Why Westerners Need It
People today may be more “free” about sex as far as discussing it openly and feeling comfortable with their sexuality, but for the most part they are still not nearly as enlightened when it comes to sex as they may like to think.
Sexual Enlightenment
A lot of people today confuse promiscuous behavior with sexual enlightenment. This couldn't be further from the truth. Just because you have a multitude of partners, this does not mean you are sexually enlightened. In fact, many followers of Tantra are advocates of monogamy and committed relationships. The whole idea behind Tantric sex is to make the experience more fulfilling, both physically and emotionally, allowing you to form a bond with your partner that's stronger than ever. As a result, sex is infinitely more pleasurable and never gets boring, even if you've been with the same partner for a long time. By learning to make the experience itself more enjoyable, you eliminate the need to continue to search for new partners to keep things exciting. Essentially, by fulfilling the spiritual aspect of sex, as a higher power intended, the desire for multiple sex partners is decreased because the emotional void is filled.
Slow Things Down
In our fast-paced world, there's a tendency to focus on quick gratification and purely physical encounters. True, such quickie encounters can be satisfying in the short-term, but eventually you realize that you crave more. By slowing things down and focusing on forming a strong spiritual connection, you will have sensual encounters that will prove much more satisfying.
In addition, Tantra emphasizes relaxation, togetherness, creativity, and playfulness. These are all things that can come in handy for the busy people rushing through today's high-stress environment. Taking the time to smell the roses (or your partner's unique enchanting scent) can be a great way to escape the stresses and pressures of daily life.
Western philosophy is generally concerned with the outer world — how to achieve success outside of one's self. Eastern philosophy teaches the importance of cultivating one's inner strength. That is, it teaches that success cannot be measured by outer achievements.
Embrace Emotions
In the West, there is a lot of emphasis on logic, reason, and linear thought. In the East, however, there is intuition, belief, and circular thought.
One teacher described the difference in perceptions like this: The westerner sees the world, while the easterner feels the world.
Yet, in the West, throughout history so much emphasis has been placed on logic that the feeling is missing. Westerners are more and more interested in getting control over emotions rather than the “let it out” approach and deep-relaxation techniques.
Ideas of Eastern and Western spirituality generally suggest that the East is passive while the West is active. In analyzing the different schools of Tantra, we can see that this is not always true. This “live it” aspect of Eastern spirituality appeals to many westerners who wish to experience spirituality and are no longer content simply contemplating it.
