We live in a world where image and physical appearance are everything. Or at least, that is how it often seems. It can often seem like the beautiful people — those who fit a certain mold — have all of the fun, while those who are self-conscious about their looks get left in the shadows. Fortunately, Tantra does not adhere to this way of thinking. Tantra welcomes everyone, without giving appearance a single thought.

Body Issues

Many people have issues with their bodies. This is especially true for women, but a surprising number of men are very self-conscious about their bodies, too. Weight-related issues are probably the most common, but people can also be self-conscious about being too short or tall, too pale or dark, or have any number of other issues relating to their physical appearance.

The singles scene is stressful enough for anyone, but when you add serious body issues to the mix, dating can be a disaster. It can be scary just to mingle with people, let alone actually removing your clothes in front of someone.

For people with body concerns, Tantra can be an answer to their prayers.

Tantra stresses the importance of the human body — any human body, whatever its shape or form. All human bodies are seen as beautiful and worthy of worship. There is no image of “perfect” beauty. Tantra does not promote a cookie-cutter ideal of physical appearance. A woman is a goddess, regardless of the shape of her physical form. The same thing is true for a man. If you glance through books on Tantra that feature old Tantra drawings and illustrations, you will see people of all physical types depicted, and all of them are seen as sexy and desirable.

Tantra's goal is to achieve a spiritual union, a cosmic harmony. At that level of consciousness, physical appearance is a nonissue. All that is important is the soul and spirit. You are a divine being who transcends any physical characteristics.

By following Tantric philosophies, you can have a fulfilling sex life, and enjoy lots of romance, regardless of your body type. And by embracing your inner god or goddess, you will learn to love yourself exactly as you are — a beautiful godlike human being.

Racial and Ethnic Diversity

Just as Tantra does not differentiate people according to dress size, the Tantra way of life also does not categorize people according to skin color or nationality. Human beings are not judged by the color of the body that their spirit happens to inhabit. It does not matter, from a Tantric acceptance standpoint, what your racial or ethnic profile is. You are worthy of love, honor, and respect.

Mismatched Couples

If you go to enough Tantra events, you will start to notice an unusual phenomenon. Many of the couples look, well, like they don't really fit together in the conventional sense. You will often spot people from different backgrounds, of different races, and from different age groups all paired together in happily committed relationships. It may catch you off guard, leaving you wondering if you have somehow stumbled onto a game of romantic musical chairs, where the people have all been scrambled from their “correct” partners.

This is actually a very common trend. Veteran Tantrics do not even bat an eyelash at this anymore, because they have grown so accustomed to it. This is a testament to Tantra's encouraging attitude toward diversity and acceptance. When you think about it, the mismatched couple trend is actually very fitting for Tantra. After all, this is a philosophy whose core principle is the union of two halves, the joining of opposite sides. Tantra is all about the balance of yin and yang, of the feminine and masculine joining in harmony. So, with that in mind, it seems to make perfect sense that people who are seemingly total opposites would fit together perfectly, complementing each other as no other partner would.

Indeed, as any Tantra teacher will tell you, this even happens at events where Tantra serves as a “matchmaker.” At Tantra events for singles, it can be amusing to see people pair up. Often the least likely combinations of people will gravitate toward each other. And it is not unusual for these mismatched couples to have an instant spark and form a close bond.

People with Disabilities

For people with disabilities, dating is often a challenge — and sex can often seem downright impossible, if not physically then definitely psychologically. For people with disabilities, their physical limitations often leave them feeling powerless or less worthy than more able-bodied people.

Again, this is where Tantra — with its focus on the spiritual part of the person, not the physical — can be a lifesaver. Tantra values the human spirit, no matter what physical limitations its body may have. Also, Tantra's focus on sensual activities — not just the act of intercourse — can help people enjoy a sensual, romantic relationship, regardless of whatever physical limitations they may have. And with all of the countless sexual positions in the Tantric repertoire, there is surely at least one or two that almost anyone can enjoy — perhaps with a bit of creativity and determination.