Jade Lotus is a certified Tantric Journey Educator and Teacher of Taoist Sexual Alchemy. She coaches, teaches and offers Tantric Massage and Sexual Alchemy Bodywork sessions in London and Portugal. | Read More
8 Tantra Books Handpicked By A Tantric Guru (2020 Update)
Tantra expert, Jade Lotus, shares her top favourite books for anyone wanting to enrich their tantra knowledge.
Tantra is an ancient Indian religious tradition that was based around the worship of Goddesses and the divine feminine. Ancient matriarchal traditions like tantra are very different from modern religions because they embrace all aspects of ourselves. Tantra has become famous in the west because of its understanding of sexual energy as a powerful, holy and healing force that we can use to better our lives. But Tantra is not all about sex. It’s a spiritual practice that allows us to attain oneness with the divine in everything that we do. Here is a list of some of the best tantra books that can get you started on your tantra journey!
Best For Beginners
Urban Tantra by Barbara Carellas and Annie Sprinkle
Urban Tantra takes the reader on an easy to follow journey into an understanding of tantric sexuality. Learn about how to relax into expanded orgasmic states, becoming one with the Universe by experiencing a tantric orgasm. The book details dozens of solo and partner exercises that will take you on a journey into the unknown and leave you dizzy with ecstasy. It is suitable for anyone of any gender or sexual preference, partnered or not, and for any erotic tastes. Urban Tantra is a guide to a new experience of intimacy and sexual fulfilment that expands the notion of pleasure from a one-dimensional sexual release to a multi-layered experience of all senses and dimensions.
If you are new to tantra and beginning your tantric journey, I’m sure this book will kick start your learnings and catapult you in the right direction!
ISBN: 0399579680
Best For Tantric Sex
Sexual Reflexology: Activating the Taoist Points of Love by Mantak Chia and William U Wei
There is quite a selection of books about tantric sex, but this one stands out above all the others. It’s a classical of Oriental Sexology and takes the ancient Oriental Sexual Techniques and puts them into a form that’s easily accessible to the modern audience. Despite being a humble and unassuming man, Mantak Chia is a genius when it comes to teaching Westerners to use ancient Sexual Techniques to transform their daily lives. He teaches simple step-by-step practices that allow you to heal and channel your sexual energy together whilst making love. Couples can use to learn various positions that allow them to channel energy to specific organs for sexual healing.
This book, for me, is a go-to handbook that you and your partner can use to transform your sex life into a magical alchemical healing session that takes you to the stars and back every day.
ASIN: B0721YSZXC
Best Ancient Tantra Book
Tantra Illuminated by Christopher Wallis
This book is a journey into the very heart of Traditional Tantra, revealing its key teachings, foundational lineage, history and transformative practices. Tantra is a stark contrast to the western religions that glorify male over female and shame sexuality. Perhaps this is why Tantra started to take the interest of the western era around 100 years ago. Information available today about Tantra is rife with misinformation and speculation. Tantra Illuminated presents an accessible introduction to this ancient tradition, using translations from original Sanskrit sources, it offers a deep insight into this spiritual practice and it’s powerful teachings, revealing Tantra’s rich history to the western audience.
If you are looking for a perspective of tantra that outlines the true and ancient traditions of this practice, this book is a must read.
ISBN: 0989761304
Best For Women
Tao Tantric Arts for Women by Minke de Vos
Minke de Vos teaches Tantra and Taoist Arts to women all over the world. This book mixes theory with a plethora of exercises and practices to get you understanding your feminine energy. The book covers all stages of life from puberty and youth through womanhood, pregnancy and to menopause. The book is based on the Taoist Traditions of the Yellow Emperor and the three female advisers who taught him all about the art of sexual energy and practice. The practices honour our natural feminine energy: to be receptive, soft, sensitive, intuitive and creative, and to use these qualities as a powerful tool to manifest our destiny. Minke teaches how to channel our natural sexual energy and to heal deep-rooted emotions, so that we are no longer controlled by our feelings and these don’t interfere in our sexual lives.
If you are a woman looking for a complete and comprehensive guide on how to harness and unleash your feminine energy, there is no better book than this.
