Soul Sex Excerpts | Page 4

around the world. Most of them share similar points of view
and comparable physical techniques. Our work is an eclectic blend of
these sacred sex teachings, current Western psychological approaches
to well-being and intimacy, and techniques for energy work, both ancient
and modern. Our Tantra philosophy can be summarized with four
simple, easy-to-remember principles.

4 Tantra Principles
1. Sex is good. This includes physical pleasure and considers sex as a
moral force. Sex is good because it is what people who love each
other naturally do. It is normal and healthy human behavior.
Consensual sex between adults is a primary expression of love.
Among our most basic biological needs, sex is essential for
reproduction and the survival of the race. Beyond this, it is also a
primary way to fulfill healthy human desires for physical touching,
deep pleasure, and emotional intimacy.

2. Sexual energy and spiritual energy are the same energy. Both
energies are examples of “life-force energy.” There are no words
for this “energy” in the English language, but in East Indian cult\
ure,
its equivalent is “prana;” in Chinese culture “chi.” As the \
sexual
energy charge builds during lovemaking, we increase our access to
this basic life force. Sex offers a way to cultivate and use life-force
energy for other purposes: giving and receiving pleasure, physical
and emotional healing, creating love, and excelling in other areas of
human endeavor such as science, business, the arts, and sports.

3. Sexuality is a legitimate spiritual path. Tantra is a form of yoga.
Yoga means union. Tantric yoga includes the union of sexuality and
spirituality. Sex and spirit are not two separate aspects of our selves.\

On the contrary, spiritual lovemaking is one of the simplest ways for
ordinary people to experience mystical connection—union with
themselves, their partners, and the Divine. The arbitrary separation
of body, mind, and spirit in most cultures is an intellectual,
psychological, and emotional tragedy of incalculable proportions.
This error of judgment has been the cause of great suffering for
countless generations of people. It is now time for sexual healing
that can only be possible by reuniting sexuality and spirituality.

4. We are each responsible for our own sexual fulfillment as well as
our own personal and spiritual growth. Despite popular belief, it is
not your lover’s job to bring you to sexual ecstasy. No matter how
attentive or skillful your lover may be, unless you allow yourself to
open fully to sexual pleasure, you will not reach the heights of
orgasmic bliss. Performance anxiety is one of the killers of passionate

Soul Sex: Tantra for Two, Pala Copeland and Al Link, New Page Books 2003 - Excerpts

10
sexual intimacy. When we each take responsibility for our own sexual
pleasure and our own spiritual awakening, the pressure to perform
is eliminated.

Elements of Tantric Practice
“How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach…”
—Elizabeth Barrett Browning

Our Tantric practice works on four levels, corresponding to our
“four freedoms”: body/physical, mind/mental, heart/emotional, and
soul/energetic.
� On the physical level, you learn very specific techniques for
joyous and extended lovemaking.
� On the mental level, you learn to shift habitual attitudes to
sex, overcoming negative conditioning that may have taught
you that sex is bad or shameful. Part of the training is
developing the ability to focus, to become totally absorbed
during lovemaking.
�On the emotional level, you learn to trust, to let go and
surrender, and to open your heart.
� On the energetic level, you go beyond previously perceived
boundaries to connect in ways that are much more than
physical.

Tantra is about openness and transformation. Like most spiritual
paths, sacred sex teaches a discipline of the mind and body. It does so
amid joy and letting go to the sensual aspects of living. As a celebration\

of life, sacred sex teaches the importance of conscious awareness, of
living totally within your actions. By focusing attention on your body
and your mind, you become all-around healthier:
� Your emotions become more stable and more real.
�Your mental capacity increases.
� Your physical health improves as you learn to honor your
body as the temple of your soul.

As for your sexual life, the glories that await you are beyond your
imagination. The exercises and techniques fortify your entire urogenital
system; you gain muscle strength, improved circulation, and heightened
sensitivity. You shift your approach to lovemaking and learn
exquisite new ways to please your partner and yourself. Ordinary
lovemaking has a goal: orgasm. If you both come at the same time, you
have really hit the jackpot. If neither of you come at all, you may as well
have spent