Latest news with #Tantra
India.com
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- India.com
This 2 hour 14 minutes film will have you sweating in fear, climax will leave you shocked, is trending on OTT, the film is...., lead actors are...
This 2 hour 14 minutes film will have you sweating in fear, climax will leave you shocked, is trending on OTT, the film is...., lead actors are... Are you also one of those people who love watching thriller movies that catch them off guard and also keep them glued to their seats? Then you are at the right place. From the unexpected twists and turns to the nerve-chilling horror, there is one Telugu film that is currently making waves on OTT and should be on your must-watch list if you are a fan of thriller films. The film we're talking about is none other than 'Tantra'. This 2-hour 14-minute film revolves around the theme of mantra, tantric worship, and black magic. The narrative delves deeper into the misuse of black magic and occult practices. The plot is about a girl called Rekha (played by Ananya Nagalla), who can see spirits, and she experiences paranormal activities during the full moon. Her lover, Teju (played by Dhanush Raghumudri), finds out that someone is doing a tantric pooja against Rekha. Later, she encounters a malevolent tantric who intrigues her to know more about the occult world . What happens next? Why was Rekha the target of this black magic? What did Teju do to save Rekha? It will be unravelled in a way that keeps the audience guessing what's coming next.
Yahoo
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
I don't want to live in a world that criminalises unconventional sex
I don't have a pension pot for my dotage, but long thought that if I fell on hard times I could start a sex cult. After all, I used to edit the Erotic Review magazine and am the proud owner of an antler-horn headdress. At least, that was the plan until the New York trial of OneTaste founder Nicole Daedone and her head of sales, Rachel Cherwitz, started this month. The glossy duo, who ran an alternative lifestyle company focused on women's erotic pleasure, are charged with conspiracy to commit forced labour after a number of adherents said that they were coerced into having sex with colleagues and potential investors. Details of the allegations were laid out in investigations by Bloomberg, then a BBC podcast and, most infamously, in Netflix's Orgasm Inc, which incorporated passages from diaries written by a former sales rep for the company, Ayries Blanck. For anyone who doesn't scour streaming services for lurid sex documentaries, a little explication may be required. I feel fairly qualified on the topic, as I flew to San Francisco in 2011 to interview Daedone about OneTaste and her book Slow Sex: the Art and Craft of the Female Orgasm. The author and CEO had garnered ideas from Tantra, Buddhism and yoga and crafted them into what she dubbed 'Orgasmic Meditation', or OMing for short. The practice was conceived as an antidote to the 'harder, faster!' school of male-centric sex and was focused on female anatomy and pleasure. So far, so laudable; but the practice was also highly unorthodox – or plain whackjob, depending on your outlook. In essence, it involved women removing their lower clothing and reclining on a nest of cushions, before their OMing partner (generally a man) stroked their intimate anatomy for 15 minutes in a prescribed manner. This tended to occur in a room filled with other nesting couples with the avowed intention to build enhanced capacity for pleasure. Daedone and one of her wing women explained all this to me in a coffee bar, while radiating the beatific glow of sexy cats who'd drunk all the cream. I felt a bit like I'd fallen down a time wormhole and ended up at Woodstock circa 1969. I found Daedone intelligent, persuasive and charismatic: characteristics that would lead to her downfall, as she stepped ever further into Sex-guru Land. She espoused her wish for OM classes to be taught 'like yoga' in gyms across the US and the UK, to which I replied that while the idea might fly in hippy-dippy California, I couldn't see Milton Keynes's WI discarding their knickers in a David Lloyd club. However, not long afterwards OneTaste opened a branch in London and a handful of erotically short-changed women I knew (mostly divorcees) signed up for classes. One was so enthused she flew out to California for more in-depth courses. They were far from being the only enthusiasts; in 2018 Daedone appeared on Gwynneth Paltrow's Goop podcast, making the zenith of OneTaste's social acceptability. Shortly after that, Bloomberg ran an exposé on the movement's business practices: some members had fallen into heavy debt after paying for courses and others had felt pressurised into sexual liaisons. It also transpired that OneTaste had paid Ayries Blanck (author of the Netflix diaries) $325,000 to settle a labour dispute. Then the FBI started their own investigation and it was widely reported that Daedone and Cherwitz were going to be charged with sex trafficking. I felt rather like I do when told a married couple who enthusiastically embraced swinging had suddenly filed for divorce: who would have thought it, apart from absolutely everyone? But I still found it hard to view the upfront, engaging Daedone as an evil sex slaver. Rarely has a person been more candid about their methodology and objectives; she was even transparent about her drive to monetise the practice. It was also hard to say practitioners had zero idea what they were getting into, since their first view of OneTaste