Tantra Lineages, Paths, & Practices
Tantra is a spiritual tradition that originates from ancient India. It encompasses a wide range of practices aimed at spiritual awakening. It is often categorized into two main paths: right-handed Tantra (Dakshinachara) and left-handed Tantra (Vamachara).
I THRIVE's creator was initially exposed to right-handed Tantra (Buddhist/Hindu lineage) in 2015 as taught at an international school and spiritual community that touched her life. This community emphasized a sense of belonging, held daily coursework in healing modalities and therapies, and organized frequent workshops and sessions with local healers in Thailand. Though the school welcomes all community members (including left and right-handed followers), it remains a right-handed school. I THRIVE's creator later explored Tantra's overlap with Jungian Psychology & Philosophy, observing Hindu deities as archetypes during her 300 hr YTT in India in 2020.
After being exposed to abuses in a left-handed Tantra school abroad, I THRIVE's creator went on to train with one of the founders of an international regulatory body designed to 'set standards for a safe practice.' These experiences and exposures set the groundwork for advocacy efforts that I THRIVE's creator would later take in the state and national mental health and psychedelic science community.
**Remember to consult your provider prior to trialing any new therapy or treatment. Some techniques discussed on this site may not be appropriate for all persons.
Right-Handed Path
Right-handed Tantra focuses on more traditional and socially acceptable spiritual practices, such as meditation, chanting mantras, visualization, deity and archetypal study, and ritual worship. It emphasizes purity, devotion, and self-discipline, and is generally considered the “safer” path for spiritual seekers.
Left-Handed Path
Left-handed Tantra incorporates practices that are considered more unconventional, including the use of substances, sexual practices, and interactions with taboo symbols or rituals. This path can be more dangerous because it seeks to transcend social norms in order to achieve spiritual liberation. Left-handed Tantra views spiritual growth as occurring through direct experiences that dismantle dualistic thinking, using what is typically socially forbidden as tools for enlightenment. This lineage has roots in ancient Hindu and Buddhist practices, where it emerged as a radical path meant for more advanced practitioners.
**Disclaimer: We recommend caution and discernment to anyone considering trialing a new spiritual or healing community, particularly those suggesting sexual healing, given the risk for harm of vulnerable persons in these intimate spaces. No guru or teacher should ever seek out or solicit a student offering sexual healing. Safe & experienced gurus & teachers are necessary to guide anyone in individual study or practice of any advanced lineage. We make no formal recommendation for any specific path, event, or healing community on our site.
Tantric Practices
Right-handed offerings linked below!
For those interested in exploring Tantra, recommended practices include meditation, mantra recitation (like the Om Mani Padme Hum mantra), breathing exercises (pranayama), yoga, somatic practices, archetypal study, and working with a qualified teacher to learn energy channeling techniques. Right-handed Tantra can be approached through a more classical route, focusing on inner transformation through self-discipline and spiritual devotion.
In contrast, practitioners of left-handed Tantra, as previously discussed, are often advised to be under the guidance of a very experienced guru due to the complexities and potential dangers of this path. We recommend caution & discernment when considering any alternative spiritual or healing practices or community.
Tantra Yoga
Time for practice!
Tantra Yoga is a spiritual practice that combines physical postures (asanas), breathwork (pranayama), meditation, and ritual to awaken and balance the body’s energy systems. Unlike other forms of yoga, Tantra Yoga emphasizes the integration of mind, body, and spirit through the cultivation of subtle energies, often focusing on the chakras (energy centers) and kundalini energy. Its goal is not just physical flexibility or relaxation but spiritual enlightenment and transformation. Tantra Yoga differs from other styles like Hatha or Vinyasa, which often prioritize physical postures and sequences, by placing more emphasis on the use of rituals, visualization, and even mantra chanting to achieve union with the divine. It also incorporates elements of both left-handed and right-handed Tantra, depending on the lineage, and can include more esoteric practices to work with energies in a way that transcends the typical yoga class structure.
You can explore a playlist of free Tantra Yoga classes linked HERE.
