Tantra for Erotic Empowerment: The Key to Enriching Your Sexual Life
by Mark A. Michaels (Author), Patricia Johnson (Author), Tristan Taormino (Foreword)
Tantra for Erotic Empowerment is an instructional book that focuses on the erotic possibilities of Tantric Sex, written by life partners Mark A. Michaels and Patricia Johnson, a “devoted married couple who have been teaching Tantra and Kriya yoga together since 1999″ . Unlike many other books I have read on the subject of Tantra, this book teaches the spiritual quest for enlightenment in its most ancient form, rather than the watered-down versions you normally see for Western culture. This doesn’t mean that the book is overly esoteric or the concepts difficult to grasp, as Michaels and Johnson explain the aspects of Tantra in the most elementary terms. It is however, a healthy tome, with a wealth of information on sexuality, sexual spirituality, pleasure, desire, meditation, energy, bliss, transformation and union: basically everything your need to begin your Tantric journey as a novice, or expand upon the teachings you have already learned as an experienced practitioner. In other words, this is not a quick study guide. In fact, it has taken me many weeks to read from cover to cover, a rewarding experience that was well worth every word. The authors actually recommend using the book by reading one chapter per week and then practicing what you have learned, which is the best way to approach this book.
The text features a foreword by Tristan Taormino, fifty-two exercises to do yourself solo or with your partner, multiple illustrations and photographs of Michaels and Johnson showing the various positions, as well as a complete glossary to help you understand all the terminology. It is also written to be inclusive to all genders and sexual persuasions.
What is best about this book is that the authors use many of their own experiences as a practical guide to inform the reader and guide you on your spiritual quest of sexual enlightenment and pleasure. It covers all aspects of sexual spirituality and has information both valuable to novices and those already knowledgeable in the art of Tantra.
“Tantra for Erotic Empowerment is a book for those who want to get a taste of Tantric sexuality firsthand, for those who wish to understand their own sexuality more deeply, enhance the sexual component of their relationships, or explore some simple meditation techniques that embrace sexuality as a tool for spiritual growth…Â At the same time, Tantra for Erotic Empowerment is not solely for beginners, since it explores both the theoretical and practical aspects of Tantra in some depth and includes exercises that even readers who are familiar with contemporary Tantra and Neo-Tantra should find both challenging and original…Â We focus on consciousness, an experimental attitude, and, above all, pleasure…” –From the Introduction of the book.
This is certainly one of the best and most thorough books I have read on Tantra, which is sure to help anyone interested in these topics enhance their sexual pleasure and intimacy together, as well as guide them on the path to their own sexual and spiritual awakening.
You can purchase Tantra for Erotic Empowerment at Amazon.com. Thank you to the authors for allowing me the pleasure to review their book and to Viviane for suggesting it to me.