Tantric Quest: An Encounter with Absolute Love

It says a lot about the personal qualities of Daniel Odier that he was accepted by a skilful teacher from a true tradition of Tantra, and was also able to pursue the teaching, over years of practice, to its realization. Mystical sex is certainly a part of this book -- Odier makes no secret of this interest as he begins his quest -- but as his learning continues, he and his search grow beyond it. The story is both fascinating and inspiring. When finally he is given his sexual initiation, he has abandoned the sexual quest, so that what he actually receives is an initiation into absolute love. Paradoxically, it is only at this point that he can truly enter the sexual experience -- and truly enter, as well, every other experience of human life. Although some may wonder if it all really happened, the story rings true because it continually relates the struggle to overcome the ego. The absolute love of Odier's teacher allows her to place her willing but unsuspecting student, time after time, in exactly the situation which will push his ego to its limits. He must give up grabby goals, self-preservation and mental chatter each time. His ultimate reward is the awareness of this love: the great goal of the mystic, a union with all that exists. There are parallels with Buddhist meditation teachings, and the story also recalls certain words of the Bible, for example that perfect love casts out fear, or that we must lose the world in order to gain the Kingdom. Through it all, the key is perfect awareness of the present moment, inner and outer. There is certainly sex in the book, including a wonderful (and discreet) description of a Tantric sex act which demystifies the subject for Westerners who have only had the works of non-initiates to read up to now. (Western students of tantra-sex who have attended workshops will recall learning to become more fully present to themselves and their partners.) Daniel Odier's story offers this and far more, not only sex but also the constant partners of sex: life, death and above all love. I read the original French version, but the English translation is also very clear.

In this story of his personal spiritual quest to find a Tantric master, Odier, a young man, wanders through India where an unusual, sometimes disastrous, sequence of events leads him deep in the forest to yogini Lalita Devi. Over a period of months, Odier undergoes a series of trials, tests, and rituals of purification that culminate in a sacred sex initiation in which he experiences the awakening of the kundalini, and the joining of the divine forces of Shiva and Shakti.

Although I have been on my path of `enlightenment' for a very short time, I have had a chance to read through numerous publications (Power of Now, Tao Te Ching, Flow, Wisdom of Vedas) and other, I found this one to be a more realistic teaching. The answer to the eternal question of where to find happiness is answered for you on a very practical level, just like The Lost Gospel (as far as I heard). The difficult part is incorporating the teaching into your every day life that is if you really want to do that in the first place.

I have to say that most books on Tantra have been a disappointment to me. For this reason I have been more interested in Taoism. So it was a pleasure to read a book called "Tantric Quest" by Daniel Odier published by Bantam Books 1997. Which to me was more about what I feel that Tantra should be.Daniel Odier is a Frenchman who went to India in 1968 to search for enlightenment. While there he became intrigued by stories of secret Tantric masters. He set out to find such a master but didn't find one and in the end gave up. Then by chance he stayed at a remote village to find peace a quiet and discovered a Tantric female master lived on the outskirts of the village. He then managed to persuade her to become her pupil.The sub-title of this book is; "An Encounter with Absolute Love". And I found it to be a very good book in expressing spiritual love. It reflects the teachings in the Tao-Te-Ching that we cannot find spiritual love and understanding from books, traditions, dogmas or rituals. We have to search for this within ourselves.I have always been attracted to Tantra because it says we can make sex into a divine and sacred act. Although I found this sexual initiation into Tantra with the Female master interesting. I still feel there is more that can be understood about this. The Female Master did say that as Tantra has no set rituals and dogmas, every Tantra initiation is different. So I personally feel that different lovers working together are able to create their own Tantra. By listening to the voice of the Goddess within themselves, and finding ways of meditating together or using different spiritual exercises during the sexual act.

Although the book is brief, it seems to contain all the salient points of what tantricism is really all about. It reads like a blend of story, fable, and philosophy while presenting some intriguing tidbits for practical application. Definitely a book that can be read over and over to gain further insight. I was surprised that the author wrote the book that was the basis for the movie 'Diva'. I loved the movie when I saw it years ago, now I have to see it again.