Stuart Sovatsky - Advanced Spiritual Intimacy: The Yoga of Deep Tantric Sensuality

For Lillian, Jacob, David, Ida, Bill, Oscar,Anna, Samuel, Anna ...

Advanced Spiritual Intimacy

Stuart Sovatskys Advanced Spiritual Intimacy is a tour de force. He takes us beyond the texts to demonstrate how the ancient path of spiritual growth may extend across a whole lifetime. This book expands our Western hermeneutic of tantra toward engendering a paradigm shift in the methodology for all who have been teaching its ways for years or decades. And as years and lifecycles unfold for persons of all walks of life, this study may help to honor the depths of Indian marriage from the depths of Santana Dharma itself.

PURUSHOTTAMA BILIMORIA, PH.D.; CHANCELLORS SCHOLAR, UC BERKELEY; POST-DOCTORATE FELLOW, OXFORD UNIVERSITY; EDITOR IN CHIEF OF SOPHIA JOURNAL

This book reveals tantras most central and powerful aspect: converting sexual energy into a higher, consciousness-altering vitality. Stuart Sovatskys vast knowledge and four decades of practice of tantra yoga and his lifelong work as a relationship therapist is a perfect combination for his book Advanced Spiritual Intimacy. A must read for all who aspire to a spiritual way of life and are wondering just where sex fits in.

GEORG FEUERSTEIN, PH.D., AUTHOR OF SACRED SEXUALITY, AND BRENDA FEUERSTEIN, AUTHOR OF TRADITIONAL YOGA STUDIES AND DIRECTOR OF THE GEORG FEUERSTEIN INNER FREEDOM PROJECT

Advanced Spiritual Intimacy is an excellent book that will help couples and individuals to grow and master themselves.

FRDRIC LUSKIN, PH.D., AUTHOR OF FORGIVE FOR GOOD AND DIRECTOR OF THE STANFORD UNIVERSITY FORGIVENESS PROJECTS

Few people are as well positioned as Stuart Sovatsky to contribute to the Wests understanding of yoga and tantra, and he has done so with Advanced Spiritual Intimacy. This book adds a new dimension and another level to the understanding of our ultimate potential.

PHILIP GOLDBERG, AUTHOR OF AMERICAN VEDA

Through decades of pioneering service projects, writings, and his kirtans arousing of Kundalini, Stuart has uplifted the academic and spiritual landscape of the West. For those who long to meet a lifelong yogi, master, beloved of Lord Shiva, you will find such a one in the pages of Advanced Spiritual Intimacy.

SWAMI ADI NARAYAN, AUTHOR OF
THE BELOVED: A SONG OF ETERNAL LOVE

Sovatskys work brings the depths of Indias spiritual path of marriage and family love to the Western world in keeping with Indias core vision of Vasudhaiva kutumbakamthe world is indeed one Familyand reveals the devotional dimension of yoga in the truest voice of the Indian spiritual soul.

SUNIL SAINI, PH.D., PRESIDENT OF
INDIAN ASSOCIATION OF HEALTH, RESEARCH, AND WELFARE

The extent of Sovatskys knowledge is breathtaking. He makes an important and persuasive reframing of Brahmacharya as an inner marriage rather than celibacy, with yoga as its own love affair with prana. He completely transforms what is currently understood as practicing yoga and provides a fresh way of re-envisioning intimacy for anyone on a spiritual path.

IRA ISRAEL, MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPIST ANDYOGA TEACHER/THERAPIST

Sovatsky guides us with a masters hands to open the portals of devotional worship in yoga and in love. His book is a tour de force, beckoning lovers deeper into the seed mysteries of devotion and worship.

TINA M. BENSON, M.A., TRANSPERSONAL/JUNGIAN-ORIENTED COACH
AND FOUNDER/CREATOR OF THE SOUL SPEAKS PROJECT

The Age of Aquarius begins right now with Stuart Sovatskys new sexual (r)evolution. Get out your surfboards and anchor yourself on the crest of the wave with Advanced Spiritual Intimacy. Dont forget to enjoy the ride!

