The Evolution of Authentic Tantra®

We would like to inform you of changes that have been a year in the making regarding the brand name of “Authentic Tantra®”.

For context, the brand Authentic Tantra® was formed in 2011 as a vehicle for transmitting the lineage-based, sexual and non-sexual teachings of Tibetan 5 Element Tantra.

At the time, the focus was on introducing these lineage-based, authentic tantric sexual teachings from the Vajrayana tradition into the Western mainstream market, for the purpose of personal/sexual healing and spiritual liberation.

This strategy was encouraged and supported by our Lama, who described it as akin to “the Hook and Lasso of the Dakini”. Using the skillful means of sensuality, pleasure, and play to introduce the teachings of Tibetan 5 Element Tantra, while at the same time aligning students with authentic Dharmic teachings and practices.

This was an effective and useful strategy for many years, with many yoni’s and lingam’s being liberated from sexual suffering, and many sentient beings benefitted through the practices of movement, meditation, connection, and pleasure.

But/and, much has changed over the past 13 years. Much has changed in the field of modern Western Tantra, much has changed in the field of sexology, and much has changed in our own personal Tantra practice and personal spiritual evolution.

Most folks don’t recognize that I, Devi, was a monk for nearly a decade before I encountered Tibetan Buddhist Tantra. While some people were in grad school at the age of 24, I was breaking a 72-hour period of fasting and silence by pledging my life to the pursuit of spiritual realization and devotion to God. When I encountered Tibetan 5 Element and Vajrayana Tantra nearly a decade later, I recanted my previous vows (which was really scary!), completely changed spiritual traditions (also scary!), and took refuge in the Shangpa Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Tantric Buddhism, under the umbrella of which I have rediscovered my inherent wholeness.

All of this is to highlight that for me, Devi, the founder of IATE, all of this has been a part of and an expression of, my spiritual practice. This business enterprise of Authentic Tantra® and all of our offerings, accomplishments, and accreditations, have all been a part of, a practice of, and an expression of my spiritual yoga.

And because my spiritual yoga practice is both authentic and effective, it has catalyzed extraordinary evolution both personally and professionally. And so, the time has come for this inner evolution to be expressed outwardly, through the ways in which we offer and disseminate the teachings of Tibetan 5 Element Tantra.

As stated above, this change has been over a year in the making. In early 2023 Lama Tashi approved changing the certification title from “Certified Authentic Tantra Practitioner” to “Certified Tibetan 5 Element Tantra Practitioner”. Additionally, Lama Tashi and I discussed changing the focus/name of our work in the world from “Authentic Tantra” to “Tibetan 5 Element Tantra”. These changes were delayed due to Fire Element Dakini consuming our home and offices in the 2023 McDougall Creek wildfires, and our year + of being physically displaced.

The recent eclipse season has once again brought the need for clarity and refinement into focus. Therefore, in order to meet these needs for clarity – like the ringing of a Tibetan bell; and precision, like the flawless cut of the hook knife as the Dakini cuts away all attachment – I, we, IATE, will be shifting away from the brand name of Authentic Tantra® and will be referencing our work as Tibetan 5 Element Tantra.

Please note that we will maintain the trademark of Authentic Tantra® in order to protect our intellectual property. All practices, curriculum, and program offerings will remain protected by the Authentic Tantra® trademark.

Additionally, “sexual healing” will no longer be the primary focus of our public offerings and social media content. Healing the entire human, from base to crown, is the mission, and our content will reflect the transformation and liberation that occurs on every level when using the methods of Tibetan 5 Element Tantra.

Tibetan 5 Element Tantra is pre-Vedic tantra. The Tibetan 5 Element system is over 17,000 years old and was introduced to the indigenous people of Tibet by the Buddha Tonpa Shenrab almost 20,000 years ago. (1)

The Tibetan 5 Element system is rooted in animism. Animism is the root and foundation of ALL tantra and predates both Buddhism AND the Vedas. (2) Animism is anchored in the belief that ALL of physical existence is sentient and therefore all of physical existence is sacred. Every molecule, every cell, every rock, every tree, every animal, every human has sentience and therefore has intelligence, sacredness, honor, and value.

Animism values the sacredness of LIFE as expressed through physical existence.

This is very different from patriarchal traditions, including Vedic tantric traditions, which view the physical form as an obstacle and physical existence as a burden to overcome. Humans aligned with animistic world views, which value all life, also tend to be matriarchal, as they value the wisdom, power, and insight contained in the only form that can create, nourish, and grow new life – The female body.

The Tibetan 5 Element system was birthed from animistic traditions practiced 20,000 years ago. This system was practiced in various ways by the indigenous people of Tibet for millennia. The Tibetan 5 Element system was woven with Tantric Buddhism at various points throughout history. The Tibetan 5 Element Tantric methods we teach at IATE are from the Shangpa Kagyu lineage of Tibetan Tantric Buddhism. The Shangpa Kagyu lineage is called “The Dakini Lineage” because it was founded by two women Niguma and Sukha siddhi. Niguma is referred to a “The Black Dakini” because her skin was so deeply melanated.

Side note, just so we are all clear and operating on the same page – Niguma, the founder of the Shangpa Kagyu lineage, was most likely Dalit, aka “untouchable”. (3) This fact is probably why most texts claim “very little is known about Niguma’s origins”. Meanwhile, here’s Niguma, blickity blackity BLACK, living in a caste system of light-skin supremacy, which has designated her skin color as “untouchable” for CENTURIES.

Because I, and many of our students are also living in a system of pigmentocacry, I often wonder about the human experience of Niguma growing up in a society that would have designated her as inhuman due to her black skin, and thus treated her inhumanely. Perhaps this is why Niguma chose to live alone in the jungle…?

There is so much to say and share about the roots and origins of Tibetan 5 Element Tantra…

• How it originated with The Black Dakini and is now the core curriculum for an institute that prioritizes anti-racism training.
• How these methods reconnect us with the ONE universally practiced spiritual tradition that existed on Earth (animism)
• How these methods work energetically and physically to unlock the ancient wisdom encoded in the marrow of our bones.

I look forward to sharing a multitude of articles and videos on this topic over the coming months and years. But for now, I will end this official announcement by summarizing:

• We are changing the name, focus, and direction or our brand from “Authentic Tantra” to “Tibetan 5 Element Tantra”
• Yes, we are keeping the trademark
• We are cultivating more emotional and spiritual pleasure by creating content that highlights and focuses on all 4 forms of pleasure- physical, emotional, spiritual, and yes sexual, but more targeted and focused on the integration and application of the Tibetan 5 Element system of healing into all aspects of our precious, human existence.

These changes take time, labor, and care to implement. We will be curating these changes behind the scenes with love and care over the next several months. We expect to implement all visual brand changes towards the end of this year/beginning of next.

In the meantime, from now until the end of the year, we will be doing a “round up” of the past 13 years of Authentic Tantra® by highlighting the best of the best of Authentic Tantra®, Devi Ward Tantra, Sex Is Medicine… so stay tuned…