Nineteenth- and Twentieth-Century Revival
Tantra has enjoyed a revival in the West recently. This is perhaps due at least in part to more modern views and attitudes with regard to both sex and spirituality. With the prevalence of “New Age” thinking today, people are more receptive to learning about Tantra and not so likely to be bothered or frightened by its rumored connections to magic or witchcraft.
Tantra was first introduced to Western people in the 1800s by European scholars and people from India and nearby regions. Gradually, the teachings started to spread across the West and Tantra began to develop a growing following.
Alice Bunker Stockham
Interestingly, one of the first people to help bring Tantra to the United States was a woman. Alice Bunker Stockham, a Chicago gynecologist, traveled to India in the nineteenth century because she wanted to learn the secrets of Tantra. As a Christian, Stockham was not interested in learning a new religion. She was, however, eager to learn about the sexual aspects of Tantra. Stockham was definitely considered a rebel in her day. She spoke openly about the benefits of masturbation, discussed birth control options, and was a big believer in women's rights.
Late 1900s
Tantra really started to catch on in the United States during the sexually adventurous '60s and '70s, when the country was experiencing a sexual revolution. The Tantric philosophy meshed well with the whole “free love” spirit of the times. And thanks to major developments like the arrival of the birth control pill and books about sex and sexual pleasure, people were becoming increasingly more open to learning new things about sex. Meanwhile, in other parts of the world, there were also important developments related to Tantra. Toward the end of the twentieth century, an increasing number of Tibetan monks and other exiles began fleeing the oppressive control of the Chinese Communist leadership. Most of these refugees went on to establish Buddhist groups in northern India, where they continue to practice Tantra today. In fact, they are considered to be the “guardians” of Tantra, preserving its traditions and ensuring that it is practiced in its original forms.
The Tantric Order in America was founded in 1905. A man named Peter Coon, who was born in Iowa but later changed his name to the more Continental-sounding Pierre Arnold Bernard, is credited with starting the group, which was the first organized Tantric movement in the United States. Bernard would also become known as “Shastri” or “Oom.”
