Many Indian-affiliated practitioners, especially those in Advaita Vedanta traditions, have great affection for closed-eye expressions of ecstatic bliss. Some teachers are revered for their ability to enter such states, rightly or wrongly deemed “samadhi.”

You may never meditate, prostrate, or circumambulate. You may not know asana from ascii, or kriyas from Krispy Cremes. But if you have spent any time at all hanging around Hindu or Tantrik types, you have likely performed achamanam.

How can I start practicing Tantra? What if I don’t have a teacher? These are questions I am frequently asked. It’s easy, but I have to warn you that some people have not taken to my answer.

Tantra has a bad reputation, especially in India where it’s associated with “black” magic and general unsavoryness.

Sanskrit words generally carry multiple meanings. The word “Tantra” is no exception. Here is a handy dictionary-ette with the most important definitions of Tantra.

Tantra has enjoyed many different forms of expression in many times and places. Various streams of Tantra have been seeding Asian countries for centuries, and Tantra is now becoming a global phenomenon.