involved half-naked women reaching orgasmic plateaus in a group setting. But Daedone may well have encouraged some obsessive and vulnerable devotees to sit at her feet, amidst the hardy. It's not hard to believe duty of care was woefully insufficient and that some members experienced severe regrets and trauma. Even so, I'm troubled by the court case. Especially now that (dramatic drum-roll) Ayries Blanck's diaries have been disallowed as evidence, after the defence team substantiated their claim they were faked. It transpired the hand-written journals were copied from a computer document years after the events described took place. Also that the computer file appears to have been edited by various interested parties, casting doubts on its authenticity. Furthermore, Blanck's sister Autymn was paid $25,000 by Netflix to present archival material on behalf of her sister. Another perturbing factor is the charge itself: 'conspiracy to commit forced labour', rather than 'forced labour'. The odd wording may be due to the fact complainants admit no force was exerted on them. They were free to stay or leave OneTaste, to live in a communal house or elsewhere, to take breaks and use their mobiles as they pleased. So, it seems to me that what's on trial might more properly be viewed as sway – the kind of charisma that makes people keen to do your bidding and seek approbation, or to feel outcast if that approval is withdrawn. Many people will have had a boss, partner, parent or even religious leader who had this power over them. It can feel deeply unethical and people who have been in thrall to such personalities often bitterly regret their choices. But they will also likely find that other followers still lionise and defend that mesmerising figure. Daedone walks to court flanked by women supporters. Whatever your view on OneTaste, their alleged misdemeanours pale beside those of other high-profile cases going on in NYC at the moment: Sean 'Diddy' Combs trial for sex trafficking and Harvey Weinstein's appeal against rape and assault convictions. Isn't it possible that Daedone and Cherwitz are careless kooks and egomaniacs, not sex offenders? And that if they are found guilty, we may enter a world where no one takes personal responsibility for questionable choices. One where the state feels free to criminalise unconventional sex. If so, that is not a world I want to live in. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Sting and Trudie Styler ‘Are Definitely Marriage Goals' 32 Years in: ‘Still Wildly Attracted'
Sting and his wife of 32 years, Trudie Styler, are more in love than ever, as evidenced by new pics they shared from a vacation they took around this time last year, as a source exclusively tells Closer their famously New-Age lifestyle with working wonders for their marriage and being an inspiration to all those around them. 'They're still just as devoted to their daily yoga practice as ever and it's very obvious that it's helped to keep them both incredibly fit and flexible,' the insider says. 'People love to joke about Sting's love of Tantric sex, but there's a lot more to the Tantra lifestyle than just long sessions in the bedroom.' The 'Shape of My Heart' singer, 73, revealed in the 1990s he and his wife, 71, engage in seven-hour Tantric sex sessions, which caught a lot of attention at the time and had the unfortunate side-effect of oversimplifying the public's understanding of the fairly obscure esoteric yogic tradition to a system used to pump up a couple's love-making game, which The Police frontman himself has attempted to straighten out. Tantra can encompass a lot of different specific systems, as it originally comes from a Sanskrit word meaning 'to weave,' a reference to interwoven layers of conscious awareness that defines the practice. And while the Western world developed an acute fascination with just the sexual aspect of 'neo-tantra,' traditional tantra is complex and can encompass diverse spiritual practices. What many overlooked was that, in addition to the sex, the couple really meant they were putting effort into a deeper connection than what's normally shared via day-to-day conjugal activity. 'If we had seven hours, I'd show you what I mean,' the iconic musician joked in a 2014 interview with The Guardian, while Trudie added, 'We have a great time every time.' The source explains they carry their practice into other aspects of their lives. 'It's a daily practice, even when they don't have sex, they do breathing exercises together morning and night to nurture their connection.' And It's clearly been working. Trudie recently shared a series of throwback pics of them on vacation in the Maldives in March 2024, looking relaxed and happy on a white sand beach. Appearing totally in sync, they strolled hand in hand around the tropical landscape, which the source notes is one of their favorite grounding activities. 'They're both big outdoor enthusiasts.' 'They're always doing something,' the insider adds, 'whether it's bike riding or hiking or gardening, they're very in touch with nature and they insist that's a big part of why they've stayed so full of vigor.' There doesn't seem to be any slowing down in sight for the septuagenarian couple, either. Every year their connection grows stronger, the insider explains. 'Even after all these years they're still wildly attracted to each other, if you didn't know how old they are you would never think they were 71 and 73, it's really amazing to see a couple that's taken such great care of themselves physically and mentally.' 'They are definitely marriage goals.'
