My name is Lorraine.
The blog name “Tantra Diva” was derived out of a necessity for a domain name, which would reflect who I am and what I believe in. Spiritually, I embrace Tantra. I love elements of its philosophy. That said, I fully acknowledge that describing myself as a Tantrik has no inherent meaning, the same way Christian, Muslim or Sikh don’t. Barack Obama and Donald Trump both describe themselves as Christian, yet they are entirely different personalities. The Tantrik label simply denotes what I ascribe to myself, and nothing else. “Why tantra?” explains why I became attracted to this philosophy. “So you’re a tantrik, eh?” , elucidates why the unidirectional focus on “sacred sex” in the West pisses me off. If you look on the internet, you would think that Tantra was mainly about White people having sex. Look at the images and articles. I felt compelled to correct this distortion, by producing some literature that would reflect a more holistic approach to life, which is actually what Tantra is.
In modern usage, the word ‘diva’ has both positive and negative connotations. It can denote a female artist who is enormously successful. It can also refer to a selfish and materialistic woman, who is very hard to please. The original Italian means ‘female deity’ or ‘goddess’. I am clearly not rich, famous, nor selfish. (Well, the latter point is debatable for many, since a lot of people think that I am selfish for living alone and not actively desiring children. I frankly don’t give a rat’s ass, because I have a social conscience which includes taking care of people who are not my friends nor blood-relations. Not everyone values nor prioritizes this approach to life) Obviously, then, what remains to be identified with is ‘goddess’.
I see myself as a reflection of mostly feminine energy. I believe we all have both essences to varying degrees, and I respect them both. However, feminine forces have been consistently degraded and dominated by misogynistic men over the millennia. I don’t mean to elevate the status of birthing pain over all of the suffering that women are forced to endure, but I do believe that more men would develop a greater respect for women, if they became witnesses to women giving birth. Hearing my friend howl, and watching her endure the pain of birthing her first child, was one of the most awe-inspiring and humbling moments of my life. Not every woman can or will give birth, but every woman is a goddess with sacred energies within her, and we ought to respect her and them.
I am privileged enough to hold a Bachelor’s of Public Affairs and Policy Management from Carleton University in Ottawa. I specialized in International Development, and this contributes to why I cannot embrace religious myths too fully. I have a preference for direct observation, evidence-based truths and statistics where possible. I am fully bilingual in both of Canada’s official languages, and have worked in various jobs. I started this blog in 2014 to express myself in what was my first love, the English language.
I am not a part of the 1%: The rich 1% that is. I am part of the 1-3% with an INFJ personality type. I care about people and the state of the planet. I would not want to be part of the wealthy 1%, unless I could give most of the money away. We are only here for a short period of time in the history of life. Why live as though this material existence is all that there is? Why should our earthly value be denoted by how many possessions we have? What exactly are we serving: A mirage that we have constructed or life itself? It is important to live with purpose and enjoy the fruits of the Earth, but it is also important to remember that other people have the same rights as you, and are no less significant than you. We are born EQUAL.
I like who I am because I determine who I am. Since I started meditating in 2007, I have gained more mindfulness and awareness of my thoughts, body and environment. This does not mean that I am constantly in euphoric bliss, nor do I believe that this is attainable and healthy, unless one consciously chooses to ignore the suffering in the world. It simply means that I am very aware of myself, know my proclivities and choose to be loving and kind to people. If I cannot achieve this, I stay away from them.
My blog encompasses spirituality, social justice, politics, personalities and miscellaneous topics which I find interesting. Please feel free to write in and comment on my articles. Share them on social media if you find them of merit. For those who wish to contact me in private, you can email me at lorraine [at] tantradiva [dot] com.
Thank you for visiting and happy reading. Cheers, Lorraine.
Author’s photo by Sébastien-Charles Boitel