We’re starting a series called Tantra Around the World, and what better place to start with than the A’s for Australia. Who’s the hottest tantrika down under? It has to be Catherine Wood, the founder of The Sanctuary of Tantra in Perth.
Catherine was first introduced to Tantra in 1988 and studied under Dr. Chowdhury, a master of sacred tantric teachings and wisdom. She’s also trained at the Australian School of Tantra. with Jade Lotus, with Swami Anandakapila Saraswati and has studied qigong and sexual qigong with Master Alex Lim. Finally, she is a dedicated practicing White Tigress as well as a member of the White Tigress Society.
Catherine started a professional life in the holistic healing world with a Reiki Masters Degree, she performed seva as a voluntary Reiki Practitioner with 'Balya' Cancer Self Help and Wellness Centre. She then completed a Diploma in Reflexology and Counseling and studied many alternative healing therapies including Raja Yoga Meditation with the Brahma Kumaris, Shamanic Healing and Pranic Healing.
We’re thrilled to learn about Catherine’s work, as well as the state of Tantra in Australia…
Tantric News: Please tell us about yourself... where are you from? How did you first learn about tantra?
Catherine Wood: I was born in the UK and came to Perth with my parents when I was just 6 weeks old. I believe Tantra found me; I did not go seeking to learn rather I had my first ‘introduction’ of Tantra from my Indian doctor Shopan Chowdhury 24 years ago
TN: Shopan? He sounds interesting, someone with ancient knowledge. Can you tell us about him?
CW: Shopan Chowdhury was an exceptional doctor that combined both western and holistic medicine. I remember like yesterday, my first experience with what he called ‘tantric’. I had booked in for my two yearly pap smear which I am sure every woman would agree with me, is not the most pleasant experience we look forward to. I was 18 years old at the time. When the speculum was in place he told me he was going to find a mirror so that I could see my cervix and uterus. I was absolutely horrified and freaked out at the thought of it, mainly because society would consider to be pretty ‘weird’ behavior. I had a strict religious upbringing that indoctrinated negative beliefs about my body.
TN: What is it like in Australia, re: learning and teaching tantra? Is the general population accepting?
CW: There is quite a bit of mystery and confusion as well as some fear surrounding Tantra here in Australia. From my own experience it is usually ‘curiosity’ that draws people in. I guess there is a lot of stigma surrounding Tantra and a lot of people are in “fear based thinking” or perceive that Tantra simply means ‘going to a sex orgy with a lot of nudity’. Interestingly, the majority of my work is with men, there seems to be only a small influx of women and couples. There are a few major schools in Australia and from what I know they are promote primarily ‘couples’ Tantra.
TN: How is the tantric community down under?
CW: I don’t get out and about in Australia much as my practice is extremely busy. There’s a sannyasin scene, but I’m not too familiar with it. There are a few festivals held Australia wide called “Conscious Living Expo” like a giant Royal Show and healers from all over the world come together. I definitely feel Tantra is a bit too formal here in Perth and I am continually striving to build a ‘tantric community’ to educate freedom, acceptance and liberation in Tantric practice. The most fun I have ever had as a Tantrika is going to our annual Tantric Extravaganza Christmas Parties. Held every year at my Sanctuary with over 100 people attending, this amazing evening consists of good food, fine wine, live music, dancing and of course raunchy tantra games that have everyone in fits of laughter. I get such a buzz from these events. The laughter and energy is infectious!
TN: Have you traveled to learn Tantra in other countries?
CW: Sure, I traveled to India (Kajaraho) back in 1990 and also to Singapore in 2011 to train with my White Tigress Teacher.
CW: My teachers? Well, in addition to Shopan Chowdhury, I’ve studied with the Australian School of Tantra, Jade Lotus International Tantra, Swami Anandakapila Saraswati (Author of Ecstasy through Tantra), Mei Hong from the White Tigress and Master Alex Lim. Master Lim’s teachers are “Grandpa Abdullah”, Swami Suddhananda, Grand Master Sam Chin. I also received initiation into a Taoist lineage in 2010 Year of Geng Yin with Master Kao and consider Taoism to be my spiritual lineage.
From my perspective, I have found that certain teachers in my past were very focused on the physical aspects of Tantra. Although this is valid to a degree, I had a yearning to truly understand the deeper ‘spiritual’ essence of Tantra. I believe you can’t have the ‘icing’ on the cake until you know how to bake the cake first! In my experience most people are always seeking the icing (the physical orgasm for example) with no understanding or comprehension that this is simply an illusion until the ingredients are mixed together, only then can discipline and wisdom be born.
TN: What is your approach to tantric work and personal transformation?
CW: The practice of Tantra has had a profound effect on my life in so many ways. Through experience, I understand that although I teach this precious art to others, its greatest student has been myself. I have always been what people describe as ‘extremely YIN, very feminine. I used to get teased about this aspect and started to not only become confused about myself as a woman but also started to block the femininity. I had a huge misunderstanding around the vulnerability surrounding the feminine and societies perception of feminine energy. It wasn’t until a few years ago through the guidance and wisdom of one of my teachers, that I began to understand that wisdom radiates from within the feminine, “the light” and the masculine holds space for this sacred union within self first and radiates out to share with another. I absolutely love and embrace myself as a woman, as a Tantrika knowing that I share a waterfall of unconditional love with others.
