household, and set up a space where you won’t be disturbed.
Want to Try?
The below practice is a possible place to start, incorporating some gentle movement to release tension in the spine and hips. If it’s not suitable for you to sit in the floor, you can also practice in a chair. After the movement practice, you’ll be guided through a short meditation incorporating the practice of Sama Vritti and the So’ham Mantra (Meditation begins at 17:50)
Tantric Meditation
Tantric meditation is comprised of techniques that work with the subtle body to still the fluctuations of the mind and allow us to access inner knowing, and eventually experience the state of Samadhi, enlightenment.
Tantric techniques in this tradition generally include:
Pranayama
Breath Awareness
Dharana (concentration)
Kriya techniques (visualization and breath/movement)
Mudra (hand gestures)
And observation of Chittakash (the mindspace).
In some ways Tantric practice is like a pantry that can creates variations on different recipes. Certain aspects of Tantric meditation are very much the same practice to practice. This is by design, the subtle body becomes accustomed to the flow of prana, and over time this takes less and less mental effort to follow. Many Tantric practices are deceptively simple— they are subtle and the deeper wisdom within these practices becomes available through dedicated and consistent practice. Other practices are more complex and require concentration, Dharana, and so here we have the balance! There is a science to Tantra, wherein certain practices are combined and produce reliable results. Over time we develop familiarity with our own subtle system, and in self-guided meditations, choose practices that will bring us into balance.
My ongoing class Shakti Rising has open enrollment on a monthly basis, and each month works with a theme so that specific practices can be developed over time and one can understand the effects those practices on their own system:
How to begin, cost, and other details
The grieving process may be ongoing, but grief support is intended to be short-term and purposeful. The aim is to help you develop the skills, practices, and wisdom needed to continue the process with the support of your beloveds.
Sometimes grief intersects with other emotional challenges and benefits from more intensive care. If grief counseling is needed (psychotherapy) we can discuss arrangements to continue that work or to make a referral to another professional.
Reiki is completely non-denominational. The approach can be adjusted to accommodate the spiritual beliefs of the family members and friends involved in our work. Meetings can be one-on-one, or include couples and families (including children).
In most cases we begin with a video call to discuss what may be needed and decide if we are a good fit. Then we will determine a structure for future meetings. End of life care is offered by donation and grief support is sliding scale.