What is Tantra and Tao? Balancing Energy, Pleasure, and Spirit
Jan 10, 2025
“Tao says: you are already that. There is no need to become,, you are already that. You are a being, there is no becoming. You are that already. Start living it. See the revolutionary message. There is no need to improve upon yourself; you are already that which you can be. Just start delighting in it, celebrate, live. And the more you celebrate, the more you live in a natural way, the more you will start feeling your innermost core. And in the innermost core of your being is Tao: it is your nature, the Way.” -Osho, (Discourse Series” Tao The Pathless Path Vol. 1 chapter 2.)
"The shortest distance between two points is a straight line," said every math teacher ever. But what if the secret to profound pleasure, enlightenment and spiritual awakening lies in the curves, the spirals, the delicious detours? Tao Tantra invites you to throw out the roadmap and discover the scenic route to ecstasy.
The Heart of Tao: Simplicity, Patience, and Compassion
At the core of Taoist philosophy lies a profound respect for simplicity, patience, and compassion, qualities that resonate deeply with the practices of Tao Tantra. As Lao Tzu, the founder of Taoism, beautifully expressed in the Tao Te Ching:
“Simplicity, patience, compassion. These three are your greatest treasures. Simple in actions and thoughts, you return to the source of being. Patient with both friends and enemies, you accord with the way things are. Compassionate toward yourself, you reconcile all beings in the world.”
This timeless wisdom mirrors the essence of Tao Tantra: returning to the simplicity of being, cultivating patience as you balance Jing, Qi, and Shen, and embracing compassion as you nurture the Divine Feminine within yourself and your relationships.
The Basics of Tao Tantra: Jing, Qi, and Shen
In Taoist practices and traditions, everything comes down to three essential energies: Jing, Qi, and Shen. These are the building blocks of life, and Tao Tantra offers a pathway to cultivate and transform them:
- Jing (Essence): Often referred to as sexual or creative essence, Jing is the foundational energy that fuels your vitality. It’s like the roots of a tree, deep, nourishing, and essential. Through Tao Tantra, practitioners learn to preserve and refine Jing through energetic sexual practices, rather than depleting it. This can be done through practices like gentle breathing exercises and energy circulation, which help to recycle and store this vital energy rather than expending it too quickly.
- Qi (Life Force): Once you’ve cultivated your Jing, you can transform it into Qi, the flowing energy that moves through your body. Qi is what powers every breath, heartbeat, and thought. In Tao Tantra, Qi is like a current that can be directed intentionally throughout the body. This is where practices like the Microcosmic Orbit come in, teaching you how to guide your energy through specific pathways, creating a continuous loop of rejuvenation.
- Shen (Spirit): As Jing and Qi are refined, they can be elevated to Shen, or spirit. This is the energy of consciousness, intuition, and spiritual insight. In Tao Tantra, the ultimate goal is to bring all three energies into harmony, allowing for a deeper connection to oneself and the universe. Think of Shen as the blossom of a tree, reaching toward the sun and embodying the fullest expression of life.
Balancing Yin and Yang For Stronger Life Force Energy
One of the most beautiful aspects of Taoist philosophy is the concept of Yin and Yang. These are the two forces that make up everything in the universe, Yin is soft, receptive, and nurturing, while Yang is active, bright, and expansive. Think of them as the inhale and exhale of life.
The practices of Tao Tantra help us become more aware of these energies in our daily lives & spiritual paths. For instance, if you’re constantly on the go and feeling drained, you might need to tap into more Yin energy, slowing down, listening to your body, and creating moments of stillness.
On the flip side, if you’re feeling stagnant or stuck, it might be time to cultivate a little more Yang energy, engaging in practices that invigorate and uplift you. The goal is to find a flow where Yin and Yang are in harmony, creating a sense of inner peace that ripples out into every aspect of your life.
Embracing the Divine Feminine
In a world that often prioritizes doing over being, Tao Tantra offers a refreshing return to the wisdom of the Divine Feminine. This is about awakening and reconnecting with the nurturing, intuitive, and life-giving aspects of ourselves, whether you identify as male, female, or beyond. It’s about honoring the body as a sacred temple and recognizing that our deepest truths are often found when we slow down and listen.
Tao Tantra encourages us to create rituals of self-care, to honor our bodies with loving touch, and to see pleasure as a pathway to self-discovery. It invites us to view intimacy and sex, both with ourselves and with others, as a sacred exchange, a ritual where the goal is not just physical pleasure but an experience of connection, presence, and deep gratitude for the life force that flows through us.
Tao Tantra Practices
1. Mindful Breathing
In Tao Tantra, the breath is more than a way to stay alive, it's a bridge between your inner world and the natural rhythms of the universe. Breathing with intention allows you to feel the subtle waves of energy, Qi, coursing through your body.
