How to bring yourself to higher awareness through self-pleasure...
This e-letter is not intended for persons under the age of 18.Whether we're talking about self-massage, or masturbation ("Self-cultivation"), tantrics do things a just a little bit differently...
Tantrics emphasize having awareness of the sensation (relaxation or pleasure), while tracing the awareness of that sensation back to it's most subtle root...
When you massage your muscles and pressure points after a workout, yoga or qi gong practice, or meditation, don't just knead the muscles while staring at the TV or talking to friends. Studies show that just by placing your full attention in the area you're touching, you "tell" your mind to direct more blood flow to the area. That means more oxygen, more removal of lactic acid and other toxins, more nerve control over each muscle fiber, more ability to selectively relax and contract individual muscle fibers, and more microcirculation in the capillaries.
Also, try massaging yourself through a range of body positions, rather than in just one. You want to program your nervous system to be aware, relax, and regenerate throughout your daily range of motion, not just in your "relaxation position." This is a key element in learning the relaxation methods of Tibetan Kum Nye, Chinese Fang Song Gong, and Kashmiri Sarangi relaxation...
When you self-pleasure, do the same... Tantra emphasizes using sensations for arousal, more so than pre-planned or re-played fantasies or images. When you use pornographic images too often, your arousal becomes triggered by the image, and then goes through a "Click-whirr" mechanical response. If you always masturbate in one position (especially hunched over, seated at a computer), you actually restrict blood and endorphin flow in your body. If you want to be a better lover, touch yourself creatively in the same positions youd like to make love in. Use different fingers, body positions, and direction of motion if you are female. And touch your whole body, not just your genitals... Then try some positions you haven't done before. (There are plenty of free sexual poisition guides online, and if you want to use some of the actual positions from Chakra Puja, get Dinu Roman's "Secrets of Tantra" DVDs on this site...
Try gently stretching the muscles and nerves of your body into simple hatha yoga positions as you touch yourself . and notice how and where the pleasure increases... Relax and arouse the nerves all over your body until its entire surface is humming with energy while simultaneaously swimming in relaxation. If your self-pleasure habits make your muscles and nerves more tense, then you're just increasing your stress level with something that's supposed to be pleasureable...
Now for the tantric aspect... When your body is fully aroused, use softer and softer touches like silk or a feather, with your eyes closed, alternated with fullfilling touches, until you melt into the sensation. Be aware of the sensationnow, not the body, until your consciousness swims within sensation. Keep allowing yourself to become more aroused, then come down a little, then arouse the senses even further. This exercise can be done sexually or merely sensually, alone or with your lover.
Relax and allow yourself to become aware of the subtlest of sensations as they play over your whole body. The air moving against your skin, the sounds and smells around you.. you get the idea. By regularly playing with sensory awareness like this, allowing your mental chatter to dissolve into pure sensory awareness, you will eventually get to the point where form and solidity dissapear, and there is only the sensation of tingling energy, and then, as you continue to dissolve, experiment, and play, only bliss and emptiness...
Smile, breathe slowly, and enjoy...
Your friend,
For every student, there is a teacher.
Keep in touch!
Tao Semko
www.UmaaTantra.com
P.S. In the Next Tantra Tip... The Timple Breathing Technique that will re-sensualize and relax your the body...
P.P.S.
You can learn more about authentic sexual tantra from a real tantric scholar and practitioner in Dinu Roman's "Secrets of Tantra" Seminar DVD's. The DVD's now come with a full table of contents by DVD chapter, and a text and photo supplement showing basic tantric sexual positions of chakra puja and some variations... By this afternoon, the link below will also have the online list of the full chapter lists of all 8 DVD's!
http://www.SmashanPress.com/tantra_secrets.html