It is not news anymore, yoga is today what fitness was to the 80’s. More than just a physical practice, it has become a real lifestyle crossing body, mind and spirit.
With the popularity of this ancient art rise modern and very creative practices such as couple yoga or sensual yoga.
They are practices using the shapes of yoga to create a unique experience for couples (and it does not include sexuality but more of sensuality!).
You have no idea of what we are talking about? Check by yourself in this short video (and don’t worry, you can watch this video in a public place)
Couple yoga is gaining popularity as the yogis who had the chance to practice feel it strengthens the relationship with their partners and creates a fun experience.
Yoga and sex life are linked. If you are curious how, stick around for more.
Body, mind, spirit.
Since its creation in the ancient times of India, the purpose of yoga has always been to allow the human kind to access enlightenment, following the spiritual path Buddha once took. Yoga is not only a physical practice but a whole set of tools to live a blissed life – meditation, breathing techniques, philosophy of life.
Zooming on the physical aspect of yoga, called Asana, it has been chosen by most of the modern yoga gurus as the entry door to the spiritual path to enlightenment, and not without reason.
The physical practice of asana has indeed many very positive impacts on the person who practices:
On the body: asana can be intense enough to really carve the body of the practitioner, allowing it to become toned and fit. Combined to a strengthening of the muscles, asana practice also lengthens them, which increases their flexibility, allowing yogis to deepen their practice day after day (and do the “wowing” poses you see on Instagram).
On the mind: Yoga’s purpose is to bring the mind into the present moment, to calm its activity by dropping into the breath and movement. Vinyasa, a branch of yoga, focuses the most on this particularity and its effect on the mind is potent.
On the spirit: Beyond just calming the activity of the mind, a regular and consistent practice of asana as well as meditation allows the spirit to elevate, detach from the vicissitudes of the material life and take the path towards enlightenment (how about that!).
How can the practice of Yoga influence our sex life?
Sex and yoga are similar activity: they both involve a physical effort, they need a withdrawal of thoughts and they can elevate the spirit to higher heights (hello orgasm!).
So, what we do on the mat certainly influences what we do in bed.
1. It gets you FIT!
After some time practicing asana, the body becomes more toned and flexible. And guess what this allows to do in bed? More positions, expanding your limits !
For example, chair pose or all warrior poses strengthen the legs which allows to stay longer in sex positions such as standing positions or lunges positions. There are even sex positions that are oddly closely similar to yoga poses : bridge, wheel, lunge, tree pose. So next time you practice these asanas, get some extra motivation from the thought that this could also be useful in bed !
For us women, there is a specific technique used in asana called Mula Bandha which consists of contracting the muscles of the perineum (like a Kegel exercice).
Source: yogajournal.com
A toned and muscled perineum allows more sensations during penetration. In the sexual branch of yoga, Tantric yoga, it is even said that a woman can reach an orgasm only by using their Mula Bandha combined with breathing – you are welcome to try and let us know if it worked!
2. It prepares your mind:
Many of us feel a shift in their state of mind after a yoga practice. This state, which is interestingly called a “yogasm”, is the BEST state to have sex. So next time you hit the mat, book a session with your partner right after that and see how this feels – most certainly different from the other times.
Yoga as a lifestyle allows us to live life in a much calmer and relaxed way. It teaches the art of living in the present moment. Whatever we do, would it be washing the dishes or having sex, we do fully. And we all know that there is nothing better than having sex while being 100% present !
So, yes, yoga has the power to positively influence our sex life, if we already have a basic canvas for our it: an open mind and communication with our partner, a healthy lifestyle and enough self-awareness of our body.
Inspired to go further?
If you want to take the path of yoga for a healthy and aligned life, try and start with a studio that gives classes for beginners to master the basics of this ancestral practice.
It is important to find a teacher who knows how to guide their students, especially beginners, so that you don’t push themselves too much !
If you already took the beautiful path of yoga, try partner/sensual yoga.
Image credit: doyouyoga.com
It will certainly reinforce your bonds and foster the feeling of trust. For busy couples who have left sensuality on the side, it is a perfect practice to rediscover how it feels to touch and move with their partner’s body. Last but not least, it creates a fun moment to live together – prepping for another fun practice, in the bedroom!
Sources:
- Yoga Journal
- Doyouyoga
- http://www.yogajournal.com/article/practice-section/to-infinity-and-beyond/