Time of India
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Stillness meets fluidity at artist Trishla Jain's show
Memories of his recent scuba diving trip to Lakshadweep unexpectedly washed over Lower Parel-based illustrator Ashley Mendonca as he stood gazing at paintings on the walls of a second-floor Colaba art gallery on Thursday coral reefs to oceanic pearls, the fluid by artist evoked free-flowing images in the eyes of beholders on the opening evening of ' ' at , Mumbai, on May with Art Night Thursday, the exhibition drew a mix of totebag-toting art lovers and umbrella-carrying architecture students. Some leaned in to interpret the meditative dots of Jain's Tantra works, while others stood back to take in the geometric precision of her ."We've Tired of too many ads? go ad free now placed the two series on separate walls so they don't interfere with each other," explained Puneet Shah, founder and director of Akara Art, which had earlier showcased 'The Quiet Interlude' in Jain's hometown of Delhi. This is the gallery's second time hosting the San Francisco-based artist after a sold-out 2023 show. "Many, including myself, are drawn to the calmness and colours of the Tantra series," Shah noted. "You can see the cityscape here," said lawyer and gallery regular Soumya Shanker, pointing to domes and a sun in a watercolour-and-ink canvas titled Sundance. Stepping back, she admired One, a geometric piece that reminded several viewers of a silk chatai. "It's incredible that she painted something that looks like handwoven fabric," she Alliance Française de Bombay cultural assistant Sheryn Mulla admired how "ink and watercolours go together," while aspiring architect Vaibhav Jaitly was drawn to Air, a Yantra canvas embedded with gold."Some are organised, some are organised chaos," observed UK-based student Shashi Kapur, who is visiting Mumbai. She was particularly drawn to Constellations, a blue-hued canvas in a quiet corner. "Blue is my favourite colour," she said, adding that the works inspired her to meditate.'The Quiet Interlude' Akara Contemporary ColabaTill May 30 (Tues- Sat)
Indian Express
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
Sara Ali Khan seeks blessings at Guwahati's Kamakhya Temple: Expert explores the power of Tantra and divine feminine energy of this sacred site
Sara Ali Khan is currently on a spiritual journey across India. After recently visiting the Chandramouleshwara Temple in Karnataka, she travelled to Guwahati to seek blessings at the Kamakhya Temple — one of the most revered and powerful Shakti Peethas in the country. Known for its deep association with Tantra and the feminine divine, the temple is often visited by devotees seeking spiritual insight, healing, and transformation. Sharing glimpses of her visit on social media, Sara posted photos in a white chikankari salwar kurta, pausing to take in the serenity of the temple. She captioned her post with a poem: 'Moments of stillness amidst the perpetual flow. A purposeful reminder to breathe and go slow. Listen to the whispers of the river, feel the suns glow. Wander deep, embrace life and allow yourself to grow.' Many associate Kamakhya with devotion, but not much is known about the temple's tantric significance, its cultural heritage, and its role in spiritual practices that go beyond mainstream rituals. History and significance of this temple Saru Subba, historian and founder Carol School Guwahati, tells 'The Kamakhya Temple has an ancient and layered history, dating back to at least the early centuries of the Common Era, though its origins are believed to be even older. It has been destroyed and rebuilt multiple times — most notably in the 16th century under the Koch king Naranarayana, which gives the current structure its blend of ancient and medieval architecture.' It is considered one of the most important Shakti Peethas, he adds, where the yoni of Goddess Sati is said to have fallen, marking it as a sacred site for worshipping the goddess in her most elemental form. 'Its significance goes beyond the spiritual; it was also a center of Tantric learning and practice, attracting mystics and scholars from across the subcontinent,' notes Subba. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kamakhya temple (@kamakhyamandir) Even today, he states that Kamakhya retains a unique position in Indian sacred geography — respected 'both as a pilgrimage site and as a place that preserves spiritual traditions that are often overlooked or misunderstood. Its rituals, festivals like Ambubachi Mela, and deep symbolism continue to inspire reverence and curiosity alike.' What makes the Kamakhya Temple unique compared to other Shakti temples in India? The Kamakhya Temple stands out among Shakti temples for its deep-rooted connection to the Tantric tradition. Subba explains, 'While many Shakti temples focus on divine femininity in nurturing or warrior forms, Kamakhya embraces the raw, unfiltered aspects of the feminine — creation, power, fertility, and transformation. What makes it truly unique is that the temple does not house an idol in the conventional sense. Instead, the yoni or womb-shaped stone, constantly bathed in natural spring water, is venerated.' He continues, 'This symbolism speaks directly to Tantric philosophy, which celebrates the union of the physical and the spiritual, the seen and the unseen. Tantra at Kamakhya is not about rituals misunderstood as occultism, but rather about transcending duality, embracing wholeness, and recognising the sacred in all aspects of life, including those often considered taboo.' How do temples like Kamakhya encourage spiritual seekers to embrace practices like stillness, surrender, and self-reflection? Temples like Kamakhya often exist on the thresholds — between the material and the spiritual, the known and the mystical. 'For seekers, this sacred ambiguity becomes a space for inward reflection. Kamakhya, perched atop the Nilachal hills and steeped in silence, naturally evokes a sense of stillness. Visitors often speak of an atmosphere that encourages quietude rather than display, where the inner journey feels just as important as the outer one,' highlights Subba. The temple's embrace of Tantra, with its emphasis on acceptance and inner exploration, supports a path of surrender — not as defeat but as trust in the unknown. Subba mentions, 'Self-reflection is intrinsic here; the symbolism, the rituals, and even the temple architecture are designed to turn one's gaze inward.'
