Vamachara

2002, Vamachara, entry in James G. Lochtefeld, The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism: N-Z, page 736, Within the tantric tradiion itself there is a long-standing debate about the propriety of such acts, and whereas the vamachara practice uses these elements in their actual forms, in the dakshinachara ("right-hand") practice other items are substituted for the forbidden ones.

The other vamachara does indeed exist here with all its objectionable practices, in the name of the worship of innumerable petty female deities such as Mariyamman.

She also predicted the tantric sadhanas I would do in the future, both vamachara and dakshinachara. ‘Vamachara? I have no such plan, Mother.’ 'You will have to do lata sadhan, mahacheen kram, kaulik sadhana and mahamudra.' She laughed, for she had just named sadhanas that required a female consort.

Side by side with popular saivism, which was being guided by tantras, including those of vamacharas, from a fairly earl[y] period[…].

[…]he strongly reproves the yogic ideal of rejection of household life, indulgence in mortification of the body and the vamacharas for the realisation of so-called Mahasukha.

It is said that one is born into one of the dakshinacharas, but that one must be initiated into any of the vamacharas.