Review of Tantra for All: The Path of Nath Tantrika by Denny Sargent
Mr Denny Sargent has been a practicing Tantra since he was initiated in the Nath Lineage in 1980. He has “organized and worked with several different Kula circles of initiates, and performed hundreds of Tantric Puja rituals in a variety of places for a number of different purposes, including a wedding.” For forty years, the Tantric gods and goddesses have been a part of his daily life. His book, Tantra for All: The Path of Nath Tantrika, took three decades to finish.
It should be noted that several branches of Nath lineages have evolved over the centuries. Mr Sargent is in the process of trademarking the term Nath Tantrika to identify his own view and teachings on Tantra.
Mr Sargent explains that Tantra is very freeing and leads to a close relationship with the divine:
“Tantra means ‘to weave.’ Sometimes it means ‘a special occult book.’ … The goal of Tantra is ‘to live a free, open, natural Pagan life, devoid of restrictions, and the concepts of sin or shame about what is natural.’ … Tantra is not a sex cult. Nor is it a religion with dogma and belief systems as Hinduism is. Tantra is the ancient practice of Magick for real change and attainment of personal liberation. Hindus pray to the gods. Tantrics talk with their gods.”
Mr Sargent ties in Tantra with Thelema with its emphasis on the True Will:
“A Sanskrit term sums up the practice of Tantra: Svecchacharya.
In essence it means ‘doing your True Will’; that is, following the orbit of what you are meant to do in this life.
The truth is, you already are utterly free, but everything in your life has programmed you to forget this. You believe that everything you seem to experience is what makes up your life Thus, you have been taught that you are essentially a passive bystander in your own world. This programming comes from your culture, your religion, your family, and all the rules and taboos you are pressured to follow, from birth to death.
Tantra shows that this programming is a lie, the greatest lie of all. As long as you accept that lie, you will never discover why you are here and who you really truly are.
The truth is, you are an eternal star, one with the universe.
You have the power to ‘weave’ and follow and decide your own unique reality and life. No one else can do that for you unless you let them.”
There is a very obvious paraphrasing here from The Book of the Law: “Every man and every woman is a star.”
Tantra is presented as a way of breaking the programming we all have so as to determine and cultivate who we truly are:
“Start with this simple truth: you are not a product of your environment or family or religion; it is your ego that believes that. Your true Self is timeless. Your ego is not ‘bad,’ but it doesn’t reveal the truth. Think of it as the car you drive in this life. It is a very important vehicle, but it is not who you really are. This is why your inner self is often dissatisfied and seeks a deeper life and spiritual truth. There is one clear message: the primary goals of Tantra are to attain the three stated goals of:
Real Peace, Real Freedom, and Real Happiness.
Tantric practice will awaken you to the truth that you are the cosmos and contain all the gods and goddesses. You have complete freedom to do your Will as you will in this life, and thus be at peace, free and really happy. Limitations can be physical, but most often they are imposed by our culture, family, faith and worldview. Tantric practices will break open this cage, and you can have a lot of fun doing this and leading a natural life. … ”
Here is yet another instance of Tantra being tied in with Thelema with its emphasis on accessing the Holy Guardian Angel so as to be able to follow our True Will:
“So: If you believe in your own individuality and True Will, if you seek to directly work with ancient powers that can help you, and if you seek to embrace your own Guardian Spirit and awaken to your own divinity, you are ready to practice Tantra.”
Elsewhere Mr Sargent expands on this connection with the Holy Guardian Angel:
“As we practice Tantra, we discover, explore and grow by connecting with our Guardian Spirit or inner Self. Through meditation and individuation, this ‘inner voice’ awakens more fully as a unique ‘personal god’ or spiritual ally. The Guardian Spirit is your link with the cosmos. When you tune in to it, you are connected to the spirit of the cosmos.”
In the history of Nath Tantrika chapter, it is stated:
“Nath means ‘Lord’ (Natha means ‘Lady’), and connotes the sovereignty of each Tantric. As individual STARS, it is the True Will (Svecchacharya) of every being that is paramount. The Will to Love is the Law to Live.”
This appears to be a paraphrasing from The Book of the Law: “Love is the law, love under will.”
Mr Sargent points out that Tantra can be used to accomplish the Great Work – after learning one’s ‘True Will’; and to achieve union with ‘the All’:
“Tantric practices, done well, lead to unity with the divine via magical rites and activities referred to as Sadhana.”
Mr Sargemt’s definition of the Great Work is quite broad as it extends to all of humanity:
“What is the purpose of the Great Work? In short, it is to protect, enlighten, empower, teach, mentor and bring happiness to ourselves and to all people as best we can. The goal of all Tantra is to help all beings attain real spiritual autonomy and liberation.”
Mr Sargent emphasizes the need to live in harmony with nature:
“We have become separated from our own ecosystem, the Earth Mother. We have polluted our environment, and continue to contribute to global warming which is killing us, all out of ignorance and blindness. Civilization offers wonderful advances, but has rejected Nature, the source of life. The Tantric Goddesses and Gods embody Nature and natural forces. Nature is the root of everything in Tantra. Honoring and spending time in nature, we become more conscious and can directly honor the divinity inherent in Mother Earth by being part of it, not separate. Our gods did not ‘give us dominion of the earth’; they and we are Nature, which gives us all. We must fully awaken to this.”
The need for living in harmony with nature stands in stark contrast with the rather cold Judeo-Christian approach expressed in Genesis 1:26-28 where mankind is called on to exercise dominion over the earth and subdue it.
All in all, Mr Sargent has written an in-depth practical text on Tantra. The numerous similarities between the Tantra of this book and Thelema make it an ideal practice for Thelemites. Non-thelemites should not be deterred from trying it.
Tony Mierzwicki
Author of Hellenismos: Practicing Greek Polytheism Today and Graeco-Egyptian Magick: Everyday Empowerment.
https://www.amazon.com/Hellenismos-Practicing-Greek-Polytheism-Today/dp/0738725935
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1905713037/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_bibl_vppi_i1
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