Sacred Spiritual Sexuality & Tantra
Sex Positions & Eroticism of Kama Sutra, Tantric Philosophy, Goddess Worship, Yoga

Psychology has made clear the intimate link between sexuality, personality and human development as well as the need for human integration. Sexuality is an essential part of human nature and each person has to come to wholeness by being able to accept and balance the different aspects of their nature. Sexuality and spirituality may be seen to be connected. (Vardy, The Puzzle of Sex, 1997)

"Praised be the three aims of life, virtue (dharma), prosperity (artha), and love (kama), which are the subject of this work."
(The Complete Kama Sutra, 1994)

Life necessitates three kinds of activity: to assure its survival, its means of existence, and its nourishment; to realise its reproduction according to forms of activity generally connected with sexuality; and, lastly, to establish rules of behaviour that allow different individuals to perform their roles within the framework of the species. In human society, this is represented as three necessities, three aims of life: material goods (artha) assure survival; erotic practice (kama) assures the transmission of life; and rules of behaviour, a moral nature (dharma), assure the cohesion and duration of the species. (The Complete Kamasutra, translated by Alain Danielou, 1994)

The Kama Sutra is not a pornographic work. First and foremost, it is a picture of the art of living for the civilised and refined citizen, completing in the sphere of love, eroticism and the pleasures of life. (The Complete Kamasutra, Alain Danielou 1994)

Kama is to be learnt from the Kama Sutra (aphorisms on love) and from the practice of citizens.
(Kamasutra, 1883)

An ingenious person should multiply the kinds of congress after the fashion of the different kinds of beasts and of birds.
For these different kinds of congress, performed according to the usage of each country, and the liking of each individual, generate love, friendship, and respect in the hearts of women. (Kama Sutra, 1883)

And now for the love postures with which sculptors adorn our temple walls.
When a couple make love standing, or leaning against a wall or a pillar,it is called Sthita (Steadied)

When the woman sits in her lover's cradled hands, her arms around his neck,
thighs gripping his waist, her feet pushing back and forth against a wall,
it is Avalambitaka (Suspended) (Kama Sutra, 1883)

If she raises one leg, and you catch hold of her little foot,
caressing her breasts and telling her how much you love her,
it is Ekapada (One Foot)(Kama Sutra, 1883)

If, sitting facing her,you grasp her ankles
and fasten them like a chain behind your neck,
she grips her toes as you make love,
it is the delightful Padma (the Lotus)
(Kama Sutra, 1883)

Tantra embraces the natural energies of the bodies and connects you with cosmic, universal energy. It is becoming one with the other, and the very cosmos itself. (Swami Nostradamus Virato)

The word 'tantra' is related to the concept of weaving and its derivatives (thread, web, fabric, etc.) hinting at the interwovenness of things and actions, the interdependence of all that exists.. The scriptures which in Buddhism go under the name of Tantra are invariably of a mystic nature, i.e. , trying to establish an inner relationship of things: the parallelism of microcosm and macrocosm, mind and universe, ritual and reality, the world of matter and the world of spirit. This is the essence of Tantrism. (Lama Anagarika Govinda, 1969)

'In Tantra, sex is used as the cosmic union of opposites, to create the polarity charge that connects with the primordial energy from which everything arises in the universe .. the totality of All.' (http://www.askmen.com/sex/sextip/43_love_tip.html)

'By honoring the feminine divine, my workshops help women reconnect with their inner goddess – that aspect of self that is lovable, gorgeous, sassy, wise and invincible. Women everywhere can take time out for themselves every day, to stop, pamper and power their way to inner stardom.'
(Anita Ryan)

Yoga's view of sex is the same as of every other issue - moderation. Yoga considers sex to be a natural function, very beneficial in a loving relationship and, of course, essential for the continuation of the human race.

Yogis warn against overindulgence in sex since they consider this will deplete the life force. They state that the sexual secretions contain very concentrated life force and nutrients, since they contain the seeds of life. Depletion of life force results in a reduced vitality level and reduced resistance to disease. It also retards progress from the practice of yoga. A whole field of yoga called Tantric Yoga or Kundalini Yoga is concerned with harnessing the sexual power. Yoga enables one to get into meaningful relationships and enjoy the process, at the same time provides a path to use the powerful energy involved in sex.

The yogis consider that normal sexual function occurs when the reproductive system is in a state of optimum health. They have found that the most effective way of attaining this optimum health state is by doing yoga asanas and breathing exercises. Those who are physiologically weak and partially or wholly impotent may restore potency as they regain their physical health. Those who approach sexual matters nervously rather than relaxed may profit from previous relaxing yogic exercises.

Marriage counselors suggest that a relaxed condition is one of the essentials for a harmonious sex relationship because when hurried and strained it leaves the couple (the woman especially) dissatisfied and irritated, adversely affecting her entire well being. Indra Devi, author of many books on yoga, remarked that "The wives of several of my students have often told me that since their husbands had taken up Yoga exercises, their marital relationships had undergone remarkable changes."