ASIN: B072KT4H14
Best Indian Tantra Book
Kashmir Shaivaism by J. C. Chatterji
Originally written in 1914, J. C. Chatterji’s book is a brief introduction to the nature of ultimate reality and the manifestation of the Universe according to the Trika System of Tantra. Kashmir Shaivism is a mysticism of common sense. It teaches the essential identity of the self, God and the world. It’s a consciousness allowing everything to be in a point of contact with the divine. Kashmir Shaivism accepts the world as it is, pleasure and pain, beauty and ugliness, viewing the world not as an illusion but as a creative manifestation. The world is a joyful expression of consciousness. Every moment in life can be a moment to come into contact with the artist of creation.
This book is one of the most illuminating texts on authentic Indian tantra and and contains absolute treasure trove of insights and learning for anyone interested in learning more about Indian tantric traditions.
ISBN: 088706180X
Best For Tantra Yoga
Kundalini Tantra by Swami Satyananda Saraswati
This is a classic of Tantra Yoga, giving detailed instructions of how to understand and to open your chakras using simple yogic techniques. It explains in detail the process of energy awakening that can bring us to full Kundalini energy activation through the practice of yoga. Through yoga, you can open your chakras and activate your kundalini energy, the holy grail of Tantra. This book gives a detailed explanation of the asanas (yogic positions) that will help you to open up your chakras, balance your nadis, and activate your kundalini to give you that real life feeling of energy flow that will bring meaning and presence into every part of your daily life.
If you’re someone who is already practising tantra and would like to branch out into tantra yoga (or vice versa), this book will help you diversify your skills and take your learning to the next level.
ASIN: 8185787158
Best For Love & Intimacy
Tantric Love: Feeling vs Emotion by Diana Richardson
We often think of love as an emotion, but Diana Richardson teaches us that it is not. Love is something that is in our nature, as Osho describes it, an “overflowing of joy”. It’s a unity with all that is around us, it’s oneness. Emotions are responsible for the problems in most relationships, so what exactly are they? Emotions are feelings relating to unresolved past traumas. When we learn to connect emotionally, to share and heal our emotions together, not only do we draw in closer to a deeper intimacy than we ever could have imagined, we hold the key to personal healing that allows us to move beyond being controlled by our emotions.
This book can take you to a new place of freedom, love, and the deepest connection of all.
ISBN: 1846942837
Best for Tantric Healing
Emotional Detox Through Bodywork by Mal Weeraratne
A definitive guide to Tantric Healing. Tantra is all about energy, and Tantric Healing works by removing blockages to our energy flow. Imagine your body, full of lines of energy, moving information from one area to another. Now imagine an area of tension, a stiff shoulder, and in this area you can see the energy is becoming constricted. This is what pain is: blocked energy. Inside this tension, there is an emotion, a memory. Any emotions and experiences that we have that we do not process get stuck in our bodies. This is called somatising emotions. They will wait there inside our bodies until we process them, and if we don’t, they will make us sick and in pain. Emotional Detox is a guide to understanding these blockages as the cause of both physical illness and inability to move through life as we wish.
Tantric healing is about how we can understand and remove these blockages, not just for better health, but also to allow us to see our way ahead and walk our destiny.
ISBN: 1504994159
Conclusion
I selected these Tantra books to give you a wide range of what the topic covers. From Tantric Orgasm to oneness with the Universe and experiencing all that is divine in all that you can do, there is a plethora of information available to take you from the mundane into the sublime. I hope you enjoy at least one of these top Tantra books.
Further Your Learning & Consider Using A Tantra Massage Specialist
If you are interested in expanding upon you reading, you may consider exploring tantric massage from a professionally trained massage therapist by finding a reputable tantric agency or tantra specialist in your area. London-based tantric massage agency Karma Tantric offers a range of specialist tantric massages for men, women and couples performed by certified and trained tantra masseuses. Click here to find out more about our the different types of Karma Massages.
KARMA TWEETS
What a lovely selection of Tantric Books. I must say I was a little lost when considering which tantra book to read first but after your information Jade, I think I will read Urban Tantra as a starter. Thanks for the advice Jade!
Hi Sally, We are so glad you enjoyed Jades article. Do take a look at the Karma Magazine home page for more informative articles on all areas of Tantra. Best Wishes x