Tantra glossary: 16 core terms explained
Anyone reading about tantra — out of curiosity, because of an app exercise, or because the word appeared on a retreat flyer — quickly runs into Sanskrit terms that sound self-explanatory and aren't. Short and clear, without esoteric ballast.
Tantra
Sanskrit for "loom" or "expansion". An Indian spiritual tradition that doesn't split off body, breath, presence and sexuality but weaves them together as paths to awareness. In the context of couples, tantra doesn't automatically mean sex — it means conscious experience together, and sexuality is one possible layer of that, not the core one.
Neo-Tantra
The umbrella term for the Western adaptation of tantric practices as they land with couples in Europe and North America. Osho, David Deida, Diana Richardson and Margot Anand are the most common references. Neo-Tantra is secular, everyday-compatible, and works strongly with breath, touch, eye contact and polarity — less with the ritual details of the classical Indian or Tibetan traditions.
Shiva
The masculine principle: awareness, presence, stillness, holding space. Important — not the same as "male gender". Every person carries Shiva qualities, regardless of body. In couples practice, Shiva is often the role that holds the frame: focus, direction, calm presence.
Shakti
The feminine principle: life energy, movement, flow, creativity. Again: not tied to a specific gender. Shakti is the force that makes awareness dance. In couples practice, often the role that brings expression and movement — feeling, sound, spontaneous reaction.
The Shakti/Shiva polarity is a central tool in tantric exercises: two people deliberately take on different qualities and then swap. Not because it would be "the right way", but because deliberate polarization often makes the connection perceptible in the first place.
Yoni
Sanskrit for the vulva. Literally "source" or "origin". In tantric tradition the term names the feminine womb-space as sacred — not merely as an anatomical part. That's why it's preferred over the clinical "vulva/vagina" or colloquial slang: it has reverence built in.
Lingam
Sanskrit for the penis, without the clinical coolness or crude vernacular. Literally "sign/mark". In tantric contexts used reverently — the counterpart to yoni, both linguistically and in meaning as a sacred embodiment of the masculine principle.
Prana
Life energy that flows into the body through the breath. Borrowed from the yoga tradition and just as central in tantra. Prana isn't meant mystically — everyone knows the feeling of being differently present in the body after a minute of conscious breathing. That's prana.
Pranayama
The conscious breathwork that directs prana. Includes concrete techniques (alternate-nostril breathing, belly breathing, extended exhalation) and forms the foundation of many tantric exercises. For couples, often the lowest-barrier entry: five minutes of shared conscious breathing, nothing else needed at first.
Chakra
Sanskrit for "wheel". Seven energy centers along the spine, from the pelvis (root chakra, Muladhara) to the crown (crown chakra, Sahasrara). Each chakra stands for a theme — grounding, sensuality, will, heart, expression, intuition, spaciousness. Whether you understand chakras as real energy centers or as a useful image system is secondary for practice: they give attention a place in the body.
Kundalini
The symbolic "serpent power" coiled at the base of the spine. In tantric imagery it rises through breath, movement and presence, passing through the chakras. Practically, what's meant is a waking of the senses, a flow of attention through the whole body — not a spiritual awakening event you have once and then own.
Mantra
A sound, word or phrase that gets repeated — as an anchor for presence. The best-known syllable is "Om" (also written "Aum"). For couples, mantras can also be hummed or spoken together: shared vibration creates an immediate connection layer that speech often doesn't.
Mudra
A conscious hand posture or gesture. Can gather energy or express intention. The best known is the anjali mudra: palms brought together in front of the heart — the classic Namaste greeting. Mudras are often used during meditation or breathwork.
Puja
A ritual of devotion or honoring. In the classical context dedicated to a deity; in couple tantra to the other person. Concretely: candles, conscious space, slow arrival, eye contact, mutual anointing or touch with an attitude of "I see you as sacred". Sounds big to secular ears — works surprisingly well when you commit to it.
Namaste
Literally "I bow to you". Recognition of the divine in the other person — a greeting that expresses equality and respect. Inflated in Western yoga culture, but in a tantric context a deliberate moment: the other person isn't everyday-ordinary, but singular. Hence the light bow and the hand gesture (anjali mudra).
Eye-gazing
Deliberate, extended looking into each other's eyes without words. Sounds trivial — but shifts perception for most couples within two to four minutes. The other person becomes visible again, beyond daily routine and roles. A standard entry point in almost any tantric couples practice because it works without prior knowledge and takes effect immediately.
Sacred Sex
Sexuality as conscious, meditative connection: slow, with breath, eye contact and presence. The goal isn't orgasm but connection and energy flow. Diana Richardson's "Slow Sex" is probably the most accessible English-language entry into this concept. Sacred Sex is a possible deepening of tantric couples practice, but explicitly not its entry — those who start there often miss that the foundations (breath, presence, touch) need to be laid first.
duoly has a Tantra mode
If you want a structured entry: duoly's Tantra mode guides you through 60 days of exercises grounded in classical and neo-tantric traditions. From arriving in the moment via eye contact and touch through to energy work and — if you choose — intimate exercises. Inside the app we've integrated the glossary in short form so you can look terms up directly when they appear in a daily task.