The vision of Tantra begins from the eyes of the heart. Yet, too often, especially with our busy lives, we forget to nourish this perspective and we take on a much more ‘mental’ approach to existence.

A meaningful story which demonstrates this:

A group of Europeans embarked on an expedition through Tibet with a Sherpa. Determined to arrive in a single day at the camp where others were waiting, they walked hastily, urging their guide to go faster and refusing any proposal to make a stop.

After many hours of travel, the Sherpa stopped without a word, sat down on a stone and closed his eyes.

The researchers asked him what he was doing, spoke to him, pleaded him and threatened that they wouldn’t pay him if he did not rise immediately to lead them to the established place.

The Tibetan guide was unshaken. After an hour or so he opened his eyes, stood up, shook his clothes a little and walked on quietly, calling the people to continue the journey.

They followed him dumbfounded. Someone broke the silence after a while and asked him irately what had made him stop the way he did and what had persuaded him to finally resume the climbing.

The Sherpa replied, “Our bodies were too hasty. We had to stop and wait for our souls to catch up with us, otherwise our journey would have not been successful.”

Following Our Inner Guide

This story demonstrates the value of our inner compass in guiding us in our lives. Being connected with our hearts, we can reach our destination, goals and aspirations, in a much more meaningful way, than running ahead of ourselves. Our soul knows where its true home is and where we seek we shall find, when the heart is leading.

Too often in life and in modern society, we rush around, and we forget to BE, we are just DO-ERS and we lose a fundamental connection to life itself, when we act in such a way.
Let our heart be what guides us and the sweet and gentle voice of our soul inspire us, to reach the heights and depths of this existence, where the real meaning of life paints a glorious landscape for us to dance upon.

Another Tibetan story tells of a monk who embarked on a journey to a monastery built on top of a high mountain.

Heavy rain with lightning and thunder caught him on the way but it was only after it became dark that this man could find any shelter. He spoke a few words with the owner of the place, ate something, and went to sleep. Right before daybreak the traveller was ready to leave.

The innkeeper glanced outside, where it was raining heavily, and told him: “Where are you going man, in this weather? There’s heavy rain outside, you will not be able to make it, not even to the next inn, let alone up to the monastery.”

The monk opened the door and said, “Don’t worry. My soul has long been there so my feet will easily follow.”

But why should the soul pioneer and not reason or will? Why did the monk not listen to the inn keeper and choose to continue on his mission? Because the heart has reasons that reason cannot know. Because reason will come up with a million and one arguments, but only the heart truly knows the solution.

Totally awakened

Our question finds its answer when we meet people in whom their soul vibrates without measure. What they say feels true and touches our lives, making us feel our own soul through theirs. We feel the warmth of their hearts and they have a naturalness and authenticity in their being which inspires us to see beauty inside and out.

The fundamental teaching of Tantra, despite its fame that primarily speaks of sexuality, is about being in the heart. To be centered here where it’s possible to live in the moment of NOW.

And here, we discover the rightful abode of this existence, our starting place and our end. The place where we discover our sacredness and the Divine.