One definition of tantric enlightenment is bringing loving awareness to all aspects of life. We practise fully accepting and loving ourselves which gives us the key to fully accepting and loving our external reality. We get less inner critic and more deep connections with the people in our lives, our work, and the earth.

One element which all tantric practices have in common is sensual embodiment. The idea is to find divinity in the human body (as opposed to seeing the body as a “dirty meat sack” which must be transcended as many spiritual traditions teach). Our primal, animal nature is equally divine to our spiritual, buddha nature. 

Tantra teaches us to embrace the full-spectrum human experience. We learn to: digest and detach from our emotions; liberate from addiction to and aversion from pain and pleasure; and find peace, joy, and love in every moment. The 15th century rebel monk, Ikkyū Sōjun, said it best: “throw me into hell and I’ll find a way to enjoy it”.

Tantra encourages us to explore the taboo… the places we are taught divinity does not exist. Sex is a great example and often the doorway into tantra. Many people hear of a practice where sexual healing and activation can be experienced. This is true! But, it’s about so much more than sex… We often stop ourselves from feeling fully alive because we associate this state with sexual turn on… we feel ashamed of our “sexual” sensations so we shut ourselves down. But, these sensations are actually our life force energy. When we allow our life force to flow… magical things begin to happen… in the bedroom and in our everyday lives! 

In the Tantras (sacred texts written in ancient India), Tantra is typically referred to as “the householder's path”. It was a spiritual system fine-tuned for everyday people to experience enlightenment (as opposed to other spiritual systems such as classical yoga which were reserved for the brahmin caste). As such, the emphasis is often placed on utilising any spiritual gifts one may obtain in the service of community and celebrating each other’s practice as it helps the collective experience more joy. This is a big part of why the Brighton School of Tantra is called “Neighbourhuud”.