Empathy Tantra: Understanding Tantric Yoga

by Robin Raymond Anderson

"Empathy Tantra" is a fresh new view of Tantric Yoga. Tantra means "weaving together," and yoga means "unity, or a sense of unity." Thus, tantric yoga is a practice of "weaving" elements together for a sense of unity. Yet this new view, and new practice, is called Empathy Tantra. The emphasis here is on empathy, our ability to sense the feelings of another, almost as if they were our own. Furthermore, the empathy practiced here is increasingly intuitive, gleaned with very little information. Through guided practice, two meditation partners who are seated only a short distance apart can learn how to mutually empathize with each other in a highly positive way. In doing so, they can consistently amplify their shared enthusiasm, often with their eyes closed, and without saying a word. Thus, they can mutually and spontaneously explore many of their inborn positive orientations to life. Such positive orientations include happiness, goodness, and love, but also universal love, interconnectedness, and oneness. Enlightenment, "lighting up" about the profound miracle of being alive, becomes an ongoing, gloriously multifaceted adventure, rather than an isolated, once-in-a-while experience. Likewise, the intense empathy occasioned by sexual arousal often advocated by tantric practitioners isn't required here. Empathy tantra can be thoroughly enjoyed sexually or platonically, even without any physical contact in either case. "Empathy Tantra," explains all of this in depth, with examples of guided sessions, and even offers an exciting entry-level meditation for reasonably gifted beginners.

108 pages, Paperback

Published November 14, 2021