Tantra: Running Energy

By Anyaa McAndrew

We all want to feel more passion, “juice” aliveness and creativity; more life force energy. Many of us are also longing for connection with a partner or a lover. When we first connect with another, everything can seem perfect, with energy seeming to run freely on it’s own. As a relationship develops, our dysfunctions can creep in and disrupt the smooth flow.

Some of the issues can be that the relationship is not getting the attention, the time, the effort that it once did. We come up against blocks, fears and various assorted traumas. The energy in our body becomes blocked. We get headachy, exhausted, crabby or complaining, forgetting that we are the creators of our reality. In desperation we can let go the creative authorship of our life and succumb to being a victim, out of the flow of life-force energy.

Tantra is a powerful and enjoyable way to open some of the blocked passages and get the energy moving. If you feel stuck, hopeless,or fearful this might be only about blocked energy. In these powerful times at the turning of the ages, there is much energy actually available to us. Because of the acceleration phenomena that many of us are experiencing, this spiritual energy can be misinterpreted as anxiety, overwhelm or confusion. It is important to incorporate practices into our daily lives that free us up & get things flowing again. When we are afraid, we hold our breath. When we are breathing and consciously moving our energy throughout our body, new life force energy awakens.

We are in a time when many people are awakening to self-empowerment. Many of us actively pursue a variety of practices or disciplines such as martial arts, yoga, various kinds of bodywork, sports and breathwork. We all know that personal conditioning does not happen by dreaming about it. We need practice. The more serious we are about the commitment, the more practice is involved. After awhile, the flow of energy through new pathways feels so good that our bodies & nervous systems are fully engaged and take over; we crave the new energy!

Energy is always available to exchange with the other. The way to bring awareness to this energy is to begin breathing it in and out, even in every day conversations and to ask: what is the quality of energy I am taking in, What is the quality of energy I am giving out? We can make the choice to enhance each other’s energy. With a tantric partner, loving friend or beloved, running energy together becomes a way to charge your energy field, increase intimacy, and just feel great.

Tantra teachers Charles and Caroline Muir teach some of the secrets of energy transmission and absorption in their beginner’s course. ” Female Yin and Male Yang energy essence reciprocally charge one and other, increasing the octave of vibration of energy and increasing the amount of energy itself.” Tantra is the art of learning how to circulate this energy, resulting in a feeling of oneness, great bonding between the couples’ chakras and an increase in each others “shakti power”. We also learn how to send this energy to certain parts of the brain which awaken and expand consciousness, facilitating the process of enlightenment! Charles and Caroline believe that in this mutual bathing of energies is the mythological “fountain of youth”.

Many of us are shy and embarrassed about sex and ego plays a big part. Sexuality is mostly thought of by men as being a good lover and for women as being desirable as a lover. This very narrow sexual arena that we play in can be greatly expanded with energy techniques. The chakras or 7 energy centers each have their own unique erotic qualities. The Muirs teach that “energy follows consciousness.” Using modalities of touch, kissing, body and hand position, eye contact, visualization and breath greatly increase the power of lovemaking. We can shift from being a “good lover” to being a “masterful lover”, with time and attention learning to run energy.

The Muir’s beginner course “Tantra: The Art of Conscious Loving” is open to both singles and couples. It takes place in Atlanta March 2nd-4th, 2001. For further information call 770 281 4666 or visit.