Wondering what tantra is? Read on and discover the meaning of tantra yoga, and its significance today.

Tantra: the modern path of spirituality

Tantra is the spiritual path for the twenty-first century. This is what Sri Swami Satyananda Saraswati taught, as he travelled the world. A great luminary and tantric master, Sri Swami Satyanadana revived the ancient tantric practices making them relevant for the modern world . He observed that the majority of people work and live more competitively than in the past, drink much more alcohol, have freer sexual relationships, and suffer great depression and stress. The spiritual/religious path they are on, however, requires that they follow a certain puritanism from past centuries, which are the strict tenets of Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Vedanta, or Buddhism, and in many cases, contradict their modern lifestyle.

Tantra Yoga is not only able to adapt to one’s religious, political and moral convictions but also to those who are agnostic or atheist. It is not only for those who have control over their mind and can implement strict and rigorous practices, but also for most of us who have terribly restless minds, who have passions, ambitions, desires, deep rooted anger, jealousy, fears, anxiety, frustrations and disappointments. Sri Swami Satyananda (also known as Sri Swamiji) gently comforts us by saying that all these “shortcomings” can become stepping stones for our spiritual illumination. You don’t have to try to eliminate them, but start from where you are at, and then take it further.

For evolution to take place, we need to combine our material life with our spiritual life. But today this is very hard to do. We either only care for the material world, ignoring our spiritual needs, or devote ourselves to spiritual life, suppressing material needs and desires, and thus creating blockages, frustration and even neurosis. Sri Swamiji tells us that when we suppress the mind, we suppress our spiritual advancement. Tantra is the middle way, and its principle is: ”Do not interfere with the pattern of your life.”

Tantra: its meaning and origins

Tantra is the oldest and most scientific system of self – awakening known today. It originated over five thousand years ago and was born from a desire of those living at the dawn of time to understand the psychic behaviour of the mind.

Tantra is a Sanskrit word whose core sense comes from the root -tan, meaning to stretch, expand, weave, or extend. Put simply, it is a spiritual practice with techniques that “expand” the mind and then “liberate” energy. But how do you expand the mind?

The ordinary mind is dependent on the senses for knowledge, which means it is very limited, and as a consequence, so too are our perceptions. We are stuck in a particular process of thinking based on our conditioning, our education, society, religion and conventional science. But the mind can expand. This process begins when the mind is able to “know and perceive” without the sensory channels. It is when you sit for meditation, and the mind is able to experience things without the medium of the senses. This is expansion of the mind. In Tantra, Sri Swami Satyananda explains that in the state of meditation, both the internal and external dimension of consciousness are combined. When you are able to experience inner and outer awareness at the same time, this is known as the expansion of consciousness. When the expansion of consciousness takes place, the energy is automatically liberated.

What came first, Tantra or Yoga?

Yoga is no more than a part of the ancient system of Tantra. Tantra and Yoga are in fact brothers. Sri Swamiji explains in his many talks that both of these systems lead to happiness, to spiritual development and realisation. Everyone should practice one or both of them if they want to find out what this life is all about, and if they want to remove their mental and physical problems.

The difference between the two is that yoga has certain restrictions, for example following a specific diet or routine, whereas tantra does not ask you to change your life externally or impose rules of conduct. Sri Swamiji explains that if most people start imposing restrictions on themselves, they will probably cause more harm than good. Tantra, more than any other system in the world, accepts every action in life as being but a manifestation of the collective nature – prakriti.

“The ultimate aim of Tantra is to provide every person with the practices, easy or difficult according to his/her particular social, moral and intellectual position, for spiritual realisation, for the fulfillment of his/her personal self and happiness in any situation.”

What are the core principles of Tantra yoga?

Today, we have a collection of hundreds of Tantric scriptures (Śaiva, Śākta, Buddhist, Jain) that explain and instruct us on practices and methods, plus later manuals like the Haṭhapradīpikā, which are deeply tantric-influenced texts.

Tantric yoga, as compared to the more classical yoga of Patañjali, differs radically in its goals, methods, worldview, and understanding of the body and mind. Below is an overview of the core principles found in the yogic system of Tantra.

1. Everything Is Sacred (Shakti as the fabric of reality)

Tantra sees the universe as an expression of the divine energy known as Shakti.

