Relax With Yoga: 11. Sexual Principles and Practices in Yoga
In the Vedic and Upanishad periods of Yoga, total abstinence from sexual intercourse (brahmacarya), whether by action, mind or word was considered to be one of the highest virtues leading to Yoga. Later exponents of Yoga, however, interpreted the injunction toward a continent life to mean that one should maintain a dispassionate attitude toward sexual matters, and that there should be purity in sex. Some of the earlier Yogins stated that Yoga is mainly for the householder. The sage Swatmarama said that anyone can hope to achieve complete success in Yoga, even while living a wayward life, if he or she followed Yoga practice of sex hygiene. This is a practice for the cleanliness and preservation of the generative organs and the preservation of virility. Some of the older manuscripts state that a man may be considered celibate in the Yoga sense if he observes hygienic sex relations within the marriage bonds. In one of the tracts, it is stated that even a prostitute can attain the highest object of life by following Yoga. One of the problems that may be encountered in the practice of Yoga is that it may build up in the adherent such powerful sexual strength that it will be necessary to The bandhas and mudras discussed earlier are said to have a powerful effect on sexual potency. One asana of particular value in this respect is called Asvinimudra. In this, an attempt is made to simulate the action of a mare after she has excreted the bowel contents. This asana, or mudra, is best performed in a squatting position, or in any convenient posture which will allow free movements of the anal muscles. While practicing this, with every exhalation of the breath, contract the anus, concentrating on the anal sphincters and the broad ligaments of the perineum (which support the muscular fibers of the prostate and the erector muscles of the penis in the male and the muscles of the urogenital region in the female). After a deep and prolonged contraction, inhale slowly and let these muscles relax completely. When this is practiced, it increases blood circulation, and through its wavelike contraction and expansion and full relaxation, provides an internal massage to the deeper sex organs. It also gives tone to the reproductive organs, since it affects the finer sympathetic nerve endings. It is claimed that even sexual debility may be overcome through lengthy and regular practice of this exercise. It is suggested that this exercise be practiced only in the evening before retiring, and for about two minutes at a time. A problem affecting many men is frequent nocturnal discharges. To alleviate this, a pose known as Gorakasana Incomplete sexual acts, such as unsatisfied intercourse, self-abuse and often-repeated sexual excitements without orgasm, cause congestion of the sexual organs because of sustained dilation of the numerous capillaries in this region. There may also be harmful psychological effects. Under these abnormal conditions, the congested organs grow weaker for want of proper blood circulation. Their functions ultimately become so impaired as to set in strong reactions which, on the slightest sexual irritation or suggestive situation, cause premature emissions. In consequence, the muscular response also becomes poor, with feeble erections in the male, and inactivity of the clitoris and failure of the erectile tissues in the vaginal orifice to produce the necessary gripping in the female. Other troublesome conditions in this area arise from inflammation of the inner sex organs. This congestion or inflammation
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