In part one of this two part episode, Rosalind is joined by Domagoj Orlić to demystify tantra, a profoundly misunderstood spiritual tradition.

As both a scholar and practitioner of Tantra, Domagoj sheds light on what Tantra actually is, its key principles and aims, and how it differs from the "Neo-Tantra" appropriated in the West. They explore Tantra's emphasis on liberation through feeling unity with the divine feminine, why ritual and initiation by a guru matters, and how Tantra can help overcome conditioning to realize inherent power.

Domagoj clarifies Tantra's nuanced relationship with sexuality and why it has been misportrayed. Far from just exotic techniques, traditional Tantra offers potent tools for those called to dive deep into self-realization and awakening through embodied practice.

They discuss:

- What is Tantra? Defining the principles, aims and practices of traditional Tantra vs Neo-Tantra

- Why guru, lineage and transmission matters in Tantra

- Tantra as a monistic spiritual path emphasizing unity with the divine feminine

- Ritual, puja and worship of deities to receive empowerment

- Tantra's goal of deconditioning the mind and realizing power

- Clarifying Tantra's nuanced relationship with sexuality

- Tantra's influence on Yoga - integrating mantra, yantra, embodied ritual

- Adapting traditional Tantra wisdom for the modern world and individual need

Favorite phrases:

"Tantra teaches us that we actually are very powerful and we have the power of Shakti to change reality, to change whatever we want to change and live our full human potential. That's the basic premise of Tantra."

"The idea of the Tantric practice is to viscerally feel that I am one with the divine feminine...this can be called motherly love, which is the same as compassion, which is love generally, our ability to actually love life and love ourselves and love other people and love all creation."

Timestamps:

[1:00] Domagoj introduces his background in Tantra as a scholar, practitioner and teacher

[3:00] What is Tantra? Domagoj reads his definition

[5:00] Explaining the core elements: guru, lineage, student effort

[7:00] How traditional Tantra differs from modern and Neo-Tantra

[12:00] Clarifying Tantra's nuanced relationship with sexuality

[15:00] Discussing themes from Passage to India that reveal Western misunderstandings of Tantra

[17:00] Krishnamacharya's veiled tantric influences

[21:00] Tantra's influence on Yoga - integrating ritual, mantra, deity

[25:00] Yoga as a means to directly experience the ideals of religion

[27:00] Tantra's monistic view of unity with the divine feminine as heretical

[32:00] Tantra's emphasis on deconditioning to uncover power

[34:00] Bringing tantra wisdom into the modern world

[36:00] End of part 1