You may think that tantra is just about being more connected to your present reality, but did you know that a tantra practice can fundamentally change your future, and even your genetic makeup?
The field of epigenetics studies how one’s environment, experiences, and behaviors can affect and even change a person’s genetic makeup. Epigenetic changes don’t change your DNA, but they do affect how your body reads your DNA. There are factors in our epigenetics that we don’t have control over, such as our childhood environment, unexpected experiences, and even the nutrition we received while in the womb. However, science tells us that it is possible to change our epigenetics.
We all have the ability to heal and change our epigenetics! Research shows us that this can be done through lifestyle changes including nutrition, physical exercise, and also by mindfulness practices such as tantra. A study in Frontiers of Psychology found that “...some authors have traced the effect of meditation on such effector molecules back to expression changes of the corresponding genes and, more recently, to specific mechanisms that regulate gene expression (Buric et al., 2017; Kaliman, 2019)” (Venditti et al., 2020). Studies even show that children can be born with certain epigenetics based on their parents’ experiences. That means that a healthy practice of Tantra can not only lead to improvement for an individual but can even change generations.
As human beings, we are responsible for our own pursuit of knowledge and for our own connectedness to the earth and to one another.
Tantra is primarily about exploring and empowering our lifestyle and cultivating healthy behaviors between us and our environment. Tantra includes first the inner intention of where a behavior response is created deep inside us. Through tantra, we can become aware of, heal from, and even become grateful for the circumstances that have changed our epigenetics. We can leave the cycle of negativity, blame, and hopelessness by practicing tantra.
There are many benefits of Tantra, but the study of epigenetics makes it clear that Tantra can change not only our mindset but our very being. The results of a Tantra practice can include reduced stress and anxiety, increased capacity for intimacy, and improved quality of life. These benefits are huge in and of themselves, but the idea that these changes can be permanent on a cellular level makes our pursuit of Tantra that much more important.
The benefits of Tantra aren’t found in doctor’s offices or psychologist’s offices, but the benefits are real, studied, and experienced. As human beings, we are responsible for our own pursuit of knowledge and for our own connectedness to the earth and to one another. We must pursue our own understanding of life. Opening up our hearts and inner wisdom is our own responsibility, and the results of our practice will affect us, our children, and those are connected to for life.
Sources:
Bishop, C., & Guerrero-Bosagna, C. (2016). What is epigenetics? YouTube. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_aAhcNjmvhc
Office of Science (OS), Office of Genomics and Precision Public Health. (2020, August 3). What is Epigenetics? Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/genomics/disease/epigenetics.htm
Venditti, S., Verdone, L., Reale, A., Vetriani, V., Caserta, M., & Zampieri, M. (2020, June 26). Molecules of Silence: Effects of Meditation on Gene Expression and Epigenetics. Frontiers. https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.01767/full