International Doctorate in Peace, Conflict and Development Studies UNESCO Chair of Philosophy for Peace Doctoral Dissertation Tantric Peaces Tantra Workshops - A Fresh Take on Ancient Paths to Inner Peace Helena Krivan Supervisor: Dr. Daniela Ingruber Castellón, Spain May, 2017 Abstract Workshops featuring or promising elements of Tantra have been on the rise in Europe and North America since the 1970s. This study attempts to define the elusive and eclectic term Tantra and explores the effects that Tantra workshops have on the peaceability, resilience and serenity of its attendees. Due to the accessibility of data, the Austria-based Institut Namasté was used as an example. The survey evaluations seem to show slim, albeit consistent positive changes in the subjective perception of increased peaceability among participants of the Institut Namasté’s Tantra Workshops; statistical relevance could not be determined. The in-depth interview analysis, on the other hand, showed clear evidence of growth and improvement in the five categories Interactions and Relationships; Confidence, Insight; Inner peace, Equanimity, Joy; Body Awareness, Sexuality; Mindfulness, Spirituality. This study demonstrates that there is a causal link between the Institut Namasté’s Tantra Workshops and the attendees’ development of resilience, frustration tolerance, nonviolent communication, self-esteem, compassion and inner peace, summarized as peaceability. The impact of this improvement benefits not only the alumni but, according to their reports, also their inner and outer circles of family, friends, colleagues and even strangers, thus contributing to peaceability on a societal level. Krivan, Helena: Tantric Peaces To my many teachers, in all of their disguises. Krivan, Helena: Tantric Peaces If you could kick the person in the pants responsible for most of your trouble, you wouldn’t sit for a month. (attributed to Theodore Roosevelt) Krivan, Helena: Tantric Peaces Table of Contents Table of Figures ....................................................................................................................... i Abbreviations........................................................................................................................ iii Definitions of Terms .............................................................................................................. iv 1. Resumen en Español ....................................................................................................... 1 1.1. Introducción ............................................................................................................. 1 1.2. Revisión bibliográfica .............................................................................................. 2 1.3. Metodología del estudio ........................................................................................... 3 1.4. Marco general: paz, sexualidad y Tantra ................................................................. 6 1.5. El estudio ................................................................................................................. 9 1.6. Análisis de la encuesta ........................................................................................... 11 1.7. Entrevistas .............................................................................................................. 12 1.8. Conclusión ............................................................................................................. 23 2. Introduction ................................................................................................................... 26 2.1. Why this Topic? ..................................................................................................... 26 2.2. Tangible Results vs. Audience’s Reluctance ......................................................... 28 2.3. Expertise ................................................................................................................ 29 2.4. Personal Background and Bias .............................................................................. 32 2.5. Sources of Knowledge and Wisdom ...................................................................... 33 3. The Initial Question ....................................................................................................... 38 3.1. My Thesis ............................................................................................................... 38 3.2. My Research Interest: The Impact of Tantra Workshops ...................................... 43 3.3. Thesis: This works! ................................................................................................ 44 3.4. Research Question: Does it, indeed, work? ........................................................... 54 4. Methodology: the How’s and the Why’s ...................................................................... 60 4.1. Philosophical Underpinnings ................................................................................. 62 4.2. My Involvement as Participant Observer .............................................................. 66 4.3. Epistemology and Ways of Data-Collection .......................................................... 68 4.4. Sources and Evaluation of primary Data ............................................................... 85 4.5. Language ................................................................................................................ 86 5. State of the Art: Research on Tantra Workshops .......................................................... 87 5.1. Lugmayr’s “Enlightenment through Sex?” ............................................................ 87 5.2. SkyDancing Study ................................................................................................. 93 5.3. Marianna Kropf: “Tantra in the West” .................................................................. 97 5.4. Summary of Literature on Tantra Workshops ....................................................... 99 6. Definitions ................................................................................................................... 101 6.1. Peace .................................................................................................................... 101 6.2. Sexuality .............................................................................................................. 126 6.3. Tantra ................................................................................................................... 135 6.4. Tantra Workshops ................................................................................................ 168 7. Statistics and Surveys .................................................................................................. 216 Krivan, Helena: Tantric Peaces 7.1. Introduction .......................................................................................................... 216 7.2. General Statistics ................................................................................................. 217 7.3. The Questionnaire ................................................................................................ 223 7.4. Survey Discussion ................................................................................................ 228 8. Analysis of Interview Data .......................................................................................... 269 8.1. Andre: Serenity and full Potential ........................................................................ 272 8.2. Audrey: Sexual Healing ....................................................................................... 287 8.3. Brian: Inner Child ................................................................................................ 306 8.4. Beth: Against all Odds ......................................................................................... 319 8.5. Cesar: Noble Heart ............................................................................................... 332 8.6. Chloe: Touch and Gender .................................................................................... 344 8.7. Summary In-Depth Interviews ............................................................................. 357 9. Summary ..................................................................................................................... 362 Annex A – The Questionnaire ........................................................................................ 377 Annex B - The Holstee Manifesto .................................................................................. 383 Annex C – “She Walks in Beauty” ................................................................................. 384 Bibliography ....................................................................................................................... 385 Table of Figures Figure 1 – Selected questions and corresponding categories ........................................... 76 Figure 2 – Selected Questions in English and German .................................................... 78 Figure 3 – Sri Yantra ...................................................................................................... 108 Figure 4 – List of Translation Options for the term “Tantra” ......................................... 145 Figure 5 – Methods applied during IN’s Tantra workshops ........................................... 193 Figure 6 –