What Is Tantric Massage?

Tantric massage is an umbrella term that incorporates a wide variety of services. These range from purely sensual and pleasure-focused sessions, to working with trauma and sexual dysfunction. There are many benefits of getting a pleasure-focused session, including greater relaxation and the stimulation of feel-good hormones in the body. At the same time, these sessions are not usually called therapy. 

Who Are Tantric Massage Therapists? 

Tantric massage therapy practitioners have undergone professional training, and many have professional qualifications. They may also have studied other modalities such as breathwork, embodied trauma healing, somatics, pelvic floor release, anatomy, psychosexual therapy, psychology, and other bodywork traditions. Each practitioner is likely to have his or her own individual approach, due to the nature of their training and the focus of their work. 

What Kind of Session Do You Want to Have? 

It’s a good idea to have some clarity about what kind of session you’d like to receive. This will enable you to find the right practitioner. Anyone can call themselves a tantric practitioner or a therapist, so it is a good idea to check what kind of qualifications and experience the personal has before going ahead with booking a session. Intuition can play an important role in making this decision, and you may feel naturally drawn towards a particular practitioner. Be aware of this when choosing, too. 

Tantric Therapy for Mind, Body and Spirit 

The modern belief in ‘Oneness’, a connection existing between everything and everyone in existence, partly stems from ancient writings called the Tantras. Christopher D. Wallis, a scholar of Tantra and Sanskrit who wrote the book Tantra Illuminated about Classical Tantra writes, “…all that exists… is one infinite Divine consciousness, free and blissful”. This is in line with the belief that mind, body, and soul are connected. Tantric practitioners are often aligned with this philosophy, and work holistically to treat the whole being. 

Tantra Teaches Us to Be Present 

Tantric massage therapy works with the triad of body, mind, and soul by using a range of different tools. One of the keys to this therapeutic approach is learning to stay conscious of everything that is happening during the session on a moment to moment basis. Staying present allows for the internal world of thoughts, bodily sensations, and feelings to be observed and noticed. This in itself can be profoundly healing. Often, when we face a physical or psychological discomfort, we disassociate from the body and stop noticing what is going on. 

By becoming more aware, we are able to have more choice over what we think, or the way we act or react to something. Therefore, clients are invited to stay present and embodied by focusing on the breath, and on the rest of their body. 

Body De-Armouring and Tantric Massage 

Therapists may also use de-armouring techniques, which focus on loosening tension from the physical body. In the 1930s, a psychologist named Wilhelm Reich noticed that his patients’ repressed emotions often manifested as a somatic muscular ‘armour’. This armour was made of tensions, spasms, and cramps. By working on these areas, emotions or memories may surface that are being held in the soft tissues of the body. 

Qualified professional tantric massage therapists do this with care, being mindful of their clients’ tolerance levels for re-experiencing difficult memories or emotions. It’s important that both the therapist and client remain present and aware throughout the session to be able to work safety and effectively with any emotions or traumas which may come up. Tantric massage therapy sessions may also include genital de-armouring. This area of the body can store a lot of trauma and tension for many people, so care needs to be taken when working in the pelvic area. 

Who Is Tantric Massage Therapy Suitable For? 

There are many reasons why clients may want to come for a tantric massage therapy session. One of the most common reasons is find solutions for sexual dysfunctions.

Erectile dysfunction, premature ejaculation, and inhibited ejaculation are the most common reasons for male-bodied people. Pain in the Yoni, difficulties with having orgasms, and wanting to learn more about boundaries and consent are common reasons for female-bodied people. 

However, the scope of tantric massage therapy sessions is much greater than working with sexual dysfunction, or with the genital and pelvic areas. As it’s a holistic therapeutic approach the whole body and mind are included. Sessions are also a great way to release tension and relax. 

Sessions can also help to regulate the nervous system when it has become dysregulated. This means that sessions can help with addictions, compulsive behaviours, depression, loss of interest in life, and much more. 

Many therapists also work as educators. They can give advice to help clients improve communication around intimacy, about love-making skills, and support people with understanding their own and other people’s boundaries. In addition, they also teach traditional tantric practices such as separating orgasm and ejaculation, and support clients with becoming multi-orgasmic. 

Pleasure Is Part of the Therapy! 

Tantric massage therapy welcomes pleasure as a healing force in the body. As such, therapists also work with sensual and erotic touch to help clients to connect more with pleasure and sexual energy in their body. The difference between a therapy session and a purely pleasure-based session is that tantric therapists have additional professional tools to help clients release any blockages that limit their experience of pleasure. The blockages can be caused, for example, by past trauma, conditioning from cultural beliefs and emotions trapped in the body.  

Pleasure Massage or Tantric Massage Therapy? 

We hope that you enjoyed reading this article explaining what Tantric Massage Therapy can offer. You can now make an informed choice about the type of session you’re looking for, whether it’s a Tantric Massage Practitioner or a Sensual Massage, offering a purely pleasure based experience.