To practice, rest your hands gently over your lower belly and breathe slowly, feeling each inhale fill your energy center, known as the Dan Tian. As you exhale, imagine tension and scattered thoughts leaving your body, making space for clarity and a deeper connection with your own essence.
2. Inner Smile Meditation
This simple practice is a healthy way to send warmth, good health, and gratitude to the hidden corners of your being. In Taoist tradition, every organ is seen as a vessel of both physical function and health and emotional resonance, your liver holds anger, your lungs grief, and your heart joy.
Close your eyes and bring a soft, warm smile into your face. Let that smile travel inward, touching your heart, then moving like a gentle river through your lungs, liver, kidneys, and all the way down to your belly. Feel each organ soften and release its burdens, just as a flower opens to the sun.
3. The Microcosmic Orbitht
The Microcosmic Orbit is like learning to play your body like a musical instrument, circulating energy through its natural pathways to create a symphony of inner balance. Picture a current of warmth and light rising up your spine as you breathe, flowing over the crown of your head, and then cascading down the front of your body, looping back to your lower belly. It’s a way of lighting up your internal circuitry, clearing away stagnant energy and waking up the hidden potential within you.
When you first start this practice, it may feel like trying to tune into a faint radio signal. But with time and patience, that signal becomes stronger, and you’ll begin to sense a gentle tingling or warmth moving through your body. It’s like discovering a hidden river that’s been flowing inside you all along—one that can rejuvenate your mind, spark and expand your creativity, and ground you in a state of vibrant presence.
4. Healing Sounds
You can speak directly to your own heart, liver, or kidneys, not with words, but with sound. With the Healing Sounds practice, specific tones are used to harmonize and heal the organs.
Each sound is like a key that unlocks a door to an emotional landscape within you. For example, a soft “Shhh” can soothe the liver and wash away anger, while the “Hee” sound invites the heart to open up and release its burdens. It’s a reminder that our bodies hold the echoes of every experience we’ve lived, and that we have the power to sing ourselves back into balance.
Want To Learn More? Explore Tao Tantric Arts
Tao Tantric Arts is a dedicated school that brings together the ancient practices of Taoism and Tantra, offering a holistic and immersive approach to healing and self-discovery of sexuality itself. Co-founded by Shashi Solluna and Minke de Vos, the school offers retreats, online courses, and teacher training programs designed to help individuals connect with their sexual energy and refines this to it’s ultimate potency as a vehicle for wellbeing, liberation, empowerment and expansion of consciousness.
Mantak Chia: A Modern Pioneer of Taoist Practices
Master Mantak Chia is a world-renowned Taoist master. His contributions to the field of energy work and Taoist spirituality have earned him numerous accolades:
- He is the only individual to be named Qigong Master of the Year twice by the International Congress of Chinese Medicine and Qigong, in 1990 and 2012.
- In 2012, he was ranked 18th on Watkins Review’s list of the 100 Most Spiritually Influential People in the world.
Master Chia’s Universal Healing Tao System offers a step-by-step approach to energy cultivation, longevity and spiritual development. His teachings cover fundamental Taoist practices such as Qigong, sexual energy cultivation, and inner alchemy.
Key offerings include:
- Online Workshops:
- Winter Retreat 2025 Online: A comprehensive course on Taoist fundamentals, running from January 10 to February 3, 2025.
- Self-paced courses such as Inner Alchemy: Tao Basics, which teach foundational techniques for energy transformation, and Sexual Alchemy: Healing Love, one of Master Chia’s most popular programs.
- Tao Garden Workshops:
- Master Chia’s teachings are accessible worldwide through his regular tours, with upcoming events in Frankfurt, Valencia, London, and Paris in 2025.
- World Tours:
- Master Chia’s teachings are accessible worldwide through his regular tours, with upcoming events in Frankfurt, Valencia, London, and Paris in 2025.
Mantak Chia has developed specific courses to address a wide range of needs:
- Chi Nei Tsang: A Taoist technique for organ detoxification, promoting deep physical and emotional healing.
- Healing Love: A sexual alchemy course that teaches the cultivation and transformation of sexual energy into spiritual vitality.
Resources and Guides
For those beginning their journey, Master Chia offers a free downloadable PDF guide that outlines a complete path for learning Taoist practices. This guide, along with his comprehensive library of over 50 books, including Awaken Healing Energy Through the Tao and The Multi-Orgasmic Couple, makes Taoist teachings accessible to anyone, regardless of their location. While these practices can be learned in a book, it is optimal to do a course to learn the authentic teachings of this sacred art.
