4 Freedoms Presents

“When it comes to the ever-growing field of self-help books, it really comes down to a matter of taste. With these three most recent books that have come across my desk, I couldn't imagine a wider diversity of style, content and approach. My clear favorite was the third, Soul Sex. Then again, I found worthwhile insights and perspectives in all three.

Soul Sex: Tantra for Two takes the prize, both for the quality of its writing and the choice of material making up the content. No, it's not for titillation, but for holistic relationship building and physical/spiritual bonding that this book is valuable. If anything, the occasional black-and-white photos are downright unappealing. But on virtually every page is an inspiring and fresh articulation of just what is missing in so many of today's ordinary love relationships. The authors are well-versed in the literature of contemporary tantric teachings, and they also bring an obviously well-experienced perspective from their own relationship journey. The book is so comprehensive, in fact, that often the writing skips rather too quickly over the many methods for deeper, more intimate and more spiritual connection. Or, maybe that's as it should be: not a blueprint for ecstasy, but rather a collection of points that might be stimulated further with the reader's own creativity. In the meantime, there are profound truths to chew on, such as the following:

‘The arbitrary separation of body, mind, and spirit in most cultures is an intellectual, psychological, and emotional tragedy of incalculable proportions. This error of judgment has been the cause of great suffering for countless generations of people. It is now time for sexual healing that can only be possible by reuniting sexuality and spirituality.’ (p. 15)”

Alternative Culture Magazine, Nowick Gray

“This is an authentic 'from-the-heart' sharing, by this monogamous happily married couple, who are passionate about the joys possible when adding principles and practices of sacred sexuality into one's deeper intimate relationship. Journey with them, learn, apply, and enjoy!”

Ramana Das (RD) Silbey, American Tantra

“A plainly written, down to earth revelation on the depth and potential spirituality of human sexuality and how to be apprehended by sex as God intended it to be. This is the manual every couple should have or every single should learn by in preparation for a great coupling when that love mate is found.

Tantra was more or less a mystery to me until this book made it plainly simple in understanding by a revelation of the principles involved in deeper feeling and spiritual sexual potential, with the goal of merging oneness. God intended much more for humans than is the ordinary animal sexual experience.

I am glad that this book discovered me and confirmed what my artistic nature had hinted as it put an understanding of sexuality more solidly into the truth teaching of the more perfect way of life as a couple. God's more perfect way opened. An ideal informative marriage manual. The forward by Pala of her early meeting with Al is very unique and captivating.”

Joseph Burnett - Chelan, Washington (Review on Amazon.com)

“Because I did not know a great deal about Tantra and Tao, I was very interested in this book, SOUL SEX: TANTRA FOR TWO by Copeland and Link. It takes the focus off performance and puts it on enhancing the process and the pleasure of sexual interaction. This book is for couples who are seriously interested and willing to study and explore not only sexuality but spirituality. A really classy book.”

WNetwork.com

“As a reviewer of the paranormal and occult, I was not sure what I was getting into when I started reading this book. By the time I had finished reading, I must confess I was delighted with the authors' approach to one of the great Hindu traditions. It is written for a wide audience and is illustrated with photographs.

Essentially, Tantra is an ancient Sanskrit word that translates as weaving. A spiritual belief system, the Tantra way includes numerous schools which concentrate on aspects of sound, breath control, ritual, prayer, meditation, among other techniques. Some may also incorporate sexual activity as a form of spiritual awakening. Sex and spirit are interwoven to achieve enlightenment between man and woman.

There are 13 chapters in this book. Chapter 5 focuses on mastery and surrender in the art of love, and it is educational reading that deserves a large readership. Each chapter is helpful.

Other topics covered include ejaculation mastery and male multiple orgasm, freeing the female orgasm, planning and ritual in sacred loving, healing touch, and massage. Appendix A is a detailed listing of references and resources covering useful books, music, videos, and internet resources. Appendix B contains a list of exercises.

Chapter notes are included. The index is arranged in a helpful manner for quick reference.

Some of the photos and illustrations are explicit, but presented in good taste. They are there to accompany the text to make for helpful illustration of the information at hand. This book, with its honesty and spiritual approach, should find many readers.”

Lee Prosser, GhostVillage.com, March 12, 2004

“When I think of Tantric sex, the first thing that comes to mind is rock musician Sting. We've all heard by now that he's this awesome Tantric lover, that he and his wife have amazing sex for hours on end, no doubt hanging off the ceiling and the chandeliers, taut rock star perfection glistening with charged sweaty erotic concentration. . . well!

Soul Sex: Tantra for Two, by Pala Copeland and Al Link presents Tantric sex for the rest of us. Ordinary everyday folks with stressful jobs, children, and perhaps an extra pound or twenty can also be Tantric lovers. De-mystifying Tantra for ordinary people, this easy-to-read guide combines the best of down-to-earth sex and relationship advice with a nice overview of Tantra and how to incorporate some or all of its practices into a committed, lifelong, monogamous relationship.

The two big things that just leapt off the page as I read this book were ‘This just makes so much sense, I can't believe I'm not doing it’ and ‘I could really do this... this is SO within the realm of possible I can't believe I'm not doing it.’ Copeland and Link have taken the esoteric sexual secrets of the East and repackaged them, translating and transmuting them into commonsense practices and techniques that practically anyone can feel comfortable with.

The view of Tantra in the book falls within a long western tradition of taking religions and philosophies from the East, removing the specific religious aspects, deities, and rituals, and presenting a more abstract set of principles that can get results without having to be a Buddhist or a Hindu. Coming from a Christian background, I couldn't help but think that many of the principles in the book were complimentary to a western worldview, while others dramatically re-evaluated traditional views. One of the areas where Eastern ideas were most obvious was in the discussion of chakras, or energy centers, in the body. While I could accept the idea that people experience energy as residing in certain centers in the body, I found many of the details regarding the chakras esoteric and hard to take seriously. Despite this, however, one can take the pieces that work and incorporate them selectively into your sex life, discarding what feels alien or uncomfortable.

The second half of the book gets into the nut and bolts of Tantric meditation and sexual practice. Beginning with an overview of the seven energy centers in the body, Copeland and Link present breathing exercises, muscle exercises, sexual positions, mood enhancers, and other hints for more soulful lovemaking. They actually make sense out of sexual positions. I've read many books that merely list the sexual positions, failing to the mention the role each sexual position plays in lovemaking. I never knew that some of the more movement limiting sexual positions are actually intended to slow down the pace while maintaining the emotional connection between lovers. Thank you for explaining this!

It was surprising to me that this book about spiritual sex spent the first 100 pages or so speaking mostly about emotional states, communication skills, unspoken beliefs and how they can shape and overshadow a relationship. Yet it underscores the conviction of both the authors and myself that what happens outside the bedroom in the relationship has a radical impact on one's sex life. Without a healthy relationship in which each partner is willing to deal with their ‘stuff’, spiritual growth and sexual ecstasy just isn't going to happen. ‘What causes the relationSHIP to sink is the accumulated weight of unresolved 'stuff’." (p. 94)

Christopher Saanes’ Virtual Reading List

“This book -- by the facilitators of the Good For Her Tantra workshops -- shows both beginners and skilled Tantric practitioners how to use Tantric techniques to create a lifelong, loving relationships. This book blends traditional eastern techniques with modern western approaches that are applicable to everyday life.” Good For Her (Women’s Sex Shop)