Sexuality and spiritual experience have raditionally been linked in the literature of mysticism. Religious ecstasy seems strikingly similar to erotic excitement in the accounts of saints and holy people who have spoken of enlightenment in language based on sexual images. Terms like 'rapture,' 'passion,' 'union' and ravish' occur frequently. Such images, they said, were the closest they could find for describing an otherwise ineffable revelation.

The common element between sexual and spiritual experience, of course, is consciousness. The states of consciousness experienced by lovers in union and mystics in God-intoxication are states in which the usual mental sense of self as a separate, isolated, lonely individual is dissolved. They are no longer locked in the prison of ego, no longer in conflict with the world.

In some of the writings of the erotic mystics, we learn of techniques that can be systematically employed to alter consciousness toward that much-sought state, erotic mysitcism. The best known is tantra,

The explicit aim of Mumford's book is consciousness-expansion and spiritual illumination. It is solidliy based on love between sexual partners. It recognizes that many of the so-called sexually liberated have entered an emotional void because mechanics alone don't achieve magick. attitude or inner stance is paramount, and this book firmly ties illumination to the sacralization of sex. It emphasizes that the magical work of tantra is to transform the individual partners into divine lovers/lovers of the divine.

Ecstasy Through Tantra is not for the squeamish, the ascetic or those preoccupied with erotic thrills. It is for those who, accepting human sexuality as a means to a spiritual end, want first-rate instruction in lovemaking.-John White What is Enlightenment? and Frontiers of Consciousness

Contents

Introdiuction
Preface
Sex magic
Tantra
Psychosexual power and tantric exercises
Asanas of love for kundalini arousel
A tantric synoptic commentary on the shat chakras
Sexual terminology: semantics of the inner life
Eros and thantos
Tantra, modern witchcraft and psychedelic drugs
Afterword: Love and romance
A tantric weekend
Appendix A: The tree of life
Appendix B: Rite of naked fire
Note
Bibliography

Not a real big fan of this book. Its not very well orgainized and is not a comprehensive study of tantra. Main thing i get out of it is a set of original mandala's, little study on sucking seminal fluid back into the body and a little fictional tantra weekend guide at the end. The little guide was the most useful, for a sexuality study, not so much for tantric study. you can take it or leave.. i'd leave it. ( )