Eat Sh*t like Cav*ar (or, the Tantric Art of Non-Discernment)

What does it mean to have a Tantric lifestyle? How exactly do you live like a Tantrika? Well, a lot of it comes down to the Tantric art of non-discernment.

There are various stories of extreme behaviours done in the name of Tantra, including eating excrement. I don’t know how genuine these stories are, or whether they were myths perpetuated by a mainstream orthodoxy that wanted to discredit this fringe philosophy, but whether they are true or not they do highlight the point.

Whilst it may be an over-simplification, in general terms, Tantric philosophy evolved from one of dualism, through partial dualism and into non-dualism. A dualistic spiritual philosophy believes that there is a separation between divinity and the material universe, between “man and God” or “Heaven and Earth”; as such, humans must placate their overseeing deity and hope for favour. In a partial dual / non-dual philosophy practitioners believe that they (or at least some of their congregation) can be imbued by their deity, temporarily possessed by divinity, and that this occurs following the successful invocation of their chosen deity through ritual practice. For non-dualists, rather than this possession being a temporary event, it is permanent and ubiquitous. In other words, we are all divinity all of the time. And this isn’t limited to sentient beings – all of matter is also all of divinity. There is no separation whatsoever between divinity and the material universe.

The logical implication of this philosophy is the practice of non-discernment. Why worship a particular icon, in a particular place at a particular time – it makes no difference. Every object, every location and each individual moment in time is the material manifestation of divinity; and you, as the observer and witness to it all, are divinity also. Indeed, as the observer, you are also the creator; and as the observed you are simultaneously the created.

Put in simple terms, there is no difference (at least in terms of innate divinity) between caviar and faeces. So why not eat shit like caviar? And that is the point: “why not”? The temptation, when you view the world as one of separation and difference, is to ask: “why would I do that?”, the implication (expressed by the thought-construct “I”) being: “that’s not me. I’m not someone who would eat shit. I’m separate from that.”

But Tantra asks us to flip this on its head. Because alongside the principle of non-discernment is the principle of authenticity, or, as the Tantras would put it, knowing your “true Self”. This means your divine Self, rather than the constructed version of you that has been cobbled together with a hodgepodge of socially imposed narratives, inherited moralities and personal myths. Tantra challenges us to confront our constructed self to disassemble these myths and to identify our underlying true Self – our own divinity. Now, when you strip away all these constructed social narratives and imposed moral judgements you may find that there remains an authentic reason not to eat shit – yes, it may be as divine as you are, but your natures are opposing; it could make you very ill. But the point here is that you are not simply rejecting it because it is “disgusting”.

Consider another example. Nowadays, rightly or wrongly, Tantra is synonymous with sex. Our modern, socially constructed and morally imposed view of sex is that it is a deeply intimate act that should exist within a loyal, loving and monogamous relationship to enhance intimacy between a committed couple. But the principle of non-discernment would challenge you to question these narratives. Is sex an intimate act? Does it enhance intimacy? Should it only exist within a relationship? Do you have to be a monogamous couple? Of course, the Tantric answer to all of these questions is “no”.

The Tantric view of creation is that the divine principle initially divided into opposing male and female principles so that these two opposing principles can re-unite in a dynamic act of creativity. Consequently, within Tantra, sex is seen as the physical manifestation of this divine expression. As such, whilst sex may be an expression of divinity, it certainly isn’t an act of intimacy, consequently, it shouldn’t matter who you have sex with. As with eating shit, this kind of non-discerning promiscuity may seem slightly extreme to many people, and whilst some Tantras do veer towards this extreme end of the scale, most do not. The most re-occurring restriction on Tantric sex is that both partners have a clear understanding of non-dualism and the symbology of sex as a divine act – sex should be something that enables the practitioner to view others as being entirely divine and, consequently, gain greater insight into their own divinity. Ultimately, the act – whilst non-discerning – should still be authentic.

So, set yourself the challenge. Approach your life with a non-discerning mindset; rather than asking yourself why would I do that ask yourself “why not”? And examine the answer, deeply, truthfully and reflectively. And if you can’t find a good reason not to, then why not give it a go!