Many people fall into the trap of following the same sexual scripts. Sex looks the same every time, usually involving some kissing, maybe some oral, and then a person with a penis thrusting aggressively into a person with a vagina until the former orgasms.

Learning to move away from these scripts can unlock whole new realms of pleasure, new types of sensations, and more uniquely connective experiences.

Tantric massage is a style of massage or bodywork that draws on the principles of tantra, an ancient spiritual practice originating in Central and Southeast Asia.

In most modern-day practice in the West, tantric massage involves massaging and stimulating the full body with particular focus on sensitive areas like the penis and vulva.

It's sometimes referred to as simply an erotic massage, although a tantra massage also incorporates breathwork, meditation, and mindfulness elements and is not necessarily sexual.

Tantric massage also has a spiritual and energetic component, wherein the practitioner or giver helps move the receiver's energy throughout the body to promote inner healing.

"Unlike other forms of massage, this sacred practice incorporates the tantric essence of shakti, or energy," Tiffany Tanner, a tantra teacher and massage therapist in Arizona, tells mbg. "When skillfully incorporating this universal force into a massage, it can touch the deepest layers and aspects of a human being and be a profound instrument of spiritual and emotional healing."

Tantra stems from ancient Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain traditions, though most tantra taught and practiced in the West can be referred to as neotantra, a modern adaptation that focuses specifically on sacred sexuality as opposed to the other spiritual and religious elements of traditional tantra.

What happens during a tantra massage offered at a massage studio or spa center will vary greatly depending on the facility.

In general, tantric massage involves massaging and stimulating a person's full body, including genitalia, while doing breathwork, meditation, and other spiritual practices or energy work.

Some forms of tantric massage include the yoni massage (focused on the vulva), the lingam massage (focused on the penis), and massaging the sacred spot (aka the prostate).

Tantric massage can also be practiced at home with a partner and can be a way to introduce a slower, more intentional, and more intimate form of sexuality into a couple's sex life.

People can orgasm during a tantra massage, though it's not the goal. Tantric massage is more about leaning into pleasure, releasing energetic blocks and tension, and connecting spiritually with another person.

Before attempting to give a tantric massage, it's helpful to learn a little bit about tantric principles in general, as it'll ensure you're approaching the experience from a perspective of sacred connection and intentional pleasure.

"It's often difficult for someone to express how one wants to be touched and how many people are inept in the way they touch one another," she tells mbg. "Touching someone in a manner that they want to be touched takes time, experience, and open-mindedness."