Customer Reviews

Tantra: Cult of the Feminine

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I've perused an number of books trying to figure out just what Tantra is about. They are mostly obscure, or lacking answers to the questions which inevitably come to mind. This author, however, leaves no stone unturned, providing not only interesting background, culture, and history, but the very practical "how to" go about it. His directions are clear, easy to follow, and effective. My favorite part of the book, however, was the two pages at the end of the book where he talked about the relationship between Guru and Chela, based on Tantra. This is a relationship vision for which I had long been searching. Another book which I found exceedingly valuable is "Passionate Enlightenment".

I've seen this book before but never actually considered reading it, until upon the advice of a yoga friend of mine. Well, I can say that it was a mostly interesting read. Yet most of what he says here is abstract philosophical vapor, being in praise of Matriarchy and the Great Goddess and all that. It's like talking about talking about something, but never actually getting around to the thing itself. And what little there was of practical, experiential value [pp. 297-340] as yogic sadhana, is not original at all. Of particular interest was the fact that he complained so much about Osho (a.k.a. Bhagawan Rajneesh, Sri Sri Neo-Tantra). To me, when someone complains about someone else SO MUCH and are at such pains to distinguish and distance themselves, its a sign that they really *are* that similar, after all! Osho was (in)famous for promoting "neo-tantra," that is, an uninhibited sexual free-for-all for Westerners seeking both sex and enlightenment ("enlightened sex"?). Van Lysbeth's teaching are what I'd call "neo-tantra non plus ultra" (Neo-tantra--and not much more). He even uses the ridiculous term, "cosmic orgasm" [p. 345]. Still, it was interesting read & it fits with a lot of material I've been working with in other esoteric avenues, personally. The books numerous shortcomings include: the meandering writing style, no credits for photos/maps/diagrams used throughout [but note the excellent diagrams of ano-genital musculature, pp.306-307], the Mughal-style Kama Sutra paintings portrayed as tantric "asanas", the incessant textual references to works not cited in the Bibliography, the pretentious posture of imparting tantric "secrets" not discussed elsewhere, and the contrived historical sense of a "Tantra" that never existed except in the minds of befuddled Westerners and the Eastern gurus who sexploited them. If you want to learn something about Tantra, read Abhinavagupta or D.G. White. If you want to learn about sexual practices, read M. Chia or the Bihar School books on mulabandha. If you wish merely to wax mystical about your desire to return to Original Matriarchy, read this book--you'll feel real good. A note about me: practicing yoga, understanding historical Tantra, worshipping the goddess, returning to a more receptive Yin state of being--all this fits in well with my own evolving belief system. Just don't expect to find much of substance here.

This is the best introduction to the tantric worldview I have encountered. The other reviewer's comment about "lifting the veil" is extremely appropriate - there is NO estotericism here at all. Lysbeth cuts through all of the linguistic and cultural/contextual barriers that tend to pose such difficulty for Western students of Tantra. No mumbo jumbo.

There are, however, several things for the propsective reader to be aware of. First, this is a book about "tantra per se" and not about any particular tradition therein. This is a guidebook to tantra as subjective experience and not an objective anthropological account of tantra as a cultural practice of the East. As such, the author has a wonderfully non-scholarly habit of distilling the essence of the teachings and blithely ignoring the specific historical details when they might be confusing or boring. I found this very refreshing, since authors with more "scholarly" approaches (e.g. Feuerstein) seem to lose the forest for the trees. This is something I want to learn - not just learn ABOUT - and for this purpose Lysbeth is absolutely peerless.

Moreover, a lot of the material here will be not immediately recognized as relevant to tantra at all. The author is well-versed in science and the history of philosophy, and about a third of the material here is a scientific apology for the tantric worldview. If you -like me- are the sort of person who feels its necessary to square your mysticism with contemporary psychology or thermodynamics, then this is likely to be very satisfying reading. But not everyone agrees that mysticism should have to explain itself in scientific terms, and this sort of rationalism is likely to turn some readers off.

Finally, this book has a very New-Agey feel to it. The author gushes about Goddess and matriarchy in ways that some may find off-putting. The first 10 pages read like "the Chalice and the Blade" and I (being a sort of anachronistically sexist male) was a little bit self-conscious reading it. Push a bit farther into the book, however, and the reader will discover that there is absolutely no man-hating undercurrent here. When all was said and done, I even found myself a bit persuaded by the author's sweet romanticism for "matri-focal" societies.

Nor is any interest in marathon sexual acrobatics necessary to enjoy this book. It has a surprisingly satisfying "big think" feel to it. The book is, on one level, just an argument for what western philosophers have called "pan-psychism" - the notion that everything in the cosmos is imbued with some level of consciousness. If the reader is open to the experience, he or she will walk away from this with a of interesting insights into metaphysics, epistemology and the philosophy of mind. It is especially recommended for anyone who has enjoyed Ken Wilber (Sex, Ecology, Spirituality), Robert Wright (Nonzero) or Howard Bloom (Global Brain).

