Kama is the enjoyment of
appropriate objects by the five senses of hearing, feeling, seeing, tasting
and smelling, assisted by the mind together with the soul.
The ingredient in this is a peculiar contact between the organ of sense and
its object,
and the consciousness of pleasure which arises from that contact is called
'Kama'.
(Kama Sutra)
Kama Sutra
The Kama Sutra is not a pornographic text.
It was written with the express purpose of cultivating an appropriate attitude
and skill in the art of making love.
Although public
perception regards the Kama Sutra as being a kind of sex manual, the skills it
suggests reach far beyond the bedroom.
As with the Japanese geisha, a well-rounded human being is expected to be
cultured and refined; artistic and eloquent.
The influence of many Indian practices can be seen in China; including breathing
methods, Buddhism, and yoga.
Artist
Women and men were expected to learn the sixty four arts of the Kama
Sutra.
These included the ability to be skilful, playful, understanding, refined,
sexual, beautiful and intelligent.
The Kama Sutra also expressed the importance of cultivating sensual moods and
intimacy, and an understanding of one another's nature.
The ancient Indians pay great attention to smell, light, music, food, drink and
touch before intercourse can begin.
Sex
The pictures of Kama Sutra sexual positions may look quite bizarre to
Western eyes.
There are in fact over 120 viable postures for penetration; all of them
variations on a theme: standing, sitting, above, below and between.
If you look on-line, there are many free copies of the text and some have
photographs and associated text which tends to be instructive rather than
vulgar.
Obsessed?
Sex is an important feature of daily living and frequently neglected.
People will seldom miss a meal or sleep, but forget about sex.
Taoism advocates a holistic approach to living and sex is as important as food.
If you neglect your sex life, your body builds up tension and you become
stressed and unhappy.
Love
The Kama Sutra is about the expression of physical love.
It extends far beyond the act of penetration and explores the relationship
between the couple and their treatment of one another.
For sex to be good, relations need to be good.
Page created 2 March 2002