buddhist – Western Tantra

Time

Professor Andrei Pimenov and associates at the Institute of Solid State Physics at the Vienna University of Technology recently discovered a way to directly measure the fine structure constant that relates to the strength of electromagnetic fields. Their method involved interacting a polarized laser light with a thin film. They determined that the thin film rotated the polarization of the laser light in quantized angles exactly equal to the fine structure constant.

This research shows that this rotation in the physical world is not smooth and continuous but rather happens in a series of tiny angles, the way a movie is not continuous movement but rather a sequence of still images. But what transmits the quality of rotation from one angle to the next? In a movie, there is a mechanism that turns off the image, selects the next image, and paints the next image on the screen. Taking a conceptual quantum leap, this suggests that in our world, everything at the quantum level is like this, a series of static moments of reality connected in some way from the past moment to the present, then to the next moment in a series of tiny quantum leaps.

If so, what transmits the information defining the present moment to the next moment of time? Something fluid and invisible happens between each moment and the next and seems to be related to consciousness. Intuition suggests that if we could insert ourselves into that fluid interval between one moment and the next, we could alter reality more profoundly than if we just watch life passively like the audience for a movie. Our physical bodies and senses always lag behind reality by the few tenths of a second it takes our sensors and nerves to transmit to the brain and process the information. We are always reacting to the past. Our deeper consciousness that we call the Soul does not seem to have this limitation.

In meditation, we are told we can access this dynamic fluid moment between each quantum of static reality. In Buddhism, we call this “catching up to the present moment” or “going with the flow.” It takes mental stillness or “no thought” to be in this mental state. It’s what we call wow or aha moments that are difficult to achieve and even harder to maintain for any length of time. When we can do this, magic happens. When I try to conceptualize this process, my brain gets boggled and shuts down. But intuition let me write a poem about this:

When we live within our heart,

We dwell within the cracks of time,

Between the tick and the tock,

Where anything is possible.

This idea of fluid moments connecting quantum leaps is a bit rough and speculative, but aligns with what advanced meditators say to be true. It feels like here may be a key to understanding reality, if only I had the intelligence to put the pieces of the puzzle together. What do you think? Can you clarify, expand, or refute this?

Meditation–Tuning

This is a meditation of the analytical type designed to modify our perception. Our perception of outer reality is largely determined by the internal state of our mind. If we find ourselves in a negative state of mind, we can use meditation to Tune our mind to a better internal state, which can improve our perception of the outside world. This positive state of mind allows us to better help those around us, improving the world for others.

Find a quiet time and place for meditation. Regret any harmful thoughts, words, and deeds you have done to others recently and resolve to do better. Imagine that the universe accepts your regrets and forgives you. Imagine feeling relief at this. Dedicate the benefits of this meditation to all who are in distress. Thank your spiritual guides for the conditions allowing you to do this meditation. Concentrate on your breath, feeling the inflow of air and the outflow of air until you feel relaxed.

Visualize a paradise of peace and beauty, a place you would like to be. Imagine it filled with happy people of all races, ages, genders, and religions, all helping one another. Imagine various animals mingling with the people, predators and prey coexisting. Imagine beautiful plants and flowers. Imagine that the weather is perfect.

You trip and fall, but someone picks you up and tends to your wounds. You become thirsty and a stranger offers you cool, clear water. You become hungry and another stranger invites you to their home for a banquet of your favorite foods and beverages. This makes you sleepy, and your host offers you a room and bed for the night. You quickly fall asleep on the comfortable bed.

You awaken refreshed and greet a perfect morning. At breakfast you ask your host for directions to the place where your most revered master teacher gives lessons. One of your host’s children walks you to the place of learning and you enter. The place is filled with other students of your religion or philosophy. They greet you as a friend and you feel their Love for you and one another. It feels like home.

The master teacher sees and greets you and seems to know you. The teacher then addresses the assembly. You have many questions about the universe and your place in it. The master answers your questions without you having to ask them. During a break, you discover all the students have the same experience. Their questions are answered. After the teaching, all the students request a blessing from the master. The master agrees but asks them for their blessing in return. You have the impression that the master regards them all as equals, not as inferior to the master.

You find a place to stay and a task to perform in this paradise. Continuing the lessons with the master, you find your mind becoming open to new information and more stable. After a long series of lessons and meditations the master invites you to a private conference. There the master questions you, and seemingly satisfied with your answers, touches you on the forehead and heart center and you enter the ecstasy of Bliss. You remain in Bliss for a time and awaken with the clear knowledge that life has meaning. You feel the unity of all things. You become Love incarnate.

Experiencing Bliss and clarity of thought, you wish to share this experience with others who still suffer. The master directs you to the council of elders who help you choose a life of service to others. You make a last round of paradise, enjoying all the features, knowing that you can return at any time. Then you return to the ordinary world and are reborn into a better life. And here you are. What will you do first?

New Cover Promotion

The book cover showing Rodin’s sculpture “The Kiss” was deemed too erotic for use by Amazon ads, so a new cover has replaced it. The new cover features a stairway into the sky, symbolizing a spiritual path to higher realizations. To introduce and celebrate the new cover, the price for both the paperback and Kindle editions has been temporarily reduced. Now is a great time to purchase extra copies as gifts and to recommend the book to friends.