Incidentally, this book also happens to kick the bejesus out of Julius Evola's unreadable "The Yoga of Power," which I also reviewed (and panned) in my quest for a good tantric initiation. This book is crystalline, and makes Evola look all the muddier by comparison. Indeed, what little I could actually understand of Evola's book now seems laughably wrong! (Surprisingly, Lysbeth actually cites Evola in his bibliography, but they don't seem to have been working from the same page.) Given the choice, skip Evola and get this book instead.

No wonder MUKTANANDA's "Play of Consciousness" is in the bibliography! Van Lysebeth reveals to Westerners practising Yoga how to see the manifestation of divine and human love (the sexual ritual) in the most sacred, uplifting and transforming way! Reading this book will represent a HUGE PARADIGM SHIFT for you! Truly, this book is as much about spiritual transformation as much as sexual transformation. IT IS FULLY A SPIRITUAL BOOK (while being very concrete!). Van Lysebeth is one of the most renowned and respected Yoga and Pranayama teachers in the world, he here reveals secrets (practical secrets!) that have NEVER been revealed to such a wide audience. It took him 20 years of a long quest around all of India to find the Masters who would teach him the esoteric practice of sexual ritual as a means to liberation!!! You will see that doing "pranam" to your shakti or your shiva before and after love will become the most natural thing to you... Actually love will become one long (VERY LONG...) "pranam". You will learn the HISTORY, the basic PHILOSOPHY and very PRACTICAL details on how to become a Love Godess or Love God. Love will last for hours, it will rejuvenate you instead of tiring you, it will become MEDITATION (in action!). Read it, read it, read it!!! Viewing "sex" as the most sacred ritual in your life will make your life VERY different, no doubt about it. Especially: this book will transform the way you see "the world" and it will bring it into your "spiritual life". Women and Men will find this book very handy, not only because it goes into the specifics of the philosophy, but also because it will tell you how to practice beforehand to become a Godess/God Lover, it will describe positions of "maithuna" the sexual ritual... You will understand that "maithuna" is so sacred (like a PUJA of worhsip!!!) that you will not be suprised to learn that traditionally your Guru is present during the ritual!!! Liberation in bed!!!! Nothing else you will need, friend!

I have spent some time researching Tantra, I was very happy to read Van Lysebeth's Tantra, the cult of the femine. I found this book to be well written and researched. It is full of useful information, which I still refer to.

I am a newer student of Tantra, and I found this book to be engrossing and informative. Van Lysebeth presents Tantra in a straight-forward, unbiased manner with none of the creepiness and misconceptions many other Western authors heap on their readers. I think this is a great first book for someone who is just getting started or who may not be too sure if Tantra is for them.

Who are we. How did we get here. Where are we going. Why? Science has crushed 4000 years of male oriented religion into a stew of mythical make believe, nice but not the answer.

Long before that, there were ancient natural beliefs. Their echoes are still seen in our cultures, however corrupted. They are not a religion, and certainly not a cult. They are a way of being that has been ignored throughout the last 4000 "Great Man Theory of History" years. That has left us with a spiritual residue that worships the commercialization of "good" looks.

Yet what we have learned in the last century has invalidated all previous systems of thought. Science now knows for sure that the human female was not made primarily for reproductive sex; her biology is uniquely vast beyond that. All our patriarchal religious got it wrong. Science has also shown us how we are mostly empty space with our sub atomic bits of matter continuously structured in that space by energy waves. We are one big network of tiny particles talking to each other and resonating together, and we do that in bigger and bigger networks, every particle continuously and timelessly connected to every other particle, human to human to all of nature.

How do we unite to take better care of Mother Nature, including ourselves, live longer, healthier, more joyous lives, give a heart to heartless science and business, and create the kind of future we want our grandchildren to live in? Tantra is that balanced view, and Van Lysebeth's book is amazing in it's sweep and relevance while getting to the point over and over.

I'd been feeling surrounded by spiritual nonsense and lots of escapist make believe. I knew nothing about yoga when I picked this book up. What it did for me was put many current issues of ordinary living ... and dying ... into perspective. I don't know if it will help my body, but it certainly has been an immediate help to my spirit.

This book has completely changed my view on sexual life. I recommended to anyone looking for answers about where we really comes from, how our view of sexuality is highly detrimental to our own health and happiness and how to reach new levels of consciousness and joy in their everyday life.

Imagine yourself bowing out of respect to your partner, Imagine seeing love as the most sacred ritual etc... This is what will very naturally happen if you read this book! READ IT!!! Love, A friend.

This is a good beginner text for those who still need some convincing.