YES. And this is exactly why I always say there is a reason some layers of tantric practice are secret, and why finding a trusted teacher is such a rare and deeply celebrated occurrence. There is a LOT that has been grossly misunderstood, watered down, sexualized, aestheticized, and frankly, completely removed from its original context, , especially through the Western lens. Tantra is not “sex.” It is not crystals, candles, sensual Instagram photos and calling it sacred. 😂 And Vāmācāra is not some rebellious, dark, “anything goes” path for people wanting to play with the occult. That is a very modern projection onto something far older and infinitely more nuanced. The left-hand path has traditionally involved moving toward that which we tend to reject, fear, repress or label as unacceptable, because consciousness can be transformed through how we meet those experiences. That requires an enormous amount of discernment. Some practices are not secret because they are “forbidden” or because someone is trying to withhold some mystical knowledge from you. They are held carefully because without the right preparation, context and guidance, you can very easily mistake the outer ritual for the actual practice. You can end up chasing the experience, the power, the sexuality, the symbolism or the aesthetic while completely missing what the practice is actually doing. There is a reason these traditions developed such rigorous systems around initiation, transmission and preparation. Tantra encompasses the body, sexuality, energy and the full human experience in certain lineages. But reducing an enormous and sophisticated spiritual tradition to sex is like looking at one window of a cathedral and deciding you understand the whole building. Honestly, the deeper I go, the more I understand why discernment, humility and the right teacher matter just as much as the practice itself.