Chakra Puja
The Chakra Puja (literally translated as “circle worship”) is one of the oldest practices of traditional Tantra. Also known as “group worship,” this ritual — and the similar ritual of Vasishtha — involved up to eight couples. The general goal of this ritual is a group effort in pursuit of higher consciousness.
In some ancient Tantric rituals, menstrual fluid played an important role. Far from being reviled, this fluid was generally revered. It was seen as mystical and magical, because of its power to create life. In some rituals, this fluid was used in worship. Along the same lines, a menstruating woman was also often given a special place of honor.
Like many ancient Tantric sex rituals, especially those involving large groups of people, the preparations and trappings of this event were elaborate. The participants would often start out by enjoying wine and perhaps some cannabis. This ritual would often include a lengthy assortment of Tantric techniques, including meditation, mantras, yantras, purification, body worship, and other techniques. The Tantric couples would sit in a circle and take turns actively participating in various practices, including sexual unions. According to some descriptions, male and female partners would be assigned at random. Other reports describe the guru assigning participants a partner of the opposite sex. Many accounts describe the guru or leader kicking off the action by having sex with a nude young woman while the others watched.
