Kiss of the yoginí : "tantric sex" in its South Asian contexts

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For those curious about the true nature of Tantric practices compared to the "Tantric sex" popularized in the West, David Gordon White provides a clear distinction: there is no relation. He dispels centuries of misconceptions by revisiting original texts, images, and rituals to trace the history of South Asian Tantra from the medieval era to today. The focus is on the unique aspect of South Asian Tantra—sexualized ritual practices, particularly within the medieval Kaula rites. These rituals involved the exchange of transformative sexual fluids between male practitioners and wild female spirits known as Yoginis. By "drinking" these fluids, men could join the supreme godhead, gaining supernatural powers and transforming into deities. White emphasizes that these sexual rituals were central to the religious, social, and political fabric of precolonial life, suggesting that Tantra was mainstream and continues to influence contemporary Hinduism, despite reformist views that marginalize it. The work includes White's translations of over a dozen Tantras previously unavailable in any European language, making it an essential resource for those seeking to understand the significant role of Tantra in South Asian history, society, culture, and religion.