Yoga Sex Education

The practical suggestions offered by the modern authorities on sex hygiene corroborate favorable and closely the means recommended and followed by the scientific yogins. The points of agreement are: the need for moral and mental hygiene, the daily cleanliness of the external genitals, the emphasis on moderation in diet, the abstinence from stimulating drinks and food, the maximum out of door living, the use of light clothing and many similar details elaborated in Hygiene in General.

Besides these usual precautions and preventives, Yoga recommends (a) the daily practice of certain methods which influence the physiologic activities of the sex organs, (b) cool baths, (c) the irrigation of the genital passages and (d) active continence. For diagrammatic correlation,

Useful Processes

These consist of bandhas and mudras the higher psychophysical postural exercises, processes and controls. Apart from vajroli, khecari and asvini are the other two mudras which are supposed to preserve virility and maintain normal physiologic functions of the sex organs.

Of these, vajroli is discussed under the last two subheads of this section. Khecari, however, is extremely complicated and quite unsuited as an every day exercise, especially in the case of a layman. Its superficial technique consists in retroverting the tongue, after incising the fraenum linguae and having isolated it from the main body of the tongue, pressing the same deep into the fauces thus causing the entire closure of the rima glottidis of course, by pressing back the epiglottis with the point of the retroverted tongue. This closure of the main air passage causes such changes in the intra thoracic pressures as to produce are flex influence upon the flow of the blood in the genitals such influence becoming marked during sexual excitement.

Asvinimudra consists in an effort to simulate the anal action of a mare (asvini) after she has excreted the bowel contents. This is best performed in any squatting or crouching positions, i.e., in any convenient pose which may allow free movements of the perineal regions. Now, with every exhalation, contract the anus especially the levator ani, the anal sphincters and the broad ligaments of the perineum (those supporting the muscular fibers of the prostrate and the errector muscles of the penis, in the male ; and the muscles of the urogenital region, mainly the transverses perinaei, in the female). Then, after a deep and prolonged contraction, inhale slowly and let those muscles relax completely. This alternate contraction and relaxation of these muscles is termed asvinimudra.

When practised in a rapid succession, it accelerates the blood circulation in the area and further, by its wave like contractions and expansions through complete relaxation, causes an internal massage to the deeper sex organs. Moreover, it also gives tone to the musculature of the reproductive organs generally, for the very simple reason that it reflex effects the finer sympathetic nerve endings which are quite elaborate especially in these regions. Hathayoga claims that, with the aid of this mudra, sexual debility (guhyaroga) is overcome in the course of time.

Among the postures, those that have synergic influence on the generative organs are Sirasana,sarvangasana, urdhvavrksasana, bhadrasana,goraksasana and certain other similar asanas.

Of these, Sirasana and sarvarigasana have already been described in Toga Hygiene Simplified. Urdhvavrksasana and its variants are difficult of practice for an average man and have, therefore, to be omitted here. Although highly useful as a therapeutic measure for stopping too frequent nocturnal discharges (Madhavadasa), traditional bhadrasana is likely to cause dislocation of the ankles or the knees, if not carefully practised in stages or strictly supervised by the master Goraksasana, while considered identically the same as bhadrasana, in fact, differs from the former to a certain extent and is much simpler in technique. It is practised thus.

First, join the soles of the feet together, in front of the genitals, with the toes pointing outwards. In the beginning, if the feet cannot be brought near to the body, they may be spread out and gradually drawn nearer each day till they touch the genitals. Now, raise the body by lifting it lightly from the ground with the aid of the arms and then rest the buttocks on the heels keeping the soles of the feet together. Let the feet cover the seam of the perineum breadth wise and lap the legs, from the knees down, with their respective thighs. With the hands, keep the knees pressed to the ground so as to cause a steady pull posteriorly, varying the strength as desired by a downward pressure upon the knees.
This posture by acting upon the connective tissues of the groin and the inner side of the thigh indirectly stretches both the superficial as well as the deeper urogenital muscles and thus aids (i) the elasticity of the respective muscular fibers and (ii) the corresponding increase in the interchange of arterial and velous blood during high and low pressures on the knees. Sexual debility which is so common an ailment, principally due to weak constitution or abuses or the sexual organs, can be cured with the aid of such postures as goraksasana.

One out of every three enquiries received by the Institute concerning health, during the past many years, refers unmistakably to nocturnal discharges and sexual weaknesses following previous habits of self abuse. The increase of this ailment, especially among the students, is appalling. Personal appeals for suitable remedy on behalf of these unfortunate students reach us from those in charge of the large educational institutions, and in many cases from the suffering students themselves who all average to be of very young age. Individual replies and details of instructions are not possible and hence in response to this appeal, we introduce this subject here again though it has been fully treated in our other publications.

