ABSTRACT
Tantra is arguably the most misunderstood term in the spiritual lexicon of Hinduism. A key aspect of tantra is that it fundamentally honours embodiment and the potential of humans to live harmoniously with each other and with nature. Tantra calls upon one to witness and be present to the fullness of all that one encounters within and without. Tantra sees the material and the so-called non-material as existing and unfolding by means of a complex dance of mutual determination. Religious institutions are active in society. The tantric refusal to countenance a clear division between the sacred and secular realms has required one to draw on the analytical resources of both, although, depending on the topic, concepts from one or other knowledge tradition have predominated. The tantric embrace of the concrete is especially significant in a period when dominant discourses manifest utter disdain for facts.