Reincarnation

Western spiritual traditions have three major blind spots: the need to overcome ego, the way karma works, and reincarnation. This blog will discuss reincarnation, rebirth in a new body or other form of life, the idea that we live multiple lifetimes. This idea is generally disregarded in Western circles, some believing that when we die we no longer exist as a conscious being, others adopting the conventional Western view that an invisible spirit leaves the body to reside in a heaven or a hell, depending on our conduct when alive.

Objections to reincarnation include:

No part of the human body is able to generate thought, speech, or movement after it dies and disintegrates. This is true, but science has not yet identified 95% of all that exists or the source of consciousness, so the possibility that there is an invisible spirit residing within the body is not ruled out.
The Bible says there is no reincarnation. This not true, there are numerous passages in the Christian Bible referring to reincarnation, such as Matthew 17:10-13 which says John the Baptist is Elijah returned. Many Christians believed in reincarnation until the idea was banned by a council of churches over 1000 years ago. The dogma of resurrection of the human body still persists. Scriptures and oral traditions of many other current and ancient religions describe reincarnation in some detail.
No one remembers past lives. This objection is not true. Many people remember past lives. Some can supply details and identify past places and objects. About a quarter of Americans believe in reincarnation. The experience of “deja vu” may relate to past life memories.
All people claiming past lives remember being famous people, so it must be wishful thinking. This is not true, most people remember ordinary lives. But famous people usually did something memorable, so those lives are easier to identify by name. Also, people who surrounded famous people may mistake their past life with the one they can identify. There have been tens of thousands of famous people, and each had dozens of associates. Finally, with few exceptions, famous people are just like the rest of us, nothing special there.
Multiple people claim the same past life, so it must be false. This reflects lack of imagination by critics. According to Buddhist beliefs, enlightened beings can emanate in an infinite number of incarnations. Perhaps multiple personas can inhabit one body, as with multiple personality disorder. This might explain how some people have more charisma, they may house multiple souls. Perhaps actors are actually expressing multiple personas. Buddhism leaves open the possibility that one person could reincarnate as more than one person. We just don’t know.
Reincarnation is for people who can’t face the idea of dying. Actually, for those of us who believe in reincarnation, there is no rest in heaven or oblivion until we find a way out of living multiple lives. For many of us, reincarnation is far more terrifying than non-existence. That is why Eastern religions have methods to escape from reincarnation.

Reasons to believe in reincarnation include:

Many people experience “deja vu,” the feeling that they have seen a place or done something before, but have never seen or done that in their present life.
Many people remember past lives and can recall details that can be verified.
Many children within the same family come into this life with personalities very different from each other and their parents.
Many very young children say they were a different person or an animal before this life.
Some children come into this life with skills that require years of practice to develop.
Many people have fears of things or events that have never harmed or happened to them in this life.
Many people have seen ghosts, one of the many different forms reincarnation can take. Eastern religions call it rebirth to encompass the many different ways that beings continue to exist.
Most people believe in some form of an afterlife, be it heaven, hell, resurrection, ghosts, souls, or similar concepts. The concept of reincarnation is not that different. Wouldn’t it be comforting to believe we have more than one chance to “get it right” rather than the idea we get one shot at life and then are judged, no matter how bad the hand we are dealt? Wouldn’t it be better to believe we have to care for this world, because we have to come back to live in it?

So what do you think? Is reincarnation real or not?

Discussion of Tantra and Western Tantra

The purpose of this website is to try to restore the true meanings of the terms “tantra” and “Western Tantra” to their correct meanings and to promote the practices of tantra in the Western countries, modifying tantric practices as needed to be compatible with Western thought.

True tantric practices arose out of the Hindu and Buddhist religions in order to accelerate spiritual development. Typical spiritual practices involve study of scriptures, meditation and contemplation, prayers, and performing devotional rituals designed to transform adherents’ thoughts and behavior into patterns established by the founders of religions. At best, the process of transforming humans in this way is very slow. At worst, religions often turn out intolerant humans whose behavior bears no relationship to the founders of that religion.

Tantra aims to speed up spiritual transformation and improve its effectiveness by reversing the process of transformation. Instead of studying to try to become more like our revered spiritual archetypes, tantric practitioners visualize themselves as if they have already become one of humanity’s revered spiritual archetypes in thought, word, and deed. By visualizing themselves in this way, and behaving as that archetype, they relatively quickly change their thinking patterns into that of their selected archetypes. In effect, the tantric practitioner becomes a version of the eyes, ears, and hands of our most revered archetypes in the world.

There are two main misconceptions about tantra that are found here in the West. The most common misconception is that tantra is mainly about sex. Many tantric sex manuals are available, but these typically use spiritual terms to justify having more sex. As if anyone needed an excuse for that! Having more sex without the well-established visualizations and methods of true tantra is not likely to result in spiritual development.

The other Western misconception about tantra is that it is an occult practice. This misconception comes from the Eastern religions that portray gods, goddesses, bodhisattvas, and buddhas in forms and images that appear to Westerners as demonic. Eastern people have no issues with seeing images of beneficial divine beings with animal or multiple heads, skull decorations, fangs and weapons, or crushing opponents. They have different mindsets, and these things are seen as symbolic. Without knowledge of the symbolism, Westerners see these things as worshipping evil. When tantric practitioners visualize themselves as divine archetypes and work soup kitchens, serve in hospitals, or help at disaster sites in order to emulate their heroes, occult practices could not be farther from their minds.

Hopefully, without these misconceptions, more Westerners will try tantric practices. What do you think?