CW: Hmm… this is a good question. Okay, here’s my answer. About 4 years ago I was in a relationship which I now know to be termed ‘volatile’. I wore the ‘rose coloured glasses’ and refused to take them off. I was so in love with this man that I couldn’t see or think straight… although my rational mind was always screaming at me that this was all wrong. I knew the relationship was not good for me yet I lived for the rainbow that one day I would wake up and all would be perfect.
The polarity of our relationship was always love or hate and many times after an argument he would disappear only to return again when he felt like it (we didn’t live together). On one such occasion upon his returned and our determination to ‘give this another go’ I fell pregnant. It was such a shock as I have two grown boys but nonetheless it was real. When I told him he was calm and almost detached which was interesting because 3 days later he disappeared, not a word, not a goodbye, not an explanation. He disconnected his phone, moved house and to this day I have not heard from him.
I later decided I would have the baby on my own which was an agonising decision. My spiritual journey had led me to a place of knowing that all is perfect so I thought this baby was a ‘sign’ of some sort. However, I lost the baby during the first trimester and to make matters worse some of the placenta was left behind and I become incredibly sick with infection. I remember I was delirious with pain, exhausted from fear and grief and as I kept staring at the door of my hospital ward I expected my partner to walk in at any moment, put his arms around me and tell me everything was going to be ok. Of course he didn’t. It was in this moment that I realised this baby, this spirit did not have an agenda to be born, it was to teach me the deepest insight into my relationship and have the courage to take the rose coloured glasses off and NOT GO BACK.
The feelings of utter loneliness, abandonment and anguish of not only losing the baby but the way my partner left me engulfed me with so much grief for many, many months. When I felt strong enough to go deeper into the experience, I went down to my beautiful Sanctuary, lit a candle of intent and connected with this beautiful spirit that had taught me so much. I was guided to use the Goddess Oracle cards and the card that I picked was what I named the baby. I feel I have healed from losing the baby because although painful I had closure and an understanding of the lesson behind the blessing. I am still healing from the experience of my partner leaving me in the manner he did with no goodbye, absolutely nothing. For me physical closure is important even though I have closed our relationship energetically it still hurts.
TN: What's the most delicious thing you ever ate?
CW: Sure, let me think. Okay, it was during a romantic dinner at a very fine restaurant, my partner and I decided to share the most delicious indulgent chocolate pudding I have ever tasted. It was so ‘sensual and extravagant’ and I savoured every morsel! To share this experience together was simply a ‘beautiful, treasured moment in time’ and to this day I’m not sure if it was the high sugar content or simply the ecstatic experience but I remember I went into a giggling fit for the rest of the night. My partner thought it was hilarious!
TN: What was the happiest moment of your life? What was the saddest?
CW: The happiest moment of my life was the realisation that I was ok, that I was enough and I was love incarnate. The saddest moment of my life was losing my baby. They both taught me that love and sorrow are the same, that everything is divine.
CW: Many years ago I started to discover an awakening in my practice. Many men would attend the Sanctuary for a private session… actually, they’re practically banging the door down to get a booking. Some of my regular clients at the time would share with me that they regularly see ‘sex workers’. One man told me “I go in drained and come out drained’ and when I come here to see you I feel ‘alive’ with the most amazing energy and clarity for up to a week. I found this absolutely fascinating as I don’t share sexual penetration in sessions yet these clients would book in EVERY week to see me.
I started asking questions and going deep into their psyche and the sessions that I provided. Through research I found that scientists have stated we hold around 62 trillion cells in our body which I call the vehicle. I realised that every single cell in our body resides to love and fear or positive, negative and neutral energy. When we are in an environment of unconditional love, every beautiful cell knows that wisdom to be of source or the GOD/GODDESS consciousness. Every cell dances, pulsates, heals and energises. I call this ‘going home’. When we are in the energy of love, we grow like a plant that is regularly watered, when we are in fear we die and become wilted and stagnant.
That is when I realised one da,y sitting in the magnificent warm sun, that I was love incarnate. I am enough and my waterfall of love is eternal. Our physical body and that of our spirit is a divine instrument that can be merged with another to become a symphony of unconditional love. For me the feeling is one of euphoria and this is the energy that my clients feel. We are all love incarnate; we are all microcosmic orbits in the giant macrocosmic orbit of life.
TN: What's next for Catherine Wood and the Sanctuary of Tantra?
CW: I have just started a new venture with one of my fellow Tantrika’s called Fantasy Tantric Massages that has taken Australia by storm. These massage sessions heighten and amplify the sensory receptors to a world of absolute erotic pleasure, pure indulgence, healing and rejuvenation, combining the physical and spiritual to a place of surrender. I call it going home to "God/Goddess". The Fantasy’s consist of Cleopatra Goddess, Snow Goddess, The Sacred Goddess, Fantasy Sisters and Hot n’ Spicy as well as Frangipani Goddess for Women.
TN: Tell us if there's anything you would like for Americans to do, to help promote tantra worldwide? Or, are there any teachers you’d like to invite to visit you in Australia to teach?
CW: I personally feel it would be fantastic and beneficial to acknowledge a world federation of authentic Tantric Practitioners and Schools to educate to the public that Tantra is not just about Sex but also about Love and Self so the emphasis is not just focused on the sexual connotation only. I would really be excited and honoured if you and traveling companions from OneTantra could join us in Perth Australia. Oh, and please send a message to Master Mantak Chia that we’d love to have him visit too.
TN: Please… spontaneously compose a poem or haiku that expresses your philosophy of life!
CW: Okay, here you go…
the Sacred Goddess has an existence known only to her
she is silent in herself, known only to a few
and is an illusion to many
For more, go to: http://sanctuaryoftantra.com.au/
