What is Authentic Tantra®? ~ Institute of Authentic Tantra Education

Authentic Tantra ® is a trauma-informed holistic healing modality designed to awaken, heal, and integrate body, mind, spirit, and sex.

Authentic Tantra ® methods are rooted in the Tibetan Five Element Tantric Teachings, which are ancient shamanistic techniques from the Tibetan and Bon traditions, designed to balance, enrich, and heal the physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual body- from the inside out.

These teachings were transmitted to our Lama (Lama Tashi Dundrup) by Kalu Rinpoche (1905 – May 10, 1989) over 40 years ago. The Tibetan Five Element Teachings are part of the Shangpa Kagyu Lineage of Tibetan Buddhist Tantra. They have been passed down from Teacher to student as part of an oral tradition dating back over 1,200 years.

The Shangpa Kagyu lineage is referred to as “The Dakini Lineage” because it was founded by two women- Sukhasiddhi and Niguma. These powerful women achieved full realization of enlightenment and passed their teachings down through oral (verbal) instruction and at times initiated their disciples through Tantric sexual union practices.

The Shangpa Kagyu lineage is one of the only lineages that works directly with the sex chakra. It is noted that this is also one of the only remaining lineages that was founded by women. The 5 element teachings that we have been given permission to share relate to the “feminine” aspects of the elements. The feminine aspects relate to everything in the material world; our senses, our environment, our intuition, our bodies, our relationships, our community, and of course, our sexuality- all for the purpose of bringing health, balance, enrichment, pleasure, and joy.

Additionally, the Shangpa Kagyu lineage is referred to as “the practice lineage” because this tradition emphasizes the realization of consciousness which occurs through the actual practice of Tantra yoga methods, as opposed to reading and debating the scholarly works of the tradition.

With permission and blessings from our Lama, these traditional Tibetan 5 Element Tantric Teachings have been woven into a holistic set of sexual and non-sexual methods to create a powerful and effective modality for healing and life transformation.

The methods of the Authentic Tantra® modality include:

Tibetan Five Element Tantra
Taoist Sexual Yoga Methods
5 Element Tantric Dance
Non-Violent Communication
Somatically-based Healing Methods
Energy Medicine

This modality is referred to as “Authentic Tantra®” because the methods and orientation to practice are rooted in Tibetan Buddhist teachings on how to heal with the five elements and Vajrayana tantric practices. In this tradition, Tantra is understood to be a “path of healing and transformation”, and according to our Teacher, authentic tantric teachings should result in better health and wellness of body, mind, and spirit, in order to be useful and effective.

In the Authentic Tantra® modality, the Tibetan Five Element Teachings have been woven with contemporary cutting-edge knowledge about sexuality, trauma, and holistic healing in order to create effective methods for addressing the root causes of illness and suffering in our modern world.

Authentic Tantra® methods are based upon what we refer to as “The 4 Pillars of Healing”.

The 4 Pillars are

Each pillar involves practices which work to effectively dissolve the layers of trauma, ignorance and cultural conditioning which are the root cause of unhappiness and suffering – thereby allowing you to recognize and embody your natural state of peace, joy, and bliss.

In traditional non-sexual Tibetan Tantra, the motivation to practice is to obtain freedom from suffering of body, mind, and spirit for all beings’ benefit, also known as enlightenment.

In the Authentic Tantra ® modality we use the Tibetan Five Element Tantric Teachings with the same motivation, while actively drawing upon the creative power of sexual energy to fuel and enrich the process of healing and transformation.

In this day and age, sexuality is the cause of tremendous pain and suffering. As practicing Vajrayana Buddhists we believe the need for authentic instruction in how to approach sexual connection with mindfulness and how to utilize sexual energy for healing and spiritual growth becomes more vital with each passing day. We believe it is imperative that spiritual teachers and teachings address the critical role that sexuality plays in being a healthy, whole, and integrated human being.

The Tibetan Five Element Tantric Teachings give us a guidebook for approaching sexuality from a standpoint of mindfulness and presence and offer us concrete tools for harnessing our sexual energy and using it skillfully.

What Makes Authentic Tantra “authentic”?

There are many different approaches, lineages, and style of traditional and modern Tantra.

Based on our practice and instruction from our root Lama, a tantra practice can be verified as “authentic” when it demonstrates the following characteristics:

You have a Teacher and you have a lineage. Lama Tashi Dundrup is our root Lama and our lineage of practice is Shangpa Kagyu.
You have correct motivation. In Buddhist terms this is called “Bodhichitta” This means your motivation for practice is not just for your own benefit, but for the benefit and welfare of all sentient beings, and desire to bring healing and remove suffering in all of our actions.
Results! Correct/authentic Tantric practice should produce tangible and discernible beneficial results in EVERY area of your life. Your health, prosperity, joy, love, compassion, and connection should all begin to improve as a result of your practice.

We believe authentic Tantric practice should also include instruction in how to address sexuality from an informed, compassionate, and shame-free perspective.

Our sexuality is an integral aspect of our humanity. We can not be separated from our sexual selves via ignorance, trauma and wounding, and be whole and complete human beings. The path to enlightenment is about including the totality of our human experience, including and especially our sexuality.

Spiritual teachings that ignore, leave out, or seek to repress through guilt and shame any aspect of our human experience do not lead to the complete realization of our ultimate nature, and often instead lead to further confusion, dysfunction, and abuse.

The ability to incorporate and integrate all aspects of our human experience through skillful means, loving kindness and compassion is a hallmark of what makes this modality a truly authentic expression of the heart and soul of Buddhist Tantra.

View From The Lama

“I want to say that the teachers of this course have my full support. The Transmission of the Five Elements is authentic from the Tibetan Buddhist tradition as they have stated in their advertising and is completely applicable to any healing modality including sexual. Sexual transmission of the 5 elements methods are used in Tibetan Buddhist Tradition in special circumstances. Here in the west, they are applied to people generally. This course offers instruction in authentic Tibetan Buddhist practices, woven into this sexual healing modality. It is a valid certification program.”

Lama Tashi Dundrup ~ Shangpa Kagyu

Kauai Dharma Center

Benefits of Practicing Authentic Tantra®

INNER

More inner peace & joy in life
Alleviates feelings of anxiety & depression
Eradicates low self-esteem
Instills healthy self-confidence & self-worth
Increases mental & emotional balance

OUTER

More energy, vitality & creativity
More love & compassion- for self and others
Better relationships with partners, friends & family
More freedom of self-expression
More joy and soul-enriching pleasure in every area of life.

HEALING

Healing of connection based & attachment traumas
Healing of abuse & sexual traumas
Releasing of emotional wounds and destructive patterns
Greater access to inner joy, presence, & compassion
Increased self-love & self-connection

These benefits have stood the test of time!

The Tibetan Five Element Tantric Practices have been used as a healing modality for thousands of years.

Combined with the 4 Pillars of Healing; Meditation, Movement, Connection, and Pleasure, they become a potent form of medicine perfectly adapted to heal suffering on the levels of body, mind, spirit, and sexuality.

Since it’s inception in 2009, Authentic Tantra® has proven to be a practical and effective modality for healing and personal growth.

We invite you to experience the benefits for yourself with our Tantra Healing Programs

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