ANSWER:  Tantra originated in India and Taoist sexuality is from China; both go back thousands of years. Both strongly emphasize working with sexual energy very deliberately and consciously, and in similar ways. Men are encouraged to learn to delay ejaculation and to separate orgasm and ejaculation to have male multiple orgasms. In Tantric practice the hot sexual energy is usually moved up through the body in the central energy channel running through the center of the body from the perineum to the crown of the head. In Taoist practice the energy is typically circulated in what they call the micro-cosmic orbit running up the back (along the spinal column) from the perineum to the crown of the head, then down the front of your body, returning to the perineum. Both also direct energy outside the individual, to merge with the energy of another and with the divine energy of all life. In Tantra the use of sexual energy is primarily for spiritual awakening to full enlightenment—a direct experience of oneness with all and everything; the realization that you are Shiva/Shakti—God consciousness. With Taoist practices the use of sexual energy is focused on our earthly bodies, for longevity, health, creativity and leadership—mastery in the world—as well as fuel for enlightenment.

    Just as we are sometimes taught that pleasure is a sinful path to follow, so are we warned of the terrible power of desire. Desire can lead us to overindulgence, to betrayal, and to misery.

    “The abstinent run away from what they desire, but carry their desires with them. When a  man enters reality, he leaves his desires behind him,” so says Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita.i You can interpret this to mean that an awakened person no longer has any desire, or you can understand that it means he is not governed by desire. Desire exists, but in making his choices, he does not do so based on desire. He leaves desire behind.

    You can recognize desire as simply another element of life (like your thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations) and choose to act on your desires or not. You don’t have to suppress them, but you know that you are not your desires and therefore are not ruled by them. You are not at the mercy of your passions.

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