Margo Anand:

 The Art of Sexual Ecstasy

 The Path of Sacred Sexuality for Western Lovers

Book Review 14.09.2012

(c) 2012 by Heidrun Beer

Margo Anand's best selling, market leading lovemaking manual brings the ancient Eastern traditions of Taoist and Tantric "sacred sexuality" to the modern reader in the Western hemisphere. At the time of its writing (1989), it was a groundbreaking work, so much so that it is quoted by many other authors. A lot of the new Tantric movement in the West is based on this book.

It is a very complete training manual, with excellent drawings (see Examples below), covering not only sexual techniques but also personal, energetic and spiritual aspects, as the difference between "sacred sexuality" and the Western approach to lovemaking is that these traditions include the spiritual being and the energy body with its functions into their view, while Western teachings focus on the physical body only.

At the first glance, the 450 page book appears to be rather broadly written, as the author is including a lot of autobiographic tales. A second glance reveals that this is the way she has chosen to illustrate the Western cultural timeline which has shaped most of us into who we are today, in contrast with the Tantric spirit that she is teaching in this book. From one chapter to the next, she is explaining the bridge across this really wide gap between cultures. It is a bridge that she personally walked, from the performance oriented, sometimes seriously pressured lifestyle we are familiar with, to a lifestyle and mindset that is paying high attention to issues of personal well-being, feeling good and creating pleasure - so much that the typical stressed-out Westerner can only shake his head in disbelief.

Training with this book is only for people who can afford to make a lot of time for many forms of sensual pleasures (not only sex). In a way this looks like total luxury - unreal for people who are struggling for survival, or feel driven by dire circumstances to spend most of their time on concentrated work for the greatest good. Of course such people might also appreciate an occasional luxurious reward, but it does take time to train up for this.

Presenting excerpts from Anand's book would  not work, it really has to be read as a whole. But here are the back cover page, the Content Pages, and two Sample Drawings to show the character of the book.

 Contents

 Sample Drawings

 

This image illustrates the fascinating benefits of lovemaking for the Yin-Yang balance of individuals as well as couples. The idea is that the man's Yin center (Yin = passive or cool or "feminine" energy) is at the mouth, where the woman has her Yang center (Yang = active or hot or "masculine" energy). In the genital area this is reversed: here the man has his Yang (active) center and the woman has her Yin (passive) center. In well trained, energetically conscious lovemaking, it is possible to create an infinite stream of energy going through the two partners, which nourishes and balances them in a most abundant way.   The idea to turn lovemaking into energy work may seem to be too cold and calculating, too "selfish", to fit into a romantic relationship. It seems to take too much attention away from one's partner, directing it back to oneself.   However, self-love is an important concept in the Eastern view of existence. It is the first step in developing love for others as well, a thing that is missing in many relationships and can be traced back to a deficiency in love for oneself, in love as such, in love as a principle of being. For people who have evolved into the Tantric spirit which is so rich and generous with positive energies, love turns into a general modus operandi - it is not not only flowed out sparingly and occasionally when people spend quality time with their spouse. Embedded in such a warm atmosphere of sharing it does not seem to be selfish anymore to nourish oneself in balance with nourishing one's partner.

Lovers' embrace at the beginning and end of every day (not necessarily sexual intercourse): from this sacred center of warmth and security they emerge every morning to conquer the world;     to it they return every evening.   Such people quickly feel comfortable wherever they go, since their real home is their embrace - the fire of passion between them works like a portable hearth. It is quite easy and natural to surround it with any kind of shell made from bricks or wood to build a physical shelter.   Lovers like this live in a "bubble of heaven". It is not necessary to wait for the bliss reportedly existing in the afterlife, if our passion for and devotion to each other is bringing Heaven to Earth.