“There is no reason why genuine spiritual seekers in the Western Hemisphere should not achieve adeptship in Tantra Yoga, and some have in fact done so. But in each case, the fulfillment of the spiritual path is preceded by hard work on oneself. There are no shortcuts, and the quest for quick fixes and weekend enlightenment is merely one of the symptoms of the Kali-yuga, governed by delusion and greed.” -Georg Feuerstein
We are said to be at or near the end of the Kali-yuga, the age of ignorance and hypocrisy - one of the cyclical ages or epochs within Hindu scripture. We can feel the truth of this as we now observe the various sacred texts and truths previously hidden for generations coming into availability for mass public consumption.
While the age is in fact shifting and we are entering a new era, this does not mean we are immune to the lingering effects and manipulations of the Kali-yuga. We can see this occurring in the vast churning out of “new age” spiritual gurus and people on the spiritual path who may erroneously believe they have already achieved a state of enlightenment and understanding, when it is in fact the delusion of the ego.
Many well intentioned seekers may fall under the illusion of believing that through a few sacred plant ceremonies, following a popular vegan diet or attending certain retreats that they have reached a final state of enlightenment.
While there is in fact a quick means to enlightenment, which Tantra offers, one must be very discerning in choosing one’s practice and one’s guidance. Receiving proper transmissions and initiations is a vital practice developed over centuries to preserve the integrity of authentic teachings.
Another point to be made about Tantra is that it is essentially a regenerative tradition. It is said that the texts would be known to be destroyed and to reappear throughout time over and over in order to adhere to the modern time and make the teaching more relatable to the worldly person. This means that it is in fact ok for us to have a modern application to the teachings, however we must still preserve the integrity of its spirit.