Beyond Tantra: Healing Through Taoist Sacred Sex (32 page)

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Authors: Mieke Wik,Stephan Wik

Tags: #Sexual Instruction, #Hygiene; Sexual, #Sexuality & Gender Studies, #Taoism, #Findhorn Press, #Body; Mind & Spirit, #Religious aspects, #General, #Religion, #Self-Help, #ISBN-13: 9781844090631, #Healing, #Hygiene; Taoist, #Mysticism, #Sex

BOOK: Beyond Tantra: Healing Through Taoist Sacred Sex

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Kegel Exercises
Named after Dr Arnold Kegel. They are designed to exercise the pubococcygeal or ‘PC’ muscles. Also known as pelvic floor exercises.

Kundalini
(Sanskrit: ‘coiled up’, ‘coiling like a snake’) An Indian term for the primordial, dormant energy present in our body. It is supposed to reside in three-and-a-half coils at the base of the spine and can be awakened through meditation, yoga and other practices. A sudden awakening of the Kundalini can lead to a state of ‘Kundalini Psychosis’.

Lao Tzu
A famous Chinese philosopher who is believed to have lived in approximately the 4th century B.C. He is credited with writing the
Tao Te Ching
, one the most influential works of Taoism.

Meridians
In Traditional Chinese Medicine, Qi is believed to flow through the body along clearly-defined and interconnected channels called ‘meridians’.

Disruptions to this Qi flow can manifest themselves as emotional or physical illness. The blockages or disruptions can be released using techniques such as acupuncture, massage, herbal medicine, meditation and mentally-directed sexual energy.

Microcosmic Orbit
see
Small Orbit

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Glossary

153

Neo-Tantric
Western sexual practices based on a mix of Tantric, Taoist and various other philosophical and therapeutic lineages.

Qi
(Chinese: ‘Breath’ or ‘Air’) The Life Force or Spiritual Energy that is inherent in all things.

Qi Gong
(Chinese: ‘Energy Cultivation’) Chinese Inner Alchemy practices based on the movement of Qi through the body in specific patterns.

Sacred Sex
An overall term for practices that use sexual activity for spiritual development.

Sexual Qi
A particularly powerful form of Qi generated by sexual activity.

Shuang Xiu
(Chinese: ‘Dual Cultivation’ or ‘Paired Practices’) See Dual Cultivation.

Small Orbit
A Taoist internal alchemical practice of circulating Qi through the body using mental visualization.

Tai Chi
or
Tai Chi Chuan
(Chinese: ‘Supreme Ultimate Boxing’) A Taoist system of physical movements originally designed for self-defence. Modern Tai Chi is used as a system of moving-meditation.

Tantra
Indian sexual practices used for spiritual self-development.

Tantrika
A skilled practitioner of Tantric practices.

Tan Tien
A Chinese term for three major energy centres in the body. Most Taoist texts locate the Upper Tan Tien in the upper brain, the Middle Tan Tien in the heart and the Lower Tan Tien in the lower abdomen. The Lower Tan Tien is used extensively in Dual Cultivation, Inner Alchemy and the Martial Arts for storing Qi.

Tao
(Chinese: ‘The Way’ or ‘The Path’) The Tao is the underlying and unchanging principle of the Universe and is a basic concept of Chinese philosophy. The Tao simply is.

Taoism
An ancient Chinese philosophy. Taoism places emphasis upon spontaneity and teaches that everything in nature follows ways appropriate to itself.

One of the fundamental tasks in life according to this philosophy is to discover our own way in harmony with nature or to ‘become one with the Tao’.

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM)
TCM is also known simply as Chinese or Oriental Medicine and refers to a wider range of practices developed over thousands of years including acupuncture, moxibustion and massage.

Yin and Yang
The two fundamental, opposing but complementary, forces in the Universe. Yin (shady side of the mountain) is the passive, feminine aspect and Yang (sunny side of the mountain) is the active, masculine aspect.

Yoni
The female sexual organs.

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Beyond Tantra – Healing Through Taoist Sacred Sex
Acknowledgements

Writing a book is a challenge. Writing a book together, about a very intimate part of our lives, is a
big
challenge. The support and encouragement from our friends and family was the deciding factor that allowed us to overcome our natural resistance and concerns. We’d especially like to thank:

• Thierry for his encouragement to stick with the project even after our first frustratingly unsuccesful attempt to get something down on paper.

• Renild for the lovely drawings.

• Grietje who insisted that ‘the woman’s voice be heard’. Her hours of dialogue and subsequent editing with Mieke were the key to this crucial part of the story being told.

• Rebecca for pointing out that people can decide for themselves what to say!

• Linda for pointing out some potentially confusing British vs.

American English expressions, and for reminding us that there are, indeed, nudist campsites in North America.

• The Finns for their clear, honest feedback.

• Our children for their patience and acceptance of their crazy parents.

Finally, we would like to acknowledge the work of the countless thousands of Taoist adepts who discovered and documented the techniques of Dual Cultivation. We are in your debt!