What Is Neotantra? Understanding Modern vs. Classical Tantra

Neotantra is a modern offshoot of the traditional practice of tantra, which, contrary to what you might hear in pop culture, isn't all about sex. Classical tantra refers to various ancient Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain religious practices, all centered around seeking full spiritual awakening. Tantric sex was just one part of this path, though not necessarily the main one. The version of tantra that focuses on sexuality that most of us know about today is actually neotantra. Sometimes referred to as sacred sexuality, neotantra is a sexuality driven spiritual path rooted in philosophies that emphasize the importance of being present and the power of touch.

Classical tantra is based on a collection of ancient texts from various sects within Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism as early as the seventh century, according to Leslie Grace, R.N., a registered nurse and tantric sex educator. Rather than revolving around sex, classical tantra's focus is enlightenment and consciousness. "[It's] really about liberating the body, opening up our energies to heal ourselves, and becoming whole as beings," Grace tells mbg. 

As opposed to focusing on sex, classical tantra involves more mantras, yantras, and rituals, says tantra teacher and bodyworker Samya Dhyan. "It doesn't involve many sexual practices; even if there are some, they are mostly through visualization," she tells mbg.

Whereas neotantra is all about owning and experimenting with one's sexuality, classical tantra makes much less use of sexual practices. In fact, if a sexual practice doesn't help transform the people involved or help them on their path toward transcendence, sex may even be considered sinful in some forms of classical tantra, according to Dhyan.

Classical tantra has fairly religious roots: "These include Kashmir Shaivism, a strand of religious philosophies from Kashmir and India, and the Vajrayana Buddhist path of India and Tibet," Grace writes at mbg. "These paths often involve serious study and personal dedication, meditative practices, and can include various elements of ritual."

Some classical tantra practices directly involve deity workshop, and other accounts of classical tantra have even described the use of magic, sorcery, and other supernatural elements.

Most modern tantra (aka neotantra) is taught by individual teachers and schools, and you'll seldom be given an ancient scripture to parse through during class. If they rely on any materials, Dhyan says, the books are most often written by neotantra teachers in recent years. (There are some sects of neotantra practitioners who integrate both classical tantra with neotantra into their practice. When that is the case, practitioners often use the classical text Vigyan Bhairava Tantra.)

Classical tantra requires that disciples undergo an initiation process by a guru or sect. Dhyan notes that with any classical spiritual system, direct initiation is considered as an integral way to ensure the transmission of wisdom. While specific initiation rituals and ceremonies can differ, the primary aspect of the process is a students' receipt of blessings from a guru or spiritual leader.

Classical tantra practitioners rely on the teachings and acceptance of an often closed and exclusive system of gurus, Dhyan explains. Neotantra is much more accessible and less limiting with respect to who can practice and experience the benefits. Neotantra emphasizes self-knowing, self-healing, and inner empowerment, and as such practitioners may go to any school, teacher, or retreat to understand and learn more about the practice. There are countless sources of knowledge and wisdom for practitioners to explore that make neotantra a boundless method of achieving spiritual transcendence.

Dhyan says neotantra is so different from classical tantra that it almost doesn't make sense to have the word "tantra" in it at all. But the truth is, tantra in general has no one meaning, and teachers, scholars, and practitioners often disagree about the core principles and beliefs of tantra anyway.

"Even though neotantra primarily focuses on sacred sexuality as a means to reach to sacredness, the adherents go through practices for other spiritual purposes as well," she adds. These include "empowering their feminine and masculine energies, emotional release techniques, bioenergetic work, learning the chakra system, and Taoistic practices."