How tantra changed my life in Spain

WHEN Amanda Jardine moved to Spain five years ago she first landed a plum job as an estate agent.

But, as the recession started to kick in, she realised the real estate sector was in deep trouble.

It was only by complete accident that the mother-of-two from Bedfordshire discovered her new vocation: as a tantra masseur.

“It happened after my normal masseur was off sick, but I found an advert for a tantra massage.

“I had no idea what it was and all I knew was that it was different.”

The two hour session literally blew her away. “It was amazing and it straight away made me want to learn about it,” she explains.

Coming from the Tao philosophy, which is big in China, Japan and the Far East, the form of massage particularly concentrates on touch.

Amanda – who has dozens of clients around Andalucia – explains how there are many different protocols for touch in western society, most of them adhering to strict rules of personal space.

“Hopefully you can hug your mother, but you generally shake hands with your father. You can hug your siblings… but not for too long!

“You mustn’t get too close and don’t invade people’s personal space.”

Yet, humans, she explains, have an in-built need to be touched, which develops right from birth.

“It is one of the most important senses and skin is our biggest organ, yet we ignore it most of the time,” explains Amanda, who lives near Sotogrande.

“In the East people are much more tactile – touch is seen as a healer – and when you caress someone it has a healing effect.

“Tantra works on the sense of touch but it hones in on the energy in the body.”

Working with the base chakra, alongside meditation, breathing, movement and massage.

It is a much deeper form of massage that works on the same sexual energy that eventually leads to climax.

“But it is not sex and you do not come to ejaculation,” explains Amanda, who likens the feeling to the energy we feel when scoring a goal in football.

“It is also similar to the calming, soothing sensation of sitting on a beach and watching the sunset,” she adds. “The sensation of taking your breath away and making you feel at one with yourself.”

To book a session call Amanda visit www.astartelife.com on 669894550