LISA PAUL STREITFELD, CULTURAL CRITIC/PHILOSOPHER, HUFFINGTON POST ARTS

Stuart Sovatskys Advanced Spiritual Intimacy bravely walks the cutting edge of tantra and blasts us open into spirit consciousness, while enlivening us to the potentiality of matter and flesh.

KATIE SILCOX, AUTHOR OF
HEALTHY HAPPY SEXY: AYURVEDA WISDOM FOR MODERN WOMEN

Acknowledgments

This work would not be possible without the lifelong dedication of innumerable yogis, particularly L. Lakulisha, Sri Thirumoolar, Sri Atmarama, S. Kripalvananda, Amrit Desai, Umesh Baldwin, Vinit Muni, Rajasri Muni, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, Adi-ji Narayan, Adi-ji Ananda, and Baba Hari Dass;

The academic support of Michel Foucault, Robert Thurman, Rajiv Malhotra, Sangeetha Menon, Yanez Drnovsec, Maja Milcinski, Carl Becker, David Gray, Dr. Usha Ram (University of Pune), Bal Ram Singh, David Frawley, Arindham Chakravarty, Ian Whicher, Victor Preller, William Broad, Vladimir Maykov (responsible for the Russian edition), Motilal Banarsidass (responsible for the Indian edition), T. V. Gopal (for inclusion in Proceedings of Facets of Consciousness Conference, Hyderabad), Diego Pignatelli (responsible for the Italian edition), Meji Singh, Ralph Metzner, Karl Kracklauer, Harold Streitfeld, Myron McClelland, Jim Ryan, and Wayne Richards;

The support of my writing efforts by Miles Vich, Yoga Journal U.S./ Russia, Georg and Brenda Feuerstein, Craig Comstock, Marcie Boucouvalas, Keith Hoeller;

The illustrations of Alex Laurant, digitized photography of Will Cloughley and Sondra Slade, and the calligraphy of Kartik Patel and S. Chakravarty;

The many people whom I interviewed and thousands of clinical clients;

The personal support of my life partner, V. Vasey, who helped me feel every word, as well as K. Wray, Erich Gottlieb, Helen Palmer, Leland Meister, Cheryl Whyatt, Doris Warner, Peter Sutherland, Tina Benson, Ania Fizyta, A. D. H., C. F., K. J. R., K. P., M. S., Rupa, Carla King, Greg Bogart, Andrew, Maria, B. Vadhi, Naomi and Noah Groeschel, Jonathan Reynolds, Lauren Gonzalez, Leslie Combs, Purushottama Bilimoria, Zana Marovic, and Harold Johnson;

The staff of Insight Counseling and Blue Oak Counseling and my students at the California Institute of Integral Studies and John F. Kennedy University;

The Society for the Scientific Study of Sex, the World Congress of Sexology, World Congress on Psychology and Spirituality, World Association of Vedic Studies, Thirteenth Congress on Vedanta, the Association for Transpersonal Psychology, the Association of Humanistic Psychology, Shruti, Eurotas, Axis Mundi, S. Doroganich and my Russian students;

Carole DeSanti, my first editor from erstwhile E. P. Dutton, and the attentive first edition copyediting of Jill Mason;

The enthusiasm and wise publishing support of the team at Inner Traditions/Destiny Books: Jamaica Burns Griffin, Nancy Yeilding, and Jeanie Levitan for their masterful editing on this new edition; Jon Graham, Leslie Colket, Lee Wood, Anna Chapman, and publisher Ehud Sperling for their support of my work; the new edition design and layout by Virginia Scott Bowman and indexing by Brenda Feuerstein; and

The insightful editorial contributions of friend and colleague, Dan Joy, who brought sensitivity and acumen to the project.

PROLOGUE

Urdhvaretas

Yogas Path of Complete Maturation of Ensouled, Engendered Bodies