Urban Tantra: Sacred Sex for the Twenty-First Century book cover

Urban Tantra

Sacred Sex for the Twenty-First Century

Barbara Carrellas
3.98 (1633 Reviews)

Overview of Urban Tantra

Urban Tantra revolutionizes intimacy by blending ancient practices with modern urban life. Celebrating its 10th anniversary with an expanded edition, this guide offers 100+ techniques for mind-blowing orgasmic states. What sexual wisdom awaits when spirituality meets inclusive pleasure across all orientations?

Key Themes in Urban Tantra

  • sacred sexuality
  • ecstatic meditation
  • conscious kink
  • inclusive tantra
  • embodied spirituality

Quotes from Urban Tantra

  • Ecstasy is medically necessary for human health.

  • Tantra isn't exclusively about sex.

  • Our minds can be our most powerful allies or worst enemies.

  • Energy follows thought.

  • Every thought creates your future.

Characters in Urban Tantra

  • Barbara CarrellasAuthor and founder of the Urban Tantra approach
  • Betty DodsonSex educator who praised the book's methods
  • Carol QueenSex educator and advocate for radical exploration
  • Wilhelm ReichPsychologist who studied the necessity of ecstasy

About the Author

About the Author of Urban Tantra

Barbara Carrellas, author of Urban Tantra: Sacred Sex for the Twenty-First Century, is a groundbreaking sex educator and founder of the Urban Tantra® method. She blends sacred sexuality practices with modern erotic exploration, bridging ancient Tantric traditions and contemporary themes like BDSM, queer inclusivity, and breath-driven energy orgasms. Her work offers accessible spiritual and sexual empowerment.

Carrellas’s expertise extends to her other acclaimed books, including Ecstasy is Necessary: A Practical Guide to Sex, Relationships and Oh So Much More and Luxurious Loving: Tantric Inspirations for Passion and Pleasure.

A certified sexologist and lecturer at institutions like Vassar College and the Museum of Sex, Carrellas has been featured on CBS News and TLC’s Strange Sex for her pioneering "thinking off" techniques developed during the AIDS epidemic. Recognized with a Lifetime Achievement Award at the Sexual Freedom Awards, her Urban Tantra® workshops have empowered global audiences. Urban Tantra, now in its revised second edition, remains a seminal guide for those seeking holistic intimacy and transformative erotic practices.

Download Summary of Urban Tantra

Get the Urban Tantra summary as a free PDF or EPUB. Print it or read offline anytime.

FAQs About This Book

Urban Tantra reimagines ancient Tantra for modern life, blending erotic techniques with spiritual practices to deepen intimacy and pleasure. It offers over 100 exercises—from breathwork to energy orgasms—that cater to all genders, orientations, and desires, emphasizing mindfulness and the sacredness of sexuality as a path to personal transformation.

This book is ideal for anyone exploring sexuality, spirituality, or conscious intimacy, including LGBTQ+ communities, kink/BDSM practitioners, and those seeking healing through erotic energy. It’s especially valuable for urban dwellers wanting practical, non-dogmatic tools to enhance solo or partnered experiences.

Yes—readers praise its inclusive, accessible approach to Tantra, with actionable exercises and queer-friendly perspectives. Critics note some oversimplification of traditional practices, but most agree it’s a groundbreaking guide for modern sexual explorers.

Core practices include:

  • Conscious breathing to amplify arousal and presence.
  • Erotic Awakening Massage for energy circulation.
  • Energy orgasms achievable without physical touch.
  • Rituals blending BDSM and mindfulness.

Carrellas frames sex as a meditative practice, where pleasure becomes a gateway to self-discovery and connection. Techniques like eye-gazing and slow touch aim to merge erotic and spiritual ecstasy, fostering "sacred intimacy" beyond traditional Tantra’s heteronormative roots.

Some reviewers find its approach too secular or simplistic for seasoned Tantra practitioners. Others feel its inclusivity efforts occasionally feel forced, though most applaud its focus on consent, trauma sensitivity, and diverse erotic expressions.

While both advocate sexual freedom, Urban Tantra focuses on spiritual-technical practices (e.g., breathwork, energy play), whereas The Ethical Slut emphasizes polyamory and relational ethics. They complement each other for holistic erotic empowerment.

Yes—its mindfulness exercises, body-positive framing, and emphasis on consent provide tools to reclaim agency. Readers report success using rituals like "Healing Heart Meditation" to process past experiences safely.

A pioneer in queer-inclusive sex education, Carrellas merges performance art, bodywork, and Tantra. She founded Urban Tantra® to democratize sacred sexuality, prioritizing pleasure as a catalyst for personal and social change.

No—over a third of exercises are solo practices, such as self-massage and breath-based orgasms. Carrellas stresses that self-discovery is foundational for partnered play.

It reframes kink as sacred ritual when done consensually, advocating "conscious kink" where power exchange deepens spiritual connection. Techniques like sensation play are paired with Tantric breathing for heightened states.

Pleasure is a gateway to self-mastery: by staying present, embracing desire, and honoring the body, anyone can transform ordinary moments into ecstatic, spiritually-aligned experiences.

Explore Your Way of Learning

Urban Tantra isn't just a book — it's a masterclass in Relationship. To help you absorb its lessons in the way that works best for you, we offer five unique learning modes. Whether you're a deep thinker, a fast learner, or a story lover, there's a mode designed to fit your style.

Quick Summary Mode

Read or listen to Urban Tantra Summary in 9 Minutes

Break down key ideas from Urban Tantra into bite-sized takeaways to understand how innovative teams create, collaborate, and grow.

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Urban Tantra Lessons Told Through 25-Min Stories

Experience Urban Tantra through vivid storytelling that turns innovation lessons into moments you'll remember and apply.

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Experience Urban Tantra in your own learning style

Ask anything, choose your learning style, and co-create insights that truly resonate with you.

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