Gay Tantra

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Summary: Gay Tantra - Reviewed by Living Traditions
Review: As we head into the new millennium the gay community is plagued with problems of alcoholism and drug abuse, it seems that as we have jettisoned the religions that oppressed us we replaced them with consumerism and nihilism. It is a sad reflection that so many of us are seeking something deeper but cannot easily find it. The monotheistic religions of the West have, at times, tried to accommodate gay and lesbian practitioners by becoming more "liberal", yet these attempts are, in my mind, patchy at best. Fundamentalism is still going strong. There are many Gay Christian organizations working hard to help those so inclined, yet so often, Biblical exegesis seems aimed at making excuses for the intolerance of the Bible and there is still a great ambiguity when it comes to pleasure and the human body. At times it seems that the western religions view of acceptance is homosexuals becoming like heterosexuals.

In the Dharmic religions, specifically Hinduism and Buddhism, there has been a long tradition of sexual tolerance. While certainly there has been inroads into these faiths by Puritanism, especially under the British in India, the core traditions remain very sex friendly. This is especially true of the Tantric traditions and those related to Shiva and Shakti. (Shaivism and Shaktism). It is also true that Vedanta and related schools and many branches of Buddhism have a more open approach.

At the same time there is little in print for the seeker wanting a Gay spiritual life. While the works of Alain Danielou, a great Shaivite, musician and scholar, who also happened to be gay, offers more theoretical information on sex positive aspects of Hinduism, there is little practical advise.

Gay Tantra is a unique book. It is not a text of training in "sexual prowess" as so often the term Tantra is misused today. It is a guide to a practical spiritual life for the modern gay man. It avoids the new ageism and superficiality of many modern gay spiritual books and expounds an extremely erudite view of traditional Tantra. What is so powerful is that this traditional approach is coupled with a praxis for the modern gay man. The author clearly has had a lifetime of experience in Tantra, Vedanta and the gay community and is able to offer his distilled wisdom for the benefit of the reader.

Gay Tantra is intelligent, articulate and erudite. It shows a deep understanding of the core of the mystical traditions of the east and especially those of Tantrism. At the same time it brings with it the experience of a gay male who has worked through the pain of internalized homophobia and the baggage that so many of us must carry. Together these two elements make this one of the most important books on Gay spirituality ever published.

As someone who has studied the Tantric traditions, especially Shaivism, for some years. It is a great privilege to find such an author, someone who understands the true nature of the tradition, has a good intelligent grasp of the heritage which he is transmitting and yet also appreciates the unique situation that the modern gay male is in. Schindler is hence able to offer us the voice of an experienced soul who is proud of his sexuality and his body. Gay Tantra is a profoundly practical book that gives us the keys to applying this age-old tradition in the modern world. It is surprisingly comprehensive, extremely well written, insightful and practical. There is an excellent section of exercises and lots of superb advise.

For those seeking to appreciate Gay love as a spiritual path this is a profound and moving work.