There are several different types of Tantra. The most sweetly innocent is heart-based Tantra. In this type of Tantra the practitioners work to open their hearts, and then their minds open up to the bliss of the universe. I have experienced this. And it was absolute magick!
Let's rewind to Greece, where I spent 30 straight days doing Tantra workshop for 13 hours a day! I knew I was in for a lot when I signed up, but no one knew how deeply intense it would end up being! Even for heart-based Tantra it was intense! Well, on day 30 during out graduation ceremony I felt wild! I could feel my chest flowing. I could barely feel my feet on the ground. And my mind was on drugs. But I hadn't done any drugs. I had just done Tantra.
We worked to open our hearts at least every other day through different exercises. Sometimes we would work on past trauma. Sometimes it would be about physically opening the heart space. Others it would be about connecting with your heart energy. Then connecting with other people's heart energy. We often poured love from our hearts into our hands and gave it to people. And I could feel all this, but it wasn't like drugs. It wasn't euphoria.
Well by day 30 you can imagine we had done quite a bit of this work! Mixed with the feelings of leaving everyone the next morning, and that created a potent blend of heart bursting. My mind was so present. My body was fully there. My heart was beating energy into the world. My thoughts were nowhere to be found. I lightly ran my fingers across my chest, and it felt like fireworks were exploding. I couldn't stop smiling this eyes half-closed smile. Everyone was hugging me. I couldn't get enough of it.
But like all good things, it must come to an end. The next morning, we had to actually say goodbye to everyone and pack and begin travelling again. The world just hits different in the morning when you're leaving the most magical place on earth. My heart was not exploding at the lightest touch. But the memories were cemented in. For the next few weeks, I could just focus my attention on my heart or feel gratitude and I would be given another hit of that sweet sweet heart medicine. Just thinking about it now relaxes my body and mind to the point of meditation.
So how do we get back there without devoting a month of our lives to Tantra retreats? It starts with connection to the heart. We must know the pathway to the heart. We must connect deeply with our own heart. We must connect with other people's hearts. We must make it a priority to let go of the mind's incessant need to think. Let it think. But do not focus your attention there, return your attention to the heart. Try the exercise below.
INSPIRED ACTION: Make a cup with the palms of your hands then place this cup onto your heart center. Remember that where attention goes energy flows. Place your attention on your heart. This will move your energy there. Keep focusing on the heart. Do not let thoughts carry you away. When you feel start to feel something in your heart space like heat, cold, tingling, vibrating or more, then start sending that energy into your palm cup. Fill your cup up with rich heart energy. If you wish you can give this energy to things or spaces or people. It is pure energy that can cleanse and revitalize. The act of giving is of the heart, so you will not actually drain your heart by giving it away. You will fill it up more.