Going beyond Neo Tantra

Most of us get introduced to Tantra through a modern creation called NeoTantra... those workshops where we eyegaze, connect hearts, explore archetypes or touch or massage.

These workshops, festivals and retreats help us to open our hearts more, bring our spirituality to our sexuality and feel more. It can help us feel more confident, more self-love, have better relationships and thrive more in life.

You probably know I teach this stuff and love it (like at The Sensual Arts Retreat), and I stand by the importance of exploring these types of practices, but it's just a small part of what the Tantric path has to offer us.

I got a lot out of exploring this part of the scene... I finally was able to connect deeper with others, cultivate more sensitivity in my body, allow my heart to crack open, get more confident in flirting and asking for what I want and my kundalini awakening began....

But when I got into learning the philosophy and practice of traditional Tantra, I felt a bit 'ripped off' at how much of the path is missed in these workshops and not even addressed. I thought I knew what Tantra was after years of doing this kind of workshop, but I really had no idea what was coming....

I quickly started seeing just how deep the rabbit hole went.

I found Tantra wasn't just a word that meant more spiritual and heart-centered intimacy.... that Tantra is a radical, liberal, powerful path to complete inner freedom in your life and awakening into unity consciousness.

I found that there are thousands of years of wisdom to tap into from liberated beings around the world who dedicated their lives to realising the true nature of reality, of exploring the inner and outer realms, developing techniques and practices to awaken and free people from suffering.

There are thousands of techniques and practices to expand you consciousness, release conditioning that keeps you contracted and living out your programming, liberate the body and free your essence. There are so many practices so that the path can be really individualised to each person and what they need and when- it's not a dogmatic cookie-cutter approach.

There is a deep understanding of psychology and metaphysics in Tantra. That sages and philosophers were able to understand both quantum physics and the body-mind in ways that modern scientists are only just catching up to. The practices change the state of our nervous system and even our brain, uniting the hemispheres and altering the way our thoughts and responses happen.

Through the Tantric path you start to release all false identifications, false programming and conditioning pushed on you by society, fear of death, fear of love, illusionary separation and all that which keeps us locked up inside ourselves, unable to express. Tantra is a lot about death, devotion and power, our relationship to these themes and our connection to the great mystery.

In the last 5 years of deep dedication to the Tantric path (going well beyond the workshop hopping and into dedicated practice and study), I've experienced the kind of paradigm shift that is hard to explain but has completely changed my world. And I still feel I'm only scratching the surface, even though I'm in so deep. Because the path is infinitely deep.

I'm so excited to bring together this next instalment of the Tantric Arts Retreat, which will be the deepest dive I've created in a week-long container that is designed for those who are already on the path and wanting to go down the rabbit hole together. Jessica Ananya Harvey and I are so excited to be co-creating this experience.

This retreat is suitable for those who already have a spiritual practice- You're experienced with yoga/meditation and have explored some Tantra before, now you're ready to dive in and see more of what this path has to offer. Even if you're a dedicated practitioner already and are into NonDual Tantra, I think you'll really enjoy what we've put together and all the embodied practices, community time and space to worship life and the divine together.

We'll dive into traditional Tantric practices, talk philosophy and Tantric psychology, create rituals based on ancient tales of the traditional Tantrikas and fall into the mystery together.

We're bridging the world of neotantra and classical Tantra, bringing the depth and wisdom of the tradition into a container that is very experiential.

This is not your typical Tantra retreat and if you're feeling the call on this path we'd love to welcome you on the journey.

The Tantric Arts Retreat- Bali , Sept 12-19