Depression. Anxiety. Trauma. Stress.
All of these conditions leave physical symptoms in the body, be it illnesses, weaknesses or simply a failure to thrive in some way. The practice of Tantric massage is one way to address these conditions in a safe and caring environment.
By promoting integration in the body and generating greater awareness of one’s inner thoughts and feelings, Tantra massage is a tool to help the receiver gain greater awareness about what is happening in their body and the strength to examine the root causes of blockages.
So, exactly what is Tantra massage? Well, in short, it is a form of physical bodywork performed by a professional trained in the tantric arts. Its aim is to move energy through the body in ways that can identify and cleanse blocks that have accumulated in the body’s energy channels and to promote healing.
The primary focus of this form of massage therapy is to promote healing with a focus on fostering a deeper sense of sensuality and spiritual connection with oneself and the world around you. This is accomplished by attuning oneself to the subtle flow of energies in the body and learning to work with and guide them more fully to achieve balance and a more fulfilling experience of life.
Tantric massage draws on the principles and beliefs of Tantra to recover within the receiver the strength and vitality that has been impeded by the blocks created by the struggles of everyday life. When done mindfully, Tantra massage can give clients the ability to achieve deeper intimacy, improve their understanding of sensuality and open pathways to emotional healing.
The aim of Tantra massage is not the destination, but the journey towards greater fulfillment and enjoyment of one’s life and the inherent pleasures found within it.
So, What Is Tantra?
Tantra is an ancient healing modality that arose from Central and Southeast Asia, one that dates back thousands of years. While most modern western Tantra focuses on sacred sexuality and the like, the real roots of Tantra run far deeper. Tantra is an ancient healing modality that dates back thousands of years. While Tantra does recognize our sexuality as a sacred aspect of who we are, of our human experience, it is not only about sex.
Many tantric practices focus on things like mindfulness, self awareness, breath work, energy awareness, connection and compassion and help provide us with a framework for expanding our horizons, increasing our knowledge of ourselves and others, and healing ourselves in mental, emotional and physical ways. Ultimately, Tantra is about self-discovery, spiritual growth, and the pursuit of higher levels of consciousness.
While this may all sound rather esoteric, there have been many studies that show the practice of Tantra can have enormous health benefits and can help people find greater pleasure, freedom and joy in their lives. Despite its modern reputation, Tantra is a recognized form of ancient healing practices that have been passed through lineages for generations and is far more than it may appear.
Massage, But Make It Tantra
Most people have likely never heard of Tantra massage, or if they have, it likely has been in association with a “happy endings” massage. By understanding more about the aims of Tantra massage it becomes clear how very different it is from mainstream massage therapy.
While it is true that both practices have healing benefits it is not correct to assume those practices are both geared towards the same end goal. The commonality in between the two is that both practices incorporate some physical manipulation of the body, but the similarities end there.
So, let’s start by looking at the differences and similarities between Tantric massage and regular massage. While both practices aim to promote relaxation and greater wellbeing, regular massage does this solely by using a physical manipulation of the muscles, while Tantric massage incorporates many added elements to achieve this to a greater degree.
In Tantra massage a variety of practices such as breathwork, meditation and energy work are used to create a framework that allows the receiver to more deeply integrate the healing that is occurring and to facilitate a far more immersive experience that takes place in a single session or over multiple sessions.
The two forms also differ in their main goals. The goal of regular massage begins and ends at physical relaxation, Tantra massage does not stop there, but goes far deeper, into the realms of energy, mind, and spirit. This is because the goal of Tantric massage is not physical relaxation but healing the body to allow the receiver to feel heightened pleasure, greater energetic release and to begin to develop the skills to manage and maintain this state independently.
Tantric massage also has far more wide-ranging effects than regular massage, with clients often reporting changes in mindset, spiritual understandings and physical responses to everyday situations.
The differences continue to appear when we look at the priorities of each practice. While regular massage therapy prioritizes physical relaxation, Tantric massage places its focus on heightening awareness and releasing energy to flow freely throughout the body.
Where regular massage focuses on major muscle groups, Tantric massage works with the whole of the body, targeting the flow of energy and working with areas where that flow is found to be impeded. As mentioned before, this can include areas such as the genitals, though this is always done with mindful intent after discussion about the aims of the practice and with the consent of the receiver.
What Are the Benefits of Tantra Massage?
“What can Tantra massage do for me?” It seems a simple question to ask, but the answer to this question is, quite frankly, unending. Tantric massage is not as much about a set series of achievable goals as it is about what you can do with the tools and framework of Tantra massage.
