Tantra Without Tears

Introduction

The idea behind this book is simple.

It is power.

It is Kundalini, dressed in Western clothes.

It describes experiences and techniques which allow you to glimpse beyond ordinary day-to-day reality, into a world of marvels and horrors.

This book is the result of these marvels and horrors. In fact, it was not written as a traditional book at all, but was spontaneously dictated in altered states of consciousness inspired as were many Esoteric books of the past.

Thus, this book is a spontaneous outpouring of our own refusal to accept how books such as this must be done.

We responded to questions by speaking into a tape recorder. From the transcription we organized and edited the book to retain its natural and mysterious quality.

In this sense this book is somewhat experimental. The book is an extended conversation or dialogue among individuals — as indeed were many of the original Tantras.

Over the years we have had questions asked us about Tantra and Magick. Many of these came from readers of our other jointly written books while others came from reading Dr. Hyatt's two books on Western Tantra (Secrets of Western Tantra and Sex Magick, Tantra and Tarot).

As Westerners who practice Magick and Tantra, some of our responses to the questions are designed to penetrate the Western Mind-Set.

Thus, do not expect a series of foreign words (some might call it 'hindu babble') strung together as an answer to a question. To us, such approaches are nothing more than the refusal to answer the question by making the simple complex — for the benefit of the writer's ego. It would be ridiculous for us to answer questions by employing esoteric Eastern concepts. If we did, this book would be of little use for the Western practitioner.

We do not pretend to be experts in the phraseology, language, culture, etc. of the Eastern path. What we are expert in is the utilization of their techniques to accomplish the desired ends.

In many instances we will deliberately use Western methods and symbols as they are easier for the Western collective unconscious to assimilate and integrate.

Two other books we have written — Pacts With the Devil and Urban Voodoo — have this theme in common: practical results based on experience and theoretical knowledge.

This book will give you the understanding and ability to use certain symbols, sounds, and images that you will find in more conventional and classical texts. In other words, as well as being an instructional text, it is also a jumping off point for those who wish to pursue the original Eastern material at another time.

This book tells you how to achieve and utilize power to meet your own needs and suit your own ends.

It is not about common notions of harmony or angels or anything like that. It is not sweet-and-light. It is full of real-world experiences which reflect the workings of Tantric philosophy and practice.

By the way, the title of this book was suggested by analogy to Aleister Crowley's Magick Without Tears which consists of a series of questions and answers on Western mysticism. We had received many questions stimulated by our other works and which we felt required answers. So we decided to steal Crowley's approach to answering these questions. So, in this sense, this book is written by our many readers to whom we give eternal thanks.