What does tantra have to do with yoga?

Very often we get the question: “What is Tantra Yoga?” Some may know it as the “yoga of sex” or “sexy yoga” and think of it primarily as a way to achieve better orgasms.

And then there is the form of Yoga that we have become so familiar with in the West, that it has a studio in almost every corner of our modern cities. We introduce ourselves to a yoga studio, set up our mat, and practice our poses. That’s yoga, right? Yes, but that is just a form of yoga called “Hatha” yoga.

Hatha yoga is the practice of the physical body. Tantra yoga is the practice of the energy body.

What is the “energy body”? You can look at it this way: All matter is made up of energy frequency, as quantum physics now shows. This includes our body. Life force energy runs through us human beings at all times, from the moment we are conceived to the moment we die. Life force energy is known by different names in different cultures, such as Chi in Chinese, Kundalini in Sanskrit, Reiki in Japanese, or The Force as in Star Wars. Life force and sexual energy are the same. It is the energy that brought us to this world. Most of the time, sexual life force energy manifests in subtle states and then sometimes in states of arousal. Tantric yoga allows us to develop awareness of the energy of our life force and how it manifests in us on a physical, emotional and mental level.

To access energy consciousness, we turn to the chakra system of the seven main energy centers of the body. Each Chakra is associated with a different way of feeling, feeling and reflecting. For example, the Heart Chakra, located in the middle of the chest between the breasts, is associated with love and compassion, and the ability to connect with other people. This is seen when a person expresses love for something or someone and places his hand on his heart. We all know this experience. If the Heart Chakra is unbalanced and constricted, we can feel closed to ourselves or others. Other Chakras have other effects and they are all equally important.

By connecting with our energy centers, we can begin to clear blockages of the emotional, physical, or spiritual nature so that we can live life to the fullest. These blocks not only exist in the mind, they remain in the body. We look at the Chakras to see where we are out of balance. Through breathwork, movement, meditation, and emotional and physical release processes, a person can clear these blocks and experience greater joy and vitality in their life. What also ends up happening is that the body begins to “work” better, the energy begins to flow more easily and we feel more awake and physically better.

This is also the main purpose of Hatha yoga: to allow energy to flow more easily. Alignment is the main focus of any Hatha yoga class. The poses (also known as “Asanas”) were designed so that a person’s body is in optimal alignment. And not just for better posture; each pose has an energetic component behind it. For example, Virabhadrasana I (Warrior I) is excellent physically for building strength in the quadriceps and glutes, but it also energetically cultivates more courage and strength to face life’s challenges.

Tantra and Hatha yoga, therefore, begin to feed each other. For example, if a person is practicing Tantra a lot, he may find that his asana practice improves tremendously. This is because as your energy works better, your body naturally moves into optimal alignment. On the contrary, if a person is primarily a Hatha yoga practitioner, their body will begin to release emotional blocks as they work on their alignment. This is why not everyone feels peaceful or happy during a yoga class. As we begin to breathe and stretch in our bodies, old emotions begin to emerge.

You can see that Yoga comes in many shapes and forms. Tantra is a practice that leads to greater satisfaction and joy in life. When practiced in association with Hatha yoga, a practitioner can experience strength and vitality in both their physical and energetic bodies.