Tantra Path of Ecstasy

by Feuerstein, Georg

• ISBN13: 9781570623042
• ISBN10: 157062304X
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 1998-07-28
• Publisher: Shambhala

Summary

Tantra-often associated with Kundalini Yoga-is a fundamental dimension of Hinduism, emphasizing the cultivation of "divine power"(shakti)as a path to infinite bliss. Tantra has been widely misunderstood in the West, however, where its practices are often confused with eroticism and licentious morality.Tantra: The Path of Ecstasydispels many common misconceptions, providing an accessible introduction to the history, philosophy, and practice of this extraordinary spiritual tradition. The Tantric teachings are geared toward the attainment of enlightenment as well as spiritual power and are present not only in Hinduism but also Jainism and Vajrayana Buddhism. In this book, Georg Feuerstein offers readers a clear understanding of authentic Tantra, as well as appropriate guidance for spiritual practice and the attainment of higher consciousness.

Author Biography

Georg Feuerstein, Ph.D., is the founder-director of the Yoga Research and Education Center in California and is internationally known for his many interpretative studies of the Yoga tradition. A columnist for Yoga International, he is the author of more than thirty books. His latest work is featured at www.yrec.org.

Table of Contents

Preface	ix
Introduction: Tantra, the Great Spiritual Synthesis of India	1	(19)
1 Samsara: Cyclic Existence	20	(12)
2 Time, Bondage, and the Goddess kali	32	(10)
3 This Is the Other World: Samsara Equals Nirvana	42	(10)
4 The Secret of Embodiment: As Above, So Below	52	(18)
5 The Divine Play of Shiva and Shakti	70	(15)
6 The Guru Principle: Shiva Incarnate	85	(10)
7 Initation: Bringing Down the Light	95	(15)
8 Discipleship: The Ordeal of Self-Transformation	110	(10)
9 The Tantric Path: Ritual and Spontaneity	120	(19)
10 The Subtle Body and Its Environment	139	(26)
11 Awakening the Serpent Power	165	(19)
12 Mantra: The Potency of Sound	184	(17)
13 Creating Sacred Space: Nyasa, Mudra, Yantra	201	(23)
14 The Transmutation of Desire	224	(26)
15 Enlightenment and the Hidden Powers of the Mind	250	(18)
Epilogue: Tantra Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow	268	(7)
Notes	275	(20)
Select Bibliography	295	(6)
Index	301	(14)
About the Author	315