Tantric Yoga Techniques

by Matthew Firestone

Zen is about as intricate, layered and complex as a lotus flower in full bloom, though the mysteries of this ancient Eastern philosophy are not as incomprehensible as you might imagine. On the contrary, the ability to calm the body and mind, and experience insight into the nature of your existence, is entirely within your grasp.

For starters, it helps to know that the fundamentals of Zen Buddhism lie in a practice known as zazen or literally ’seated meditation.’ Since practitioners of Zen believe that new perspectives and insights on existence will lead you down the road to enlightenment, meditation truly holds the key for unlocking your inner self.

On that note, today’s post is all about the 4 easy steps to blissful meditation.

Looking to discover the Buddha-nature within through meditation and mindfulness of daily experiences? Here are some quick and easy steps for reaching nirvana:

1) Assume the position. In Japanese seated meditation or zazen, there are three different types of leg positions: full-lotus, half-lotus and seiza (kneeling posture). All three have their varying degrees of pain and discomfort, though no one ever said that the road to enlightenment was easy!

2) Mind your posture. Your mother was right - a straight back and a strong spine really will serve you well in life. If your body is threatening to turn into a jellyfish, you can reinforce your posture by sitting on a small pillow or cushion. You can also fold your hands together over your belly, which is the body’s natural center of gravity.

3) There is no spoon. Start breathing deep from the belly, lower the eyelids halfway, and then find that sweet spot between conscious distraction and unconscious sleep. In the early stages of learning zazen, you need to develop your concentration skills by focusing on the natural rhythms of your breathing.

4) Reach nirvana. The fourth and final step in blissful meditation isn’t something you can expect to achieve in the first session, but it’s a respectable goal nevertheless. The key in zazen is to develop what is known as ‘one-pointedness of the mind,’ which allows you to focus all of your attention on a kōan or singular object of meditation.

Here is the cool part:

Kōan generally contain aspects that are inaccessible to rational understanding, such as the famous question, “Two hands clap and there is a sound, but what is the sound of one hand clapping?”

So, if you want to answer questions that are not answerable by mere intellectual reasoning, then practice these four easy steps to blissful meditation, and start uncovering the secrets of the universe.

Source: www.gadling.com

If you are a woman that dreams of a man who will worship you — who will feed you strawberries as you lie naked on satin sheets and massage your skin with scented oil as he dusts a feather up and down your body, then read on. If you are a man who wants to deepen your sexual pleasure and improve your love relationship (which includes having more sex) then tantric sex might be for you.

What is it?

The word tantra means a tool for expansion. The heart of tantric sex is learning to see your lover as truly divine and holy. During lovemaking the five senses are engaged and an intimate connection is created between lovers using breath, meditation, and body positions. The tantric sexual experience engages the body as a whole instead of focussing exclusively on exciting the genitals in order to achieve orgasm. Not that orgasm is left out of tantric sex—many participants describe the orgasms they experience, after connecting in such an intimate way with their partner, as bliss. In fact tantra teaches that harnessing one’s desire and using the energy of sexual arousal can lead to self-realization and enlightenment. Sex as a path to enlightenment—certainly sounds better than fasting and selling your worldly possessions!

There is openness, a revealing of oneself within tantric sex, which can feel a little threatening if you’ve been raised with the idea that sex is a physical activity with a goal in mind. So it may work best if the ideas and exercises are introduced slowly, with a sense of excitement and anticipation that are sure to peak your partner’s curiosity. There are some common elements — for instance one central tantric ritual includes these five items, alcohol, meat, fish, kidney beans and ritual intercourse. Aside from the kidney beans that doesn’t sound much different than our western view of a date, so how hard could it be to incorporate these erotic foreign practices into your usual bedroom routine? Not hard at all, here’s where to start. (more…)

Tantra is a Hindu yoga term that defines the sexual merging of two lovers. You can improve your sex life by first establishing a higher level of intimacy between you and your partner. Tantric sex techniques are as much about the preparation for intercourse as they are about the act itself. There are several steps you can take before intercourse ever happens to increase intimacy and strengthen the bond you share with your partner.

Step 1

Schedule an hour a week for you and your partner to share intimate time. Choose a quiet place to be alone, and make this scheduled time a priority. Show each other that the relationship and the desire to make it stronger are important to each of you.

Step 2

Dim the lights for your intimate time. You can light candles and add seductive aromas to enhance the mood. You and your partner can also play erotic music as a background for your time together.

Step 3

Sit cross-legged on the floor facing each other and let your hands rest on your knees, palms up. Look into each other’s eyes and concentrate on breathing slowly and deeply, matching your partner. Practice doing this until you can hold each other’s gaze for 10 minutes.

Step 4

Explore each other physically with soft, gentle touches. You should both feel safe enough to gently guide the other’s hands to the parts of your body that you want caressed. Be open with your partner about what works for you to create intimacy, and don’t be afraid to ask for what you want.

Sourse: www.ehow.com

Marijuana and Sex: A Classic Combination
by Terry Necco www.cannabisculture.com

Marijuana and sex are gifts of nature. We enjoy them because biology and evolution have equipped us to do so. Just as our bodies contain pleasure systems which reward us for sex; our brains contain neurocellular circuitry which can only be activated by substances with THC’s molecular structure. This makes the marijuana high a unique constellation of feelings, and there are only two sources for the substances which activate THC’s very own neuroreceptor. Our brain is one source: it generates a neurochemical very similar to THC, called anandamide.

Translated, the word means bliss. The only other source for this bliss-producing substance is the cannabis plant.

Being stoned or sexually aroused both produce similar physiological responses, such as increased heart rate, heightened sensitivity, changes in blood flow and respiration, relaxation and an acutely altered state of consciousness. Neurochemistry, hormonal systems, and brain regions such as the temporal lobe are affected by both marijuana and sexual arousal.

Sex and pot provide us with euphoric peak experiences, unity of body and mind, a healing escape from routine existence. If other people are involved with us in sexual activity or marijuana use, such experiences can be especially intimate and revelatory, facilitating trusting, loving relationships.

Pot the aphrodisiac

Marijuana has been used as an aphrodisiac for thousands of years, yet ironically it has also been used to decrease sexual desire. Ancient sacred texts reveal how to use marijuana to increase sexual pleasure, but modern research teaches an equally important lesson: marijuana’s effects are determined by the personality, physiology, intention, environment, and culture of the user. (more…)