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Basic Bibliography on Tantric Practice

Developed by Barnaby B. Barratt, PhD, DHS
Center for Tantric Spirituality, Prescott, Arizona

I developed this highly selective, annotated reading list in response to workshop participants asking me how/where to begin to read about tantra.

The question is earnest and deserves a response because:

The topic is vast, and thousands of books have been written;
Many of the most important texts are still not translated into English;
The American market is flooded with “pop” guides to tantra that not only are highly variable in quality, but also often reduce what is a spiritual practice to a set of quick-fix techniques for a better sex life (which is fine, but a disservice to our understanding the full richness of tantric sexual-spirituality).

So this list of 11 books is a sort of “top ten plus one” (English language) books on tantra, and operates as an introduction to serious study of tantra.

This list of only eleven does include the sexual side of tantra, but also honors the fact that tantra is a spiritual discipline that does not necessarily involve sexual relationship at all.

All these volumes are, I believe, all currently available from Amazon.

Anand, M. The Art of Sexual Ecstasy: The Path of Sacred Sexuality for Western Lovers. New York, NY: Tarcher/Perigree Books (Putnam Publishing), 1989. [Margot Anand has done much to bring the sexual side of tantra to the west. A condensed version of this work with an emphasis on the partnered exercises of genital massage is available as Sexual Ecstasy: The Art of Orgasm. New York, NY: Tarcher/Putnam, 2000.]

Barratt, B. B. The Way of the BodyPrayerPath: Erotic Freedom and Spiritual Enlightenment. Philadelphia, PA: Xlibris, 2004. [This small book attempts, in thirteen brief chapters, to outline what might be called the philosophy of tantric spirituality, which avoids becoming involved in too much eastern cosmology, Sanskrit or Pali terminology, etc. Barnaby’s Sexual Health and Erotic Freedom, has a section discussing why sexuality is inherently a spiritual matter.]

Barratt, B. B. What is Tantric Practice? Philadelphia, PA: Xlibris, 2006. [Again, this is a small book, but it attempts to rescue tantric spirituality from the current fashion of thinking that ‘tantra’ is ‘just about sex.’]

Douglas, N. Spiritual Sex: Secrets of Tantra from the Ice Age to the New Millennium. New York, NY: Simon & Schuster, 1997. [This is an extraordinarily good introduction to eastern practices for the western reader. For another wonderful book by Nik Douglas and Penny Slinger, see Sexual Secrets: The Alchemy of Ecstasy. New York, NY: Destiny Books, 1979.]

Feuerstein, G. Tantra: The Path of Ecstasy. Boston, MA: Shambhala, 1998. [This is a scholarly introduction to the Indian and Tibetan teachings of tantra, by an author who is rather critical of the popularization of tantra in the West. Georg Feuerstein has written several other excellent books on tantric spirituality and related topics, including The Shambhala Encyclopedia of Yoga. Boston, MA: Shambhala , 1997.]

Frawley, D. Tantric Yoga and the Wisdom Goddesses. Delhi, India: Motilal Banarsidass, 1996. [David Frawley, rather like Georg Feuerstein, is a purist who expresses many reservations about the dilution and distortion of tantric practice in contemporary western culture. This is an excellent basic introduction to the Hindu traditions of tantric practice.]

Odier, D. Desire: The Tantric Path to Awakening. Rochester, VT: Inner Traditions, 2001. [This is a fabulous introduction to tantra by one of the foremost western teachers – the emphasis is on Kashmiri Shaivism but Tibetan perspectives are also well represented. Daniel Odier has written several other interesting books, including Tantric Quest, which recounts his personal tutelage under a female adept.]

Osho (Rajneesh, B. S.) Meditation: The Art of Ecstasy. New York, NY: Harper & Row, 1976. [Almost everything Osho offers is about tantric spirituality, and any of his discourses are worthwhile reading ‑‑ several other books currently in print by Osho have “tantra” or “sexuality” in the title and they too are highly recommended. Meditation is unlike his other works, being a series of instructions for his “active” or dynamic methods of meditation.]

Saraswati, S. & Avinasha, B. The Jewel in the Lotus. [This is a wonderful book, and aa DVD series used to be available to go with it. However the book stands alone. Also very helpful is Bodhi Avinasha’s The Ipsalu Formula which, like the first book, gives guidance with specific energy‑moving methods.]

Stubbs, K. R. The Secret Garden Trilogy. Larkspur, CA: Secret Garden, 1993.[These three illustrated books offer a useful guide for individuals and couples interested in developing their sacred sexuality. Equally useful in this respect is Stubbs’ more recent work, The Essential Tantra: A Modern Guide to Sacred Sexuality.]

Yeshe, L. Introduction to Tantra: The Transformation of Desire. Boston: Wisdom, 2001. [Many lineages of tantra teaching focus on working and playing with energy through the chakras – but Tibetan Buddhism, which is almost entirely tantric, places greater emphasis on energy awakening through methods such as deity visualization, mantra chanting, and mandala contemplation. Lama Yeshe’s work, which includes several similar volumes, is a superb introduction to the latter approach to tantric practice. This book is, in Philip Glass’ words, “a wonderful legacy for the present and for the future!”]

Additionally, some of the best writings on tantric practice (although not by this name) are actually from the Taoist tradition. For example:

Chia, M., Abrams, D., & Abrams, R. C. The Multi-Orgasmic Couple: How Couples can Dramatically Enhance their Pleasure, Intimacy, and Health. San Francisco, SF: Harper Collins, 2000. [Mantak Chia is a taoist and does not write directly about tantra, but the principles and practices of his teachings are nonetheless tantric. Mantak Chia has also written a book on men’s and a book on women’s sexuality.]

Also, if you are a skeptic who would like to know more about subtle energies, the following two books are recommended:

Gerber, R. Vibrational Medicine for the 21st Century: The Complete Guide to Energy Healing and Spiritual Transformation. New York, NY: Harper Collins, 2000.

Judith, A. Wheels of Life: A User’s Guide to the Chakra System. St. Paul, MN:Llewellyn, 2000.

Three videos that you might enjoy

Ancient Secrets of Sexual Ecstasy. Higher Love Video Series, available from Tantra.com. [This is an enthusiastic and artistically produced introduction to tantra, with contributions by some of the more eminent western tantra teachings including Margot Anand, Nik Douglas, Robert Frey, Lori Grace, Charles Muir, Caroline Muir, David Ramsdale, Ellen Ramsdale, and Penny Slinger. The distributor Tantra.com has many other fine products, and is a useful site for workshop information, etc.]

Fire in the Valley: Female Genital Massage. The New School of Erotic Touch,available from EroticMassage.com.

Fire on the Mountain: Male Genital Massage. The New School of Erotic Touch,available from EroticMassage.com.