Renowned Goddess of Desire by Loriliai Biernacki (.PDF)
File Size: 2.38 MB
Renowned Goddess of Desire: Women, Sex, and Speech in Tantra by Loriliai Biernacki
Requirements: .PDF reader, 2.38 MB
Overview: Tantra is a family of rituals modeled on those of the Vedas and their attendant texts and lineages. These rituals typically involve the visualization of a deity, offerings, and the chanting of his or her mantra. Common variations include visualizing the deity in the act of sexual union with a consort, visualizing oneself as the deity, and “transgressive” acts such as token consumption of meat or alcohol. Most notoriously, non-standard or ritualized sex is sometimes practiced.
This accounts for Tantra’s negative reputation in some quarters and its reception in the West primarily as a collection of sexual practices.
Although some today extol Tantra’s liberating qualities, the role of women remains controversial. Traditionally there are two views of women and Tantra. Either the feminine is a metaphor and actual women are altogether absent, or Tantra involves the transgressive use of women’s bodies to serve male interests. Loriliai Biernacki presents an alternative view, in which women are revered, worshipped, and considered worthy of spiritual attainment. Her primary sources are a collection of eight relatively modern Tantric texts written in Sanskrit from the 15th through the 18th century.
Genre: Non-Fiction > Faith, Beliefs & Philosophy
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