Spirituality suggests that it is only in dreams that goodness can thrive while evil is completely eradicated. The light of the sun is needed only when there is night and darkness. If the sun were to shine perpetually, all would be destroyed; yet, if it were absent, nearly everything would still perish. Spirituality teaches that good deeds yield good outcomes, and bad deeds lead to unfavorable results. However, this principle has not been presented in purely logical terms.
The essence of Tantra lies in the perspective that the entire universe is one. Modern science tells us that both we and the universe are composed of 99.99% atoms. Hence, Tantra asserts that there is no difference between our body and the cosmos. There is no distinction between us and the Divine, between good and evil. This is why Shiva is revered as both the destroyer and the creator, as the great ascetic and the emblem of sensuality. Shiva, in his divine play, manifested his energy as Parvati. Thus, Tantra declares that every man carries a feminine aspect within, and every woman a masculine aspect—a truth modern science corroborates.
Few people know that the roots of Tantra lie in the dialogue between Shiva and Parvati, which is why Tantra is regarded as a branch of spirituality.
From seed to plant, plant to tree, tree to fruit, and fruit back to seed—this cyclical process is acknowledged by both science and spirituality. Everything in existence follows the same patterns as the universe. Night follows day; summer gives way to winter. Nature is the greatest testament to this circular motion. Forests flourish on this very principle—unless we destroy them. If nature adheres to this cycle, then as inhabitants of this earth, we too must live in harmony with it. And if this cycle is true, why wouldn’t good thoughts and good deeds return to us as positive outcomes? Spirituality states that a divine spark resides in all of us as the soul. This means we are born with a fragment of the Divine, which ultimately merges back into the Divine—another circular motion.
Tantra was born to expand upon this spiritual principle. It carries forward the tenets of spirituality, rooted entirely in meditation. While spirituality offers various paths to meditation, Tantra revolves exclusively around it. Yoga, too, is integrated within Tantra but in a unique way, giving rise to the concept of Tantra-Yoga. Unfortunately, the form of Tantra prevalent today is vastly different from what existed three to four centuries ago.
Many spiritual teachings emphasize physical and mental purity as prerequisites for progress. Tantra, however, requires no such conditions. It teaches that you can begin as you are—there is nothing to adopt or renounce. Tantra is a journey that starts at the soul level and remains anchored there. While this transformation may eventually lead to external changes, it originates internally, unlike spirituality, which often begins outwardly and moves inward. Much of what we know as spirituality today owes its existence to Tantra.
Sadly, Tantra is now viewed in a distorted and grotesque form, as that is the image propagated. Modern depictions of Tantra revolve around practices such as sex yoga, exorcism, and rituals involving skulls and garlands. How and why this transformation occurred is a mystery, and perhaps delving into its origins may not yield much for us to gain.
