Unbeknownst to many, the original spirituality practiced in early Christian communities and by Jesus himself was a tantric spirituality. In the West, Tantra often evokes images of arcane rituals or acrobatic sexual positions, while in reality Tantra is a holistic transformative path of life, love, and being–grounded in practice.

Offering a new understanding of Jesus as guru and master of left-handed Tantra, James Reho, an Episcopal priest and tantric initiate, reframes the Christian story and restores to modern Christianity the tantric wisdom that faded from church thought and practice and was forgotten over the centuries. He explains how tantric Christianity views the human body as the primary “temple” of the holy, with erotic energy as the signature of Divine Presence within.

Rev. Reho reveals how these heart-opening practices are rooted in eros, the life of deep desire, expressive of God’s grace within us, and are still alive in monastic practices in the Christian East. Integrating his personal spiritual experiences, years of study of ancient Christian mysticism, and an expertise in yoga and tantra, Reho shows how we can re-engage the original truths of the early church to affirm the body as a holy vehicle and to utilize the energy of the erotic to achieve ecstatic union with the Divine.

The Rev. James Reho, Ph.D., RYT-200, is the pastor of Lamb of God Lutheran-Episcopal Church (Estero, FL), a scholar, yogi, and an initiate in both Western and Eastern spiritual lineages.  He lectures and leads workshops in meditation and spiritual practice, Christian Tantra, and sacred ecology. James is the developer of Awakening: A Kirtan Mass and writes for Parabola and Psychology Tomorrow. His first book, Tantric Jesus: The Erotic Heart of Early Christianity (Foreword by Matthew Fox; Destiny Press, 2017), has already received high praise. James holds advanced degrees in Divinity and Chemistry as well as a degree in Asian Studies. He was a researcher and professor of chemistry before studying for the clergy, and is also a music lover who plays piano, guitar and the fiddle as well as Indian percussion. He resides in Southwest Florida with his wife and dog, and tries to meditate every day. James’ website is jamesreho.org.