When guided by a trained practitioner, the objectives that can be set are nearly limitless and are bounded only by one’s own willingness to allow the practice to work as it does. It may also be that other work is achieved that wasn’t even considered possible.
Some of the most common results we see with Tantric massage are things that affect a receiver’s relationship with their own body. Whether this is something as simple as an increase in self-awareness or improvements in self-confidence or body image or reaches into the realms of enhanced sexual function or increased vitality and energy is entirely situational and based on their journey through the paths they find and the relationship they have with their practitioner.
One of the most beautiful things about Tantric massage is that it isn’t bound to any specific aim but is rather a journey along a path. One can explore that path, its various side paths and their side paths. Travelers on this journey can return to areas already visited and seek new awarenesses with the understanding gained in other areas.
With the help of a trained practitioner, a recipient of Tantra massage can safely travel the journey as far as they want to take it, while remaining safe and enjoying a greater sense of relaxation and calm than one may think possible.
Tantra massage has even been known to engender spiritual awakenings in some cases. Thanks in part to the methods and elements used, the practice provides a supportive place to ask the tough questions, examine things that are bringing the recipient pain and then work through those, diminishing or even removing them entirely and freeing one to move on to better and healthier experiences.
Tantra massage doesn’t just benefit the receiver in internal ways either, many recipients of the practice report deeper, more fulfilling relationships in their everyday lives and with intimate partners. As a person’s sense of self grows, so does one’s capacity for connection and their understanding and experience of pleasure. This creates a cycle of fulfilment felt not only by that person but by others around them as well.
How Does Tantra Massage Work?
The practice of Tantra massage varies from practitioner to practitioner, depending on the lineage in which they were trained, the goals and outcomes desired by each client and the modalities the practitioner uses. In general, however there are some general commonalities that should remain consistent regardless of practitioner or the lineage in which they were trained.
The first and most important of these are communication, respect and consent. These are the three principles without which Tantric massage cannot function. Given the incredibly intimate nature of the journey that Tantra massage can and should be, it is likely obvious why these three things are so very necessary. In practice these generally tend to show up throughout a session, whether it be a the initial consultation and the start of a working relationship with a practitioner, or during the session through communication about what is happening in a recipient’s body, regular reassurances from the practitioner, or general checking in at different points during the session.
As one moves through a session, the massage will move through different areas of the body or bring up certain reactions. You can and should expect your practitioner to actively communicate with you about this and ask your consent before continuing contact or initiating new contact. Trust and respect are at the core of everything this practice stands for and it should be clear right from the start and throughout the journey that trust is being not only maintained but supported and deepened.
Another commonality across the various practices are the situational elements. These can be things such as music, scents, the temperature of the space, lighting levels and much more. One can expect a practitioner to work with their client to help find the best combination of these to help deepen the experience. These elements not only help with relaxation and calmness but also can have salutatory effects on their own. One of the best ways to ensure a client can achieve a greater immersion into the journey is to engage all of one’s senses. Arranging and setting the space up to assist with this is an important part of the practice.
The other commonality is the massage itself. Most practitioners will start with a full body massage using slow strokes and plenty of oil. This promotes relaxation and the gentleness of the technique allows recipients to devote greater focus to breathwork and allowing themselves to find relaxation. As a session moves forward the practitioner will begin guiding the energies present in a client’s body in accordance with the aims of the session.
From this point the sessions will begin to vary depending on the situation, the client and their goals. There are many other elements that come into play depending on a whole host of factors, but this hopefully gives you some idea of the basics of how Tantra massage sessions work. What effects they produce are entirely based on an individual’s journey and desires.
The Truth About Tantra Massage in Toronto
At the end of the day Tantric massage is a unique and amazing tool for healing that sits at the intersections of the physical, the spiritual and the divine. Its benefits are endlessly wide-ranging, uniquely customizable and entirely delightful. Tantra massage is more than just a massage practice and not just a spiritual journey. It is a beautiful coalescence of cooperation, guidance, trust and respect that can achieve incredible results.
If you're searching for "tantra massage near me", at its core, the practice of Tantric massage is not only a tool, but a gateway to a journey few today even know is possible. It can change lives and open whole new worlds of thought and experience. It is far more than any blog entry can explain, for it is a practice that is devoted to exploring the unknown and learning the unseen truths within us. It is not a journey undertaken lightly, but it is, most definitely, a journey worth taking.
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