The word TANTRA has been interpreted differently. The syllable TAN in Sanskrit means TOTALITY, ENTITY – TRA, then denotes the tools to get there.
TANTRA is also translated with INTERWEAVE, UNITING.
The influence of Tantrism in India reached in the eleventh and twelfth century it’s peak. While all of Europe was waiting for the true life after death in the deepest Middle Ages, Tantrism in India celebrated the joys of this world and (sexual) ecstasy.
Later, Tantrism was introduced in Nepal, Tibet and China.
One of the oldest and most beautiful Tantric texts is the Vijnanabhairava Tantra. It contains the 112 advices Shiva gives to Shakti to achieve enlightenment.
Tantra is a universal initiation doctrine that has penetrated into every mystical tradition of Asia: the Hindu, Buddhist, Lamaist, Tibetan, Chinese, Japanese and even mystical traditions of Greece (that is why I live here – because Greece is the only country in Europe, into which Tantrism has spread in antiquity …). It even shows a similarity with the Jewish Kabbalah.
This unity is symbolized in Tantrism by union of the spirit (pure consciousness) with the creative energy of the world. It is at the same time the union of Shiva, the male principle, symbolized by the Lingam, with the union of Shakti, the female principle, symbolized by the Yoni.
However, in order to be able to communicate with himself, he differentiated into Shiva (cosmic spirit) and Shakti (creative energy of life).