Nocturnal pollutions occur sometimes even in persons of average good health and this symptom in itself may not be considered alarming. Seminal discharge once in two months may be treated as normal but, when the frequency increases, the same may be regarded as an abnormal condition requiring radical treatment. Usually all cases of night pollutions terminate into sexual debility and have their common origin in weak constitution. The most sensible thing to do is to avoid all stimulants and drugs and to build up a healthy body. General constitutional measures greatly relieve this suffering. This may be aided by a course of yoga training in emotional control through moral and mental hygiene, cleanliness of the genital organs, moderation in diet especially at night abstinence from stimulating foods and drirlks, out of door living, light clothing, and daily practice of asanas and pranayama suited to individual requirements.

As to the breathing exercises, those mentioned previously should be safely practised. Among certain processes may be mentioned the application of mulabandha, vipartakarani and asvinimudra. As to postural exercises, first follow the head low hips high poses to improve the condition of the pelvic organs through complete drainage of the blood vessels. This may be followed up by toning exercises for the accessory muscles of the urogenital and perineal regions. There are nearly eight other postures besides goraksasana and bhadrasana which may also be safely recommended for practiceas a preventive exercise against seminal discharge sbut the use of all of them at one time is not It is, therefore, suggested that at this stage goraksasana and simple bhadrasana may be followed till the other postures are made known.

Incomplete sexual acts as in unsatisfied intercourse or self abuses and oft repeated sexual excitements without natural climax and reflexes experienced only during successful coitus and orgasm are probably the worst agents which cause congestion of the internal sex organs through sustained tension and dilatation of the numerous capillaries. Under such abnormal conditions, these congested parts grow weaker and weaker for want of proper blood circulation, and their functions ultimately become so impaired as to set in the strongest reactions which, on the slightest sexual irritation or by anything the least suggestive, cause premature emissions. Consequently, the muscular response also becomes poor, e.g. feeble erections in the male and inactivity of the clitoris and failure of thee rectile tissues in the vaginal orifice to produce the necessary gripping in the female.

The other conditions which generally prevail and could be remedied easily are those that arise from inflammation of the inner sex organs. The muscular inactivity could be remedied by muscular movements which is probably the only efficacious method of increasing muscular power tone, strength and exhilaration. Again, in congestion or inflammation, there is high tension, besides restricted motion and impaired circulation of blood etc., all of which cause marked nervous through the sympathetic or the vasomotor nervous systems and functional alterations which are more severe and frequent in women than in men.

These could be relieved easily by drainage of the surplus blood and by the equalized circulation. Asvinimudra not only supplies the necessary muscular movements but also, when practised in cooperation with sarvafigasana, due to the genital region getting elevated above the heart, causes complete drainage the process being accelerated by the force of gravity. After having thus established normalcy, it is proper to follow up the method of toning the accessory muscles by stretching exercises with alternate contraction and expansion. Goraksasana is exceptionally suited to this purpose and one may continue this posture as long as it is found convenient. The yoga authorities state that through a faithful observance of the above practices, diseases arising out of inflammation or congestion of the sexual organs could be cured.

Cool Baths

In advising the celibates and the householders, certain authorities recommend the use of a cool bath (60' to 66'F.) before retiring to bed, to all intents and purposes, for avoiding sexual excitement and nocturnal pollutions. Practitioners in hydrotherapy claim that such baths tone the nervous and muscular systems; and the beneficent physiologic effects associated with it may, therefore, be relied upon.

Irrigation of Genital Passages

Just as cleanliness of the external sex organs is useful for hygienic purposes, the internal cleansing of the genialities likewise conducive to the highest physiologic good, if performed intelligently and at fixed intervals. The practical yogins who are always extremely particular about the internal cleanliness of their organs have found an easy method of irrigation of the genital passages, a process which, in its highest technique, is termed vajrolimudra.

Vajroli, however, could be and is practised in various stages, viz., preliminary, intermediate and final. The initial stage consists in introducing a catheter in the genital passage very tactfully, and then drawing in air through the suction and vacuum process of nauli. Retaining the same for some time, it is then expelled slowly from the same passage. This effort at ventilation, air bath, or oxygenation whatever it may be termed is supposed to minimize, to some extent, the danger of putrefaction or decomposition of the internal secretions covering or adhering to the inner cavities after discharge.

In the intermediate stage, instead of the air, the yogin draws in pure water preferably boiled and cooled and thus causes irrigation of the genital passage. He or she for the vajrolimudra in common to both the sexes then proceeds with liquids of higher specific gravity, e.g., milk, honey and sometimes even mercury. This with view to training and habituating the accessory; muscles to successfully withdraw and retain the internal secretions of the sex endocrine glands ever under sexual excitements it being known the both honey and mercury arc liquids of high specific gravity than sex secretions.

