Margo Anand describes the "anti-ecstatic conspiracy" in modern life. We often forget the potential of our perceptual and emotional systems to create states of bliss. She discusses Hindu "tantra" as the art of expanding consciousness through an appreciation of the senses and the body. She takes issue with the Western traditions that create a duality between carnal and spiritual knowledge � suggesting instead that sexuality is a spiritual function. She describes various exercises that can enable couples to open to the sacred dimensions of spirituality.

Margo Anand is founder and director of the Skydancing Institute based in San Rafael, California, with offices in eight countries. She is author of The Art of Sexual Ecstasy, The Art of Sexual Magic, and The Art of Everyday Ecstasy.