Hinduism: Siva, Kali, and Tantra

After sparking up an older email connection with a college religion professor, I recently found some facts about Hinduism fascinating. Siva, for example, according the the mythology, Siva rides around on this Bull, Nandi, wherever he goes. Siva also carries this trisula (trident) weapon; functions as the Destroyer lord (or the whole shebang Destroyer, Creator, and Sustainer god to some Saivites) and the Lord of Dance. Parvati and Siva gave birth to the God of good fortune, Ganesha, who has the elephant head. Parvati, the wife of Siva, originally had dark skin, but Siva teased her, calling her "blackie", so Parvati shed her darker skin (and that skin, according to some myths, became Kali) and became white-skinned. Siva, by far, sounds like the coolest Hindu god.

Kali, the so-called mother-goddess (who has nothing of a motherly image) gets depicted with her tongue hanging out, wielding a sword in one of her four arms, body stained in blood, and standing on her husband, Shiva. She also frequently gets depicted naked with wild disheveled hair. The story goes that in a battle with an evil force her killing spree got so intense that she began slaughtering everything in sight so Shiva laid down in front of her to stop her slaughter upon which she stuck out her tongue. Although I find and can relate to Siva, more than Kali, Kali has an interesting aspect: she simultaneously birth-and-death, "the womb and tomb". Very interesting dichotomy. Kali plays a huge role in Tantrism, representing the creative tension of Shiva and Shakti (male and female) energies. But, in short, if you think a 4-armed, bloody, naked, tongue-wagging, disembodied head-carrying goddess looks "motherly"? Haha, get help, fast!

Tantra
Tantric practices look at sex not as recreation, but as transformation. The goal of tantric sex does not revolve around orgasm, although it includes that, but rather of connecting more fully with your partner to create the harmonious merging of the Siva (male) and Sakti (female) energies. Tantric ideology originated as a rebellion from organized religions that rejected sexuality; tantra believes sexual energies operate as a form of enlightenment and the etymological roots even sound cool: "to manifest, to expand, to show and to weave." In short, tantra teaches to prolong the love-making and to harness the potent sexual energies for health.

The most intreresting aspect of tantra originates from its infinite nature. Western love-making has a definite, finite beginning and end, usually lasting about 15-20 minutes of actual intercourse, but tantric intercourse resembles more of an infinite dance that weaves in meditation and fulfilment to the process. So much for single orgasms, too. Tantric sex believes in multiple "releases", but on the other hand, it does not have such a definite goal and "going all the way" often doesn't have any necessary place at times. Tantra spirituality moves beyond Freudian sublimation of "labido" and into the emergence of fusing your energies for expansive, yes, but also more stable and enduring health.

There exists a lot of fear, trepidation, and uncertainty in Western sex. The most inviting aspect of tantric sex has got to be the removal of images, expectations, and facades during sexual interaction. It's entire goal revolves around simultaneous breathing eye contact, and getting "to know" your partner more harmoniously, such a connection, then, increases your own bodily knowledge and spiritual awareness, as well.

Finally, Tantra doesn't fall into the category of some obscure ritual only practiced by overzealous hindus. A lot of well-known people, Sting for example, practice tantra.