In the search for pleasure of the senses, there are dangers that come with it. In sutra number 1, the Buddha preached Kama SutraKama refers to aesthetic and erotic pleasure. On the list of the “four main goals of life”, Kama comes in third. In order of importance are Dharma (virtuous living), Artha (material prosperity), Kama(aesthetic and erotic pleasure), and Moksha (liberation). So, simply interpreted, first and foremost live virtuous lives. Make all actions fall into this category. Second, while living virtuous lives, earn a living in which you can support yourself. Third, experience the pleasures of the senses. Lastly, release yourself from the cycle of death and rebirth.

The first three are aims of everyday life. Are people running to Yoga for better sex? Are Yoga enthusiasts in the West lacking some kind of fundamental cultural and psychological framework in which the American way, for example, doesn’t work for their lives and Yoga is going to fix it? Or are they just looking for something to do a few times a week because they are barely engaged in any physical activity and have no hobbies, following trends as they come?

Better sex is a selling point for Yoga, and Yoga is an increasing business that can command high prices. People have had emotional, psychological, physical, and other problems before it was cool or an option to introduce Yoga into lives to improve quality of life, so why Yoga, and why now? These days, what isn’t a selling point for Yoga, and why not sex? After all, isn’t the Kama Sutra a book about human sexual behavior describing 64 different sexual acts as practical advice on sexual intercourse? Maybe, but I’ve never read it, and my sex is just fine, thank you. But, today’s Yoga sex books are flying off the shelves and the authors tend to be women. Ellen Barrett, author of Sexy Yoga, says, “Yoga increases flexibility, which helps you be free and just go for it in sex.”

Let’s go over what some of the supposed benefits of Yoga are in the sex department. Some poses increase blood flow to the pelvis. If you live a lifestyle in which you are worried about your blood flow to your pelvis, maybe Yoga has the power to transform your physical sexual experience. Blood rushing to your privates not only makes them hot but causes a swelling sensation, heightening sensitivity and desire. There are other aspects in which the pelvic floor can be strengthened, which can play a crucial role in how sex is experienced. Apparently, women experience more intense orgasms with stronger contractions and releases as a result of a well-conditioned pelvic floor. The relaxation from releasing tension after inducing it through asana can relax the hips of women who otherwise have hip and thigh tightness that can make sex tough for them.

Mentally, or psychologically, Yoga allows one to be more comfortable in vulnerable positions. Sex or the lack of sex can stem purely from a psychological point of interest, and for some, Yoga can be just what the doctor ordered. Yoga practice helps in improving one’s sensitivity; breathing exercises can help overcome anxiety. A person relieved from tension and stress will actively participate in sexual activity, even with refreshed vigor. Ian Kerner, PhD, a New York sex therapist and the author of Sex Detox, says, “You can’t worry about work, money, or unfolded laundry when your frontal lobe is focused on a reenactment of the train scene in Risky Business. To tune in to a sexual experience, you have to first turn off the parts of your brain associated with stress and anxiety, and fantasizing is the most effective way to accomplish that.”

Kundalini Yoga, often called the most powerful type of Yoga and the mother of all Yoga, seeks to awaken a powerful point at the base of the spine called the Muladhara Chakra. The region of the body referred to as the Kundalini region is located in males between the anus and testicles and in women between the vagina and clitoris. Power and equality for both sexes form the elemental source of all energy when united, Siva the masculine and Sakti the feminine. The union doesn’t take place at the genital region, but in the brain. The rise of Kundalini energy up the spine targets the nervous system which is the pathway between the brain and the body, helping to eliminate negative feelings like jealousy, anger, depression, and sorrow.

Overall energy levels can be improved, harnessed, and accumulated through Yoga in general. With more endurance and fortitude, your body will be able to engage in long sexual activity without tiring. A tired person without the desire for sex may only be lacking the energy reserves to deal with sexual activities. With this comes an improved fitness level and an awareness of potential capacity. