Adrian Gillan has a hands-on session with renowned gay tantra guru Armin Heining. No poppers or Viagra, no mirrors or porn. Explore your erotic energies through sensation, through touch and breathing, relaxation and concentration! Your eyes may be wide open, yet they gaze inwards on the myriad sensations throughout your body – and not just your cock and arse.

Armin invites me to strip off and wrap a towel around my waist. Kneeling, we exchange a ritual greeting and blessing, as relaxing music fills the small room. I recline on a thin mattress, still towel-covered. Armin starts his gentle touch as oil is applied, encouraging me to breathe deeply throughout; and to say if there’s anything I don’t like, or if something he does is especially pleasurable. Eventually, I roll onto my front, as towel comes off and Armin’s firmer pressure turns into massage-proper, not just with his hands but with his whole body – all based around the chakra energy centres and lines.

After a seemingly timeless period, I slowly turn back onto my back for more sensual touch, ending with the ano-genital area - and a prolonged, pervasive and pleasant orgasm, my spine arched up against Armin’s knees, body leaning back. Then, stillness. “All great sexuality should end in silence”, says Armin. After exchanging kneeling farewell blessings, I dress and leave - after a thorough “tantric pampering”.

What is tantra?
Tantra is the connection of sexual energy with emotional - even spiritual - energy.

How does tantra work?
Through aligning and connecting the chakras (energy centres) along the so-called 'inner flute' (main energy channel) – via touch and breath; via body-awareness, relaxation and playful encounter.

Is there such a thing as specifically gay tantra?
No, although we all have a sex preference as the 'entrance gate' for our energy arousal.

Can tantra be practiced solo, duo or even in a group?
Yes. First comes individual engagement, a commitment with oneself. Then comes connection with others - and ultimately with the greater energy we are all part of.

Can tantra be practiced purely 'physiologically', without belief in supposed mystical elements?
The 'wellness' side of tantra can be enjoyed just physiologically, mainly via thought, breath and touch. The deeper Zen aspects involve a certain inner self-development, progressively pushing back mental boundaries to achieve greater satisfaction and fulfilment. Note: neither tantra nor Zen is a religion - they have no God-figures. They are both about forming connections – with yourself, with others and with the world. This is something the world currently profoundly lacks.

"We all have a sex preference as the 'entrance gate' for our energy arousal."

Is tantra easy to master?
The 'wellness' side of tantra is relatively easy to access. After a time, people often want more - to explore the more subtle Zen aspects. Some end up leaping straight to the Zen aspects having reached a kind of “physiological plateau”.

Is it useful to hold back from having an orgasm when aroused?
It’s good to experience and play with the energies associated with arousal - sometimes involving orgasm, sometimes not. The orgasm is indeed not necessarily the main event!

How did you end up working with tantra?
I’d been interested in meditation from an early age, and when I hit 30 I became interested in how I could link this to the experience of my sexuality. I trained, and have been experimenting with myself, and others, ever since. I launched my gay work on tantra formally in 1992 – a range of sessions and workshops – focusing on basic wellness, as well as the more Zen-related aspects. My immediate future plans include running a certified course for tantric masseurs, albeit more from a wellness perspective.

What can people expect at your main tantric courses and workshops?
They vary greatly, from one-on-one to larger groups – all detailed on my website. No one does anything they don’t want to. And, for duo or group work, you don’t have to be in, or forge, a relationship with any tantra partner; you rather work with them specifically vis-à-vis the session.

"The orgasm is indeed not necessarily the main event!"

What if people are shy of nudity or intimate physical contact?
The tantra techniques soon make connections and overcome shyness. I’ve noticed a few interesting national variations, though. Brits tend to be less used to nudity than some Europeans, like us Germans! The Austrians often resist touch – at least, to begin with. And the Swiss often start with the more Zen aspects and almost work backwards to the physical.

For more on tantra, and for details of a range of courses and workshops run by Armin’s Institute for Meditation & Tantra, visit www.gay-tantra.co.uk.