The History of Yoga and Sex

The word "yoga" comes from Sanskrit, and it means to bind back, to reunite, or to bring together that which has been divided.   As such yoga can be used to yoke together the body, mind, and spirit.   Some of the oldest records of yoga were found in ancient Tibetan scrolls more than 10,000 years ago.   Around 200 A.D. the technologies of yoga were systemized by a man named Patanjali, the author of Yoga Sutras who is also known as the father of yoga.  Since then, this science of the care, maintenance, and preservation of the human body, mind, and spirit has been guarded through the centuries. 

            During the Classical Epoch (200-800 A.D.) when yoga was systemized, a large portion of it was recorded and preserved.  The Patanjali  Yoga Sutras are still considered the foundation of yoga today.  This philosophy describes an eight-fold path which includes Yama (the five restraints: nonviolence, truthfulness, non-stealing, continence, and non-possessiveness), Nivama (the five disciplines: purity, contentment, scriptural study, austerity, and surrender to God), Asana (postures or poses), Pranayama (breath control), Pratyhara (synchronization of senses and thoughts), Dharana (one-pointed concentration), Dhyana (deep meditation), and Samadhi (awakening and absorption of spirit).

Sex and yoga have been intertwined since the beginning.  The Tantra principles, for example, connect sexuality to spirituality through meditation.  Tantra is a term loosely applied to several divergent schools of Hindu yoga in which the sexual union of the male and female is worshipped in practice or in principle.  It is thought that without developing one's own sensitivity it is impossible to be sensitive to another, and therefore one of the secrets of the Tantrics is that the pleasure of the man is not in his own pleasure, but is in the pleasure of the woman.  One major strand of Hindu yoga that dates back to before the medieval period in India focuses on meditation and ceremonies honoring the vulva (yoni puja) and the penis (linga puja).  Tantra yoga has had influences on religions such as Bon, Tibetan Buddhism, Taoism, Christianity, Judaism, and Transcendentalism.  A good sex life has long been recognized as integral for a person's health and happiness ...  in fact, it was not uncommon in ancient times for Chinese of Hindu doctors to tell patients suffering from various complaints to have two orgasms and call them in the morning!

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            Dan Brown sums up the ancients' view on male sexuality in his book, The Da Vinci Code: "It is important to remember that the ancients' view of sex was entirely opposite from ours today.  Sex begot new life the ultimate miracle and miracles could be performed only by a god.  The ability of the woman to produce life from her womb made her sacred.  A god.  Intercourse was the revered union of the two halves of the human spirit male and female through which the male could find spiritual wholeness and communion with God."

            Kundalini yoga is another yogic tradition that pays attention to sex, and one that the Westerner might find easier to understand and practice.  Kundalini means "lock of hair from the beloved." The Kundalini is awakened when the hair is uncoiled.  When the hair is uncoiled creative potential is unlocked and set free.  In Kundalini yoga, streams of energy are thought to be raised in the body by means of conscious postures (asanas) and strenuous breath control (pranayama).  The practice of Kundalini yoga, which is known for helping one harness and increase sexual energy, is the yoga school we will be focusing on here.  It is interesting to note that while originally Classical Yoga was developed for those who withdrew from the world to focus on spiritual development people such as monks and yogis. Kundalini Yoga was developed for the everyday person who lived in the world, had a job and a family, and wanted to balance the inside world with the outside world. 

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Yoga and Male Sexuality Today

Can a series of poses, deep breathing, and meditation really improve the male sex life? Absolutely! To begin with, to have a fulfilling sex life, you must be in good health.  And yoga postures and breathing help promote a state of optimal health.  The healing power of yoga is very strong so strong that men who are impotent can regain their potency as they regain their overall health.

            Let's talk about the poses also known as asanas first.  Certain asanas open up the hip and groin, loosen up the pelvis, massage the prostate, and promote healthy blood flow to the reproductive and pelvic areas.  In Kundalini yoga, certain poses affect certain chakras, which directly impact sexuality by unleashing and increasing sexual energy.  More on the chakra system a little later. 

            What is one of today's biggest sex killers for men? Fatigue.  The stretching sends greater blood flow to the muscles, which stimulates all the nerve endings.  This makes the practitioner feel more alive and energized, and therefore more in the mood.

            Yoga relaxes the mind as well as the body, and a relaxed mind is key for a harmonious sex life.  Some believe that the inflammatory chemicals secreted when under stress dampen the reproductive system, and it is a well-known fact that stress causes blood to flow away from the genitals toward the extremities.  In addition, people who are nervous when it comes to sex are often helped by the postures and breathing practices.   

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Sat Kriya         

• Sat Kriya is a very powerful, single-exercise kriya / meditation.  

• Sit on the knees.

• Stretch the arms up.  The elbows should hug the sides of the head.

• Interlock the fingers of both hands, except for the index fingers.  The index fingers should be pointing straight up.

• Say the word sat (rhymes with "but") and you pull the navel up, in, and toward the spine.

• Say the word nam (rhymes with "mom") as you relax the belly. 

• Chant rhythmically and strongly about eight times in 10 seconds. 

• Inhale.  Squeeze the muscles from the buttocks all the way up the back to the shoulders.

• Allow the energy to flow up and out through the skull. 

• Hold for five to 10 seconds.

• Exhale and relax. 

• Practice for at least three minutes.

 Benefits

Sat Kriya is one of the most fundamental of all the Kundalini kriyas/meditations.  It should be practiced every day.  Beginners should start with one minute and work up to three minutes.  Sat Kriya strengthens the entire sexual system.  All the internal organs receive a massage from this meditation.  It also channels Kundalini energy. 

Relax for twice the amount of time that you practice Sat Kriya.  So if you practice for one minute, relax for two.  Relax on the back in Savasana (Corpse Posture, Photo 55).

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