Pleasure, Awareness and Self-Knowledge: Contributions of Tantric Therapy to Sexual Health

Tantric therapy is an alternative health practice that integrates elements of Tantra, a philosophical and religious movement originating in India in the 4th century, with contemporary Western approaches, especially popularized by the counterculture movements of the 1960s and 1970s. Gynaecology, in turn, is the branch of medicine focused on the sexual health of women, intersex individuals, and transgender men. The marginalization of complementary and alternative medicines (CAM), such as tantric therapy, in comparison to hegemonic biomedical practices, raises questions about the power dynamics in knowledge production and in the relationships of care in sexual health. The aim of this study was to investigate how professionals in tantric therapy and gynaecology in Brazil contribute to sexual health. To achieve this, structured online questionnaires were sent out during the year 2020, resulting in the participation of 72 tantric therapists and 134 gynecologists. The majority of the participants were women, white, and heterosexual, with ages ranging from 26 to 67 years (median age of 41 years) for tantric therapists and from 25 to 75 years (median age of 45 years) for gynecologists. The results showed that gynecologists relate sexual health to sexual well-being, focusing on guidance and disease prevention. In contrast, tantric therapists understand sexual health primarily as experiencing pleasure and energy in the body, with an emphasis on body awareness, sexuality, and self-knowledge. The approach of gynecology may establish a heteronomous relationship, centered on disease prevention and treatment, while tantric therapy promotes autonomy by encouraging reflection on personal experiences and awareness. The findings highlight the contributions of tantric therapy and the relevance of an integrated care model that fosters synergy between disease prevention and the promotion of positive health components, such as the encouragement of pleasure, self-knowledge, and well-being.