Can Ancient Ritual Heal Modern Separation Anxiety?

Two hours after sunset in the mountains outside of Ojai on the Winter Solstice, the longest, darkest night of the year, I lost signal on my GPS. Even though I am a country girl at heart, I still felt disconcerted blindly navigating a landscape without streetlamps, without gas stations, even without other drivers on the road. Why when I’m lost do I feel like a superstitious medieval sailor who might drive off the end of the Earth to never be heard from again? I took a few deep breaths and put on an old Mose Allison album to steady my nerves.

Yab-Yum Images In Tibetan Buddhist Art

One of the most provocative features of Tibetan Buddhist sacred art is the frequent depiction of male and female spiritual beings locked in intimate sexual embrac – referred to in the Tibetan language as “yab-yum” or “father-mother” aspect. Whether shown seated together in meditative equipose or standing in dynamic unison while treading upon lesser beings representing spiritual obstacles, the appearance of these radiant couples in the context of Buddhist spiritual culture invokes a variety of responses in the minds of those unfamiliar with Vajrayäna, the tantric branch of Mahäyäna Buddhism. Initial reactions when first exposed to such images vary greatly, often strongly colored by the viewer’s religious beliefs and dispositions, as well as by the viewer’s attitudes concerning sexuality in general. But whether the sight of the images evokes an amused smile or a contemptuous scowl, it is almost certain to at least raise an eyebrow. While the full meaning and significance of the yab-yum imagery present in Tibetan religious iconography cannot be adequately conveyed in a brief article such as this, a respectful introduction to the subject is certainly possible and desirable.