Essays on Gay Tantra

About the Book

Integrating sexuality with spirituality has been the specialty of traditional Hindu Tantra for at least 1500 years in India. These 97 short essays, originally published as weekly newsletters from Ashram West, a gay spiritual community, adapt the concepts and methods of traditional Hindu Tantra for gay-identified persons of all genders living in our modern, rapidly changing world. Gay persons have been condemned or ignored by all major religions, and many gay people may reject religion in general, substituting sex, drugs, or other diversions that ultimately fail to remedy the existential problems of mortality, isolation, and the seeming meaninglessness of life. These essays demonstrate various ways gay people can tap into the deepest currents of human spirituality while recognizing the special spiritual needs and aptitudes that modern gay identities confer. Instead of denigrating gay identities, Gay Tantra teaches us to attain the heights of spiritual enlightenment utilizing fully our gay experiences.

About the Author

William Schindler obtained a B.A. in Sanskrit from UC Berkeley (1975), where he also studied Bengali and Hindi, and a Master’s degree in clinical psychology from Antioch University (1986). He lived in India for two-and-a-half years from 1972-1977 first as a pilgrim, then as a student at Banaras Hindu University, and finally as a monk of the Ramakrishna Order. He has written novels, short stories, and numerous essays on gay spirituality. His non-fiction book, GAY TANTRA (Xlibris, 2000), is the definitive work on the topic of traditional Hindu Tantra adapted to the spiritual needs and aptitudes of gay-identified persons. He currently lives in Los Angeles, California, where he offers spiritual instruction and counseling for gay men.