Mark A. Michaels

This book was well written and very easy to follow but honestly I just wanted more out of it. Or maybe it's because I expected more? I guess I expected the exercises to go a little bit deeper than they did. Instead I found exercises that were very light and fluffy and definitely for a beginner. However if you are somebody who (like me) has many years experience in meditating and visualization, you will probably find this book very boring and flat.
This book is definitely for the beginner who has just picked up their first book on meditation.… (más)

“Tantra uses touch as the primary sensory avenue for the focusing of the mind…and when sexual sensation expresses itself in orgasm, the bursting or climax, we achieve a state of yoga, or union.”

Those looking for a general introduction to Tantric Yoga will find this an invaluable and informative book.

Based on the lectures given by Dr Jonn Mumford (aka Swamiji, or Swami Anandakapila) and developed further by the authors, Essence gives an insight into the practical exercises and techniques available for the western Tantrika (practitioner), as well as a greatly expounded explanation for those unfamiliar with Tantric sexuality.

Rudimentary instructions begin with some basics—the use of yantras, or symbols, for visualization techniques; and mudras, hand gestures or body positions, used for creating psychophysical change.

Following these lessons, the authors then delve into various sexual aspects, reminding the reader that it is the process of getting to an orgasm that is more important than the actual climax itself. Essence deals with various exercises and rituals in order for men and women, individually or as a couple, to make that journey more fun, more rewarding, and more fulfilling so that the climax becomes the culmination of an already-exciting discovery process—ultimately a meeting with the divine.

They deal with sexuality in a straightforward, very matter-of-fact, and graphic manner.

Those willing to approach with an open mind and a teachable spirit will find a lot of material here to help understand many aspects of sexual pleasure, not only between two people, but also individually.

The authors cover many different areas of inducing pleasure, including masturbation, sexual fantasies, the use of perfumes and massage, and an in-depth look at the erogenous zones in men and women (and, yes, there are more than two!).

Later in the book, similarities are drawn between the symbology of Tantra and other religions and beliefs, including the Catholic Mass.

If you can handle the graphic sexual descriptions and illustrations, this is indeed a book with information worth perusing, studying, and practicing.

- Review by Michael Woodhead… (más)

I liked this book. Nothing in it was earth-shattering for me, yet I have caught some of my ways of thinking about my relationship with my husband changing subtly in a positive way. I was expecting more discussion of emotions and psychology (why, I'm not sure), but the focus does seem (to me) to be especially on sex as the primary means of building intimacy. Again, though, it seemed to work for me. My husband and I had been growing a bit sexually distant since our daughter was born two years ago, with all the demands of parenting and changing work roles, but I've been (again, seemingly without conscious thought) implementing some of the authors' recommended actions and have found our physical intimacy--and, as a result, our emotional intimacy--increase a great deal.
I was surprised at how much focus was placed on open relationships in the book. It seemed an "inordinate" amount of book space was used to discuss open relationships, but perhaps that is to help the more conventionally minded to come to grips with the idea. In any case, my husband and I have discussed the possibility of opening our marriage and have left it open (no pun intended) as a potentiality, and we know several people in open marriages and long-term relationships, so this was not new material for me. Despite that, the discussion did offer me some new ideas to consider regarding how opening a relationship can be employed, very mindfully, as a tool to strengthen the primary relationship. Many of the other resources about opening relationships that I have encountered have seemed to focus more on the physical and logistical ways to make such arrangements work, and on the potential for envy and jealousy and how marvelous things can be--but without this focus on keeping the emotional and physical/sexual health of the primary relationship of prime importance.
Thus, all in all, I find this a good book that I would recommend to anyone lamenting relationship changes with one or more significant others, though possibly not for the ultra-conservative--though I believe the book has much to offer anyoone.… (más)