Tantra Exhibition Review

 

Approximately 100 mostly antique exhibits (from 6th century to the modern day) including paintings, sculptures, photos, texts, many with write-ups to express the wild and wonderful philosophy of Tantra. So - what is Tantra? Originating in Hinduism and moving to Buddhism, and then to Sufism, it is a Goddess driven religious ideal, where women take the power to be ugly, angry, savage and destructive but bring enlightenment, laughter and reverie. Women have the capacity to be protective, strong, dynamic and demanding, hence the appalling images of females in the throes of drinking from skull cups and other serious craziness! Shiva, Kali, Kundalini and Durga are the main protagonists, but they have their parallels in Sekhmet, Lyssa, Valkaries, etc.

 

What have these dangerous female deities got to do with the art of love making, I hear you ask? And it is a good question! However, Tantra is not about denying the physical body, or thinking that the physical world is illusory. It honours the body, cares for it and enjoys it, though Tantric ascetics traditionally lived in cemeteries and covered their body in the ashes of the dead, (to show they meant business presumably?) I didn’t enjoy those parts of the exhibition, I must admit. I found them depressing, as images of cannibalism and orgies with dead bodies, imaginings of awful smells, infections and horrible dripping blood is hardly inspirational.  However, this is how Tantra originated in very primitive places and in troubled times when women had little power and the abuse of women was extant. Where women had a life of great hardship, the belief of a goddess who could be lethally angry was empowering. There could be justice for women.  Tantra’s emphasis on death and sex are the foundation of facing your fears and overcoming prejudices and other personal neuroses. Tantra faces the worst that can happen to us - in death; and the best that can happen to us - in terms of finding a mature lover for, not just sex, but a deep and healthy loving and emotionally growthful relationship. This is how Tantra can be compared to other ethical religious doctrines as it is based on the law that wisdom and compassion must come together in the union of partnerships on a physical, mental and emotional basis. Just as the Temple of Delhi provided the guidance to ‘Know Thyself’ so Tantra is also about personal development and maturity, non-judgmental and sincere devotion. What comes out of the exhibition is the overall appointment of the female as a deity to be reckoned with! I did not see health benefits detailed but there is much evidence that male non-orgasmic-sexual relationships can aid mental stimulation and physical strength, due to the release of endorphins and other health hormones. 

Reviewer Wendy Stokes https:wendystokes.co.uk