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What We Do The Temple Introduction The First Thing About Me Philosophy |
Many people ask me how I got into this stuff called Tantra. Let me
give some background now, so that I have it somewhere....
I was first drawn to Tantra at the age of 14. Being the child of a commune of magicians and wiccans, I understood what sex was supposed to be, on a philosophical and emotional level. I understood the sacredness of the act, watching the adult lovers around me being so happy and open about their sexuality. However, my limited experience with boys my age had turned out quite contrary to what I saw on the commune. When I approached my favorite elder "auntie" about the subject, she laughed and told me to learn Tantra before I hurt myself. When I pressed her about the subject, she said not to sleep with anyone I didn't love, and that made sense, so I dropped the subject. But the word "Tantra" stayed in the back of my head, popping up in dreams, mentioned in books, and overheard in conversations of stranger for the next 10 years. When I grew up and began exploring different spiritual paths, there was a push to do something different than what my parents had done. Since my mother identified with Ceremonial Magick,I began studying Buddhism and eastern philosophy, finding it more fitting to my personality. And there was that word again. Tantra. Synonymous with Sex Magick in some texts, denounced as a negative waste of time in others, elevated to the highest regard in yet others. Remembering the conversation with Auntie Jan, I set about learning everything I could about the subject. There are many books written on the subject, however, I have been told that most of the ancient ones are in what is called "twilight language", or a metaphor-filled analogous language that sounds very poetic and romantic, but which hide the actual physical facts of the rites. For this reason, it is said that eventually, all students on a true Tantric path must have a physical teacher. However, there is much one can learn before one actually finds a physical teacher, as I learned before I found my teacher. Although we didn't work together very long on the physical, he is still around for me to ask questions of on the internet. Today I still have an office practice for psychic and tarot readings, workshops, and classes. My day job is as a sex education teacher with Oregon Outreach Inc. at McCoy Academy, a private high school. I'm an ordained and licensed High Priestess in the temple of Mystic Arts Gathering and Information Circle (M.A.G.I.C.), and a festival co-ordinator for the Spiral Rhythms Festival and the 9 Houses of Gaia's Northwest Fall Equinox Festival. I hold an Associates of Arts with Honors degree from Clark College, and am currently working on a Bachelor's Degree in psychology at Washington State University. I've got a long-term handfasted mate, two happy teenage kids, a great dog, and a community of loving friends that keeps growing. If you would like to know more, feel free to email me. © 1999 -2005 Sienna Newcastle |