Avatar bodies : a tantra for posthumanism

241 Pages·2004·1.011 MB·English

by  Weinstone, Ann

Avatar Bodies:
A Tantra for
Posthumanism,
Volume 10
Ann Weinstone
University of Minnesota Press
Avatar Bodies
Electronic Mediations
Katherine Hayles,Mark Poster,and Samuel Weber,series editors
Volume  Avatar Bodies: A Tantra for Posthumanism
Ann Weinstone
Volume  Connected,or What It Means to Live in the Network Society
Steven Shaviro
Volume  Cognitive Fictions
Joseph Tabbi
Volume  Cybering Democracy: Public Space and the Internet
Diana Saco
Volume  Writings
Vilém Flusser
Volume  Bodies in Technology
Don Ihde
Volume  Cyberculture
Pierre Lévy
Volume  What’s the Matter with the Internet?
Mark Poster
Volume  High Techne¯: Art and Technology from the Machine Aesthetic to
the Posthuman
R.L.Rutsky
Volume  Digital Sensations: Space,Identity,and Embodiment in Virtual Reality
Ken Hillis
Avatar Bodies
A Tantra for Posthumanism
Ann Weinstone
Electronic Mediations,Volume 
University ofMinnesota Press
Minneapolis • London
Poetry from Songs ofEcstasyby Hugh B.Urban copyright 2001 by Hugh B.Urban.
Reprinted by permission ofOxford University Press,Inc.
Excerpts from letters and teachings ofDharmanidhi Sarasvati,spiritual director of
Tantric College ofAmerica,reprinted with permission.
Correspondence from Chris Kraus reprinted with permission.
Copyright 2004 Ann Weinstone
All rights reserved.No part ofthis publication may be reproduced,stored in
a retrieval system,or transmitted,in any form or by any means,electronic,
mechanical,photocopying,recording,or otherwise,without the prior written
permission ofthe publisher.
Published by the University ofMinnesota Press
111 Third Avenue South,Suite 290
Minneapolis,MN 55401-2520
http://www.upress.umn.edu
Library ofCongress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Weinstone,Ann (Lalita Sarasvati).
Avatar bodies :a tantra for posthumanism / Ann Weinstone.
p. cm.— (Electronic mediations ;v.10)
Includes bibliographical references.
ISBN0-8166-4146-3 (hc :alk.paper) — ISBN0-8166-4147-1 (pbk.:
alk.paper)
1. Philosophical anthropology. 2. Body,Human (Philosophy).
3. Humanism. I. Title. II. Series.
BD450.W445 2003
128—dc22 2003021040
Printed in the United States ofAmerica on acid-free paper
The University ofMinnesota is an equal-opportunity educator and employer.
12 11 10 09 08 07 06 05 04 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
For Elaine and Nicola
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Contents
Acknowledgments xi
(cid:2) Pleasure Ψ 
Ψ Every Relation but One:Part I 
Ψ (Post)Humanism Ψ 
(cid:2) Suspension 
Ψ Deconstruction and Posthumanism? Ψ 
(cid:2) Nonphilosophy Ψ 
(cid:2)Ψ Tidal Kneeplay Ψ(cid:2) 
(cid:2) Deleuze and Derrida:You Are Other Ψ 
Ψ To Have 
To Belong (cid:2) 
(cid:2)(cid:2) Fiora Raggi Kneeplay 
(cid:2) Tantra for Posthumanism Ψ 
Ψ Speaking ofAssimilation Ψ 
(cid:2) Avatar Bodies Ψ 
Ψ First City Kneeplay (cid:2) 
(cid:2) Insect Threads Ψ 
Case Ψ 
Ψ Insects and Buddhists Ψ 
Ψ The Insect Self 
The Insect Yogi Ψ 
Ψ Knowing,Caring (cid:2) 
(cid:2) Second City Kneeplay (cid:2) 
Ψ Sorcerer Series I:The Island Sorcerer (An Introduction) Ψ 
Ψ Some Celibate Erotics (cid:2) 
Ψ V¯ıraAction Ψ 
Ψ The Wasp and the Orchid (cid:2) 
Ψ Sorcerer Series II:The Yogi Sorcerer Ψ 
Ψ Sex Scene (cid:2) 
(cid:2) Becoming Woman,Becoming Yogini (cid:2) 
Ψ English Tantra or the Imperceptible Man 
ΨΨ V¯ıraBha¯vaKneeplay 
Sorcerer Series III:Rheya (cid:2) 
Ψ Sorcerer Series IV:The Miracle ofthe Rogue 
Ψ Heroes ofDifference (cid:2) 
(cid:2) Third City Kneeplay:The Wasp and the Orchid Cross a Letter Ψ 
(cid:2) Emanation/Expression (cid:2)Ψ 
(cid:2) Three Bodies Ψ 
(cid:2) Three Bodies:Exposition in Preparation for the Avatar Body Ψ 
Ψ Avatar and Expression (cid:2) 
Ψ The Difference Difference 
(cid:2)Ψ Avatar Bodies,an Invitation Ψ(cid:2) 
Ψ Itaraand Avata¯ra (cid:2) 
(cid:2) Tantric Bodies (cid:2) 
(cid:2)(cid:2) Fourth City Kneeplay 
(cid:2) Eating,Well... 
ΨΨ Eating Animals 
(cid:2) Vegetarians,Brahmins Ψ 
(cid:2) Tantra’s Third Way (cid:2) 
(cid:2) The Responsibility ofthe (Postdeconstructive) Subject Ψ 
(cid:2) Love and Justice (cid:2) 
Experience (cid:2) 
(cid:2) Intuition,Perhaps 
(cid:2) A Tantra for Posthumanism Ψ 
. Bha¯va 
. I Am Speaking ofDevotion (Bhakti) 
. Discipleship (D¯ıksa¯) 
˙
. Iteration (Japa) 
. Transindividualism (Nya¯sa) 
. Enjoyment,Intoxication (Bhoga) 
. Gesture (Mudra¯) 
(cid:2)Ψ Fifth City Kneeplay:Solaris in Your Eyes 
Ψ Epistlirium (cid:2) 
(cid:2) Every Relation but One:Part II Ψ 
Ψ Hard to Say 
Ψ The Postal Age ΨΨ 
Ψ (Post) Heroism Ψ 
Ψ Post Heroism Ψ 
Post Ψ Post 
Ψ The Sacrificial Structure ofthe Post 
(cid:2)(cid:2) Fire (cid:2)(cid:2) 
))) Water 
(cid:3) Flesh (cid:3) 