The cleansing of the genital passage, however with water adding any mild antiseptic is probably the best means of avoiding clogging and infection Those who are unable to draw in the water through the process of nauli may do well to substitute mechano yoga appliances, e.g., catheters, douches and sprayers. Although internal cleansing of the genital passage, like all other yoga hygienic duties, is an everyday observance with the yogin the layman need undertake such cleansing only once a week.

The highest technique of vajroli in its final stage, however, consists in successfully withholding the ejaculations of sex secretions prior to or during the period of an orgasm under sexual excitement, namely, coitus, and thus causes their resorption through the lymphatics. Although apparently similar to karezza, what characterizes this aspect of vajroli is the special training for retention or resorption to which the sexual organs and the nervous system have been so harmonized to precise and favourable reactions and reflexes as conduce to wholesome sex life of both the partners.

For the purpose of ordinary sex prophylaxis, the attempts at the final stage are likely to prove much too complicated and even unnecessary. In fact, the intermediate stage, i.e., water irrigation of the genital passages is quite sufficient for hygienic purposes, and the best method is to use a common catheter with the usual douching arrangements.

Active Continence

Even though conflicting views are upheld by many prominent authorities like Munde, Franklin and others who maintain that, by disuse of the sex organs, the sex endocrine glands become functionally impaired, it is vigorously maintained by a large number of other authorities like Rosenau, Lipschutz and others that passive continence is compatible with health and further that the sex glands are like the tear glands and the sweat glands in that they do not atrophy with disuse.

Whatever may the diverse conclusions of the modern scientists on the subject of celibacy be, a few things, nevertheless, had been fully realized by the ancient yogins, namely, (i) that the preservation of the internal secretions of the sex glands within the body has the greatest physiologic value, tending to longevity also (ii) that such preservation contributes largely towards the acquisition of a strong constitution both physical and mental through the biochemical economy, as the missions dissociate a fair amount of iron, phosphorus and calcium from the total percentage in blood ; further (iii) that only under the stimulus of excitement, a much larger quantity of the fluid is elaborated and secreted ; and lastly (iv) these extra fluids when re absorbed by promoting corresponding increase in the activity of the lymphatics akin to organotherapy, become transformed into life energy. What is more, the conditions necessary to fulfill the above objective for conserving energy in this instance, through the preservation or resorption of the sexual fluids into the system are the normal physiological contact of the sexes and abundant nutrition to allow the sex glands increased secretion without any compensating loss.

This scientific theory may be simplified thus :That, instead of mere passivity, it is preferable and hygienic to engage oneself in normal sexual activities when necessary for this certainly causes less strain and lesser energy waste than what has to be actually expended in self denials and repressions, remembering that there should be no physiologic loss. This loss, to be sure, is inevitable, if the secretions escape from the body. The yogin, therefore, is quite careful in so far as he allows free secretions just enough for promoting physiologic activities but stops short of allowing the sex fluids to escape, and thus suffers no corresponding loss. On the contrary, he gains much through healthful reactions and resorption of the extra fresh fluids otherwise not available. Nutrition, however, is maintained by a liberal course of milk diet.

These two essentials of sex life in relation to good health, longevity, and free psyche had been fully recognized by the ancient yogins as the foundation of sexual sanity. Interpreted in rational terms, this ideal of brahmacarya, so far as the practical yogin is concerned, is extremely scientific and significant. It subscribes to (i) the opportunity for successful coitus and resorption, and (ii) ample nutrition. This demonstrates that the yoga masters were not unaware of: (i) the extraordinary influence exerted by sexuality in all its aspects upon both man and woman, (ii) the need and import of hygienic sex relations,(iii) the necessity of normal encouragement and regulation of the sex instinct and the preservation of sex virility, (iv) the value of internal secretions of the sex endocrine glands, and (v) the highest physical and mental benefits which accrue the conservation and resorption of these secretions. The substance of Hathayoga directives on sex amounts to temperance blended with dispassion (vairagya).

It is thus and now possible to appreciate that, this code of sex hygiene of the Hathayogins, allowing complete and healthy enjoyment of marital relations, with limitations as previously outlined, not only without any corresponding loss but positively with the highest physical and mental gain, is an excellent hygienic ideal and if only the process of vajroli could be made available to and brought within the practice of one and all solves incidentally the most discussed topic in modern eugenics, namely, family planning through birth control, notwithstanding the accidental insecurity inherent in the safe periods or rhythm method (Stone)now officially advocated.