Tantric yoga, sometimes known as Advaita Tantra yoga, can trace its roots to 5000 B.C. It is around that time that Lord Sadashiva is said to have laid the groundwork for what is today known as Tantric yoga.

As the principles of Advaita Tantra have been passed down through the generations they have not changed very much. Tantra means to be liberated and that is exactly what Tantric yoga claims to do. Tantric yoga is a spiritual journey to a complete understanding of your place in the universe. Tantric yoga uses both the mind and the body to discover and gain knowledge from the spiritual realm of life.

Tantric yoga assumes that the world in which we exist, and all things in that world, are part of the Supreme Conscious Being, or Brahma. This being is made of two parts, Shiva and Shaki. Shiva is considered to be the consciousness of the Supreme Being while Shaki is the creative part.

Human beings are said to experience Shaki through the material world and be distanced from Shiva. The goal of Tantric yoga is to become closer to Shiva. This closeness is usually achieved through meditation. Meditation will reveal to the Tantric student that Shiva and Shaki are both parts of the Supreme Being. This realization will help tantric students achieve a state of bliss.

There is a Sanskrit saying that “Brahma is Eternal Bliss”. Tantric yoga students take this saying to heart and recognize Brahma as the source of their bliss. Tantric students recognize Brahma through experience –meditation, which leads to an eternal spiritual journey.

The entire Tantric experience is focused on achieving this state of bliss. Traditional Tantric yoga involves two paths to reach bliss. In the first path the student identifies habits and behaviors felt to inhibit his path to bliss. This can also include any addictions a person has. In the second step the student will work to release the hold these habits, behaviors, and addictions have on his life.

Tantric yoga is one of the more popular forms of yoga and is mentioned frequently in popular culture. It is used by practitioners to help with everything from sublime mental health to sexual satisfaction. The sexual aspect of Tantric yoga is perhaps the reason many people turn to the practice of this form of yoga. Fortunately, they find that Tantric yoga has a multitude of benefits.