Customer Reviews

Tantra: Sex, Secrecy, Politics, and Power in the Study of Religion

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Hugh Urban's engaging historical account of the study of Tantra is extremely thorough and thoughtful in its approach to the subject. He covers a large amount of ground in a relatively short amount of space, tracing the origins of the modern ideas about Tantra, its historical foundations, its rather infamous travel to the West, appropriation and distortion by New Age "tantric sex" groups, and everything in between. His exploration of Sir John Woodroffe (Arthur Avalon) and Aleister Crowley in particular are fascinating and revealing, and anyone interested in Woodroffe's work should read Urban's chapters on him. Urban's writing style is approachable, no small feat with such a vast and technical subject, and a pleasure to read. This book is an absolute must-read for anyone interested in the history of Tantra, Eastern mystical traditions, Hinduism and the history of religions and religious studies.

...think again. I found myself fascinated by how deeply misunderstood are eastern cultures by western cultures. It's a fascinating book.

What I most appreciate about Urban's book is that he acknowledges that those of us who draw on these ancient teachings are not diluting or disrespecting Tantra, but are allowing it to transform in a way that gives it new life.

Often scholars are tempted to judge the modern application of Tantra as something that is less than the "original." Urban dismisses the idea that it is even possible to describe Tantra in some lost-in-time "original" form. In today's world, one aspect of Tantra that brings value to our lives is indeed the idea that sexuality can be considered sacred. Without being religious at all, yet without contradicting any religion we may choose to otherwise practice, cultivating this new/ancient approach to sexuality can provide couples with a deepened experience of shared happiness. This book provides a useful background for anyone wanting to understand the complex historical perspective of Tantra.

Diana Daffner, Author & Workshop Leader
Tantric Sex for Busy Couples: How to Deepen Your Passion in Just Ten Minutes a Day (Hunter House Publishers, 2009)