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Tantra Yoga is the most controversial type of yoga.  It focuses on controlling sexual energy.  Is it controversial because, unlike the main Indian styles of yoga, it offends our sense of what is appropriate.  Is it controversial because of its links to the Kama Sutra.  Where did this form of yoga begin?

Tantra Yoga is similar to other forms of yoga because it uses many classical yoga components:  mudras, pranayama, asanas, meditation, Bhakti, Yantra, and Kundalina.  Although Yogis often find Tantra Yoga difficult to explain, it does have some fundamental differences from classical yoga.

The greatest difference between Tantra Yoga and other Indian forms of yoga is its focus on “desire.”  While other forms of yoga encourage repression of desire, Tantra Yoga encourages its followers to embrace desire.

Tamtra Yoga began in the fourth century, A.D.  Vatsyayana Mallanaga wrote the Kama Sutra, the most famous sex manual in the world, at that time.  Little is known about him since there is no record of him in history books or other historical documents.

Tantra Yoga began in Northern India and spread first to Tibet and China before becoming known worldwide.  Current Tantra Yoga practitioners use a Tibetan or Indian version of the style.  They focus on opposites and pairs:  male/female, Shiva/Shakti, Yin/Yang.

At some points in history, ritualistic sex was common among certain Tantric groups.  However, ritualistic sex was not widespread throughout history and among all Tantric Yoga followers.  While Tantric sex may be intentionally prolonged, it is inaccurate to say that this is always the case.

At the time of its writing, the Kama Sutra was controversial and it continues to be during conservative points in history.  By current standards, it is rather tame.  Frequent exposure to uncensored entertainment today, similar to that of Roman times, makes modern readers far less easily shocked.

The cycles of morality throughout history are easy to trace.  Applying these cycles to Tantra Yoga and the Kama Sutra tells us how the people of a time or place likely reacted to them.  This does not mean that we are declaring either Tantra Yoga or the Kama Sutra as right or wrong, but we are applying the moral filter of the time.  The reaction to them will change over time, but that change often takes a lifetime.