Nothing is inherently impure or separate from the sacred—every experience (traumatic or uplifting) can become a path to awakening. Here, a key principle is that the world is not avoided; it is embraced and transformed.

2. Nonduality (Advaita)

Tantra teaches us that the apparent separation between the self and the world, matter and spirit, or between the body and consciousness is ultimately an illusion. Behind all phenomena is one unified consciousness, known as Shiva or Pure Awareness.

3. The Body Is a Temple

Unlike renunciate traditions that see the body as an obstacle, Tantra views the physical body as a gateway to liberation. The senses are used to expand our awareness and the body is not rejected, but rather refined becoming part of the transformation process. The goal is union and realization of the divine within the body. The body is a microcosm of the macrocosmos, full of subtle channels (nāḍīs), chakras, and inner deities.

4. Awakening of Kuṇḍalini

Tantra yoga works with the subtle body (pranamayakosha) and prana (vital energy) cleansing and purifying the nadis (energy channels), activating and awakening the chakras (energy centers). All the practices aim to unblock, balance, and eventually elevate prana so the practitioner experiences expanded awareness.

5. Mantra and Sound as Tools of Transformation

Mantra is central in Tantra Yoga, and sound is considered a form of energy that can reshape consciousness. The mantras, when chanted, recited or sung, calm the mind, purify subtle energies and invoke specific divine qualities. Also, nyāsa is an ancient tantric practice where mantras are placed on different parts of the body. Sri Swami Satyananda used nyāsa as the foundation of one of the most beautiful relaxation techniques that he devised and modified for our modern lifestyle which he called Yoga Nidra.

6. Ritual and Symbolic Practice

Traditional Tantra uses a great number of rituals, for example initiations such as dīkṣā and ritual worship known as pūjā. Symbolic practices to train the mind are also used, including mudrā (energetic gestures) and yantra (sacred geometry).

7. Embracing Experience, Not Escaping It

Tantra teaches that we should use life’s experiences (emotions, desires, challenges and relationships) as fuel for expanding and deepening our awareness. Where some paths emphasize withdrawal, Tantra emphasizes conscious engagement.

8. Guru–Disciple Transmission

In classical Tantra, teachings are passed on experientially through a Master of Yoga. This is less about authority and more about energetic and methodological precision.

9. Balance of Shiva and Shakti

Symbolically, Shiva represents consciousness while Shakti is the energy and manifestation. Tantra yoga seeks their union within the practitioner, via certain practices, such as kriya yoga, kundalini yoga, the classical haṭha yoga system that incorporates mudrā and bandha, and a range of meditations with chakra symbols, yantras and mantras are but some.

10. Liberation While Living (Jīvanmukti)

Tantra aims for freedom in the midst of life, not after death. The practitioner awakens to their true nature while fully participating in the world.

What is the significance of Tantra in modern practice?

Not everybody is capable of great austerity or practicing a rigorous system of yoga, let alone acts of renunciation. Yet, everyone has the right to become aware of the highest truth. It is through Tantra that we will achieve this, says Sri Swamiji.

The ultimate purpose of Tantric Yoga is to realise the highest consciousness and to free the lower mind from all the limitations that it is subjected and attached to. Tantra provides a practical path where you can smoothly progress in spiritual life without creating conflict, doubts or guilt about your external life. This is more relevant than ever before in the twenty-first century.

Sri Swamiji reminded us, time and time again, that the mind should become your friend, and there should be total uniformity, unity and understanding between one part of yourself and the other part. Only then, can you and all of humanity evolve. Only then will we step into a new way of seeing, living, interacting and connecting with others and the world around us.

Bibliography:

1. Swami Satyananda Saraswati, Tantra, YOGA MAGAZINE, October 1980, Bihar School of Yoga

http://www.yogamag.net/archives/1970s/1975/7502/7502tan.html

2. Swami Satyananda Saraswati, Tantra – Link for Modern Life, YOGA MAGAZINE, April 1980, Bihar School of Yoga http://www.yogamag.net/archives/1980s/1980/8004/8004tlfm.html

3. Swami Satyananda Saraswati, Tantra and Yoga, YOGA MAGAZINE, February 1976, Bihar School of Yoga

http://www.yogamag.net/archives/1970s/1976/7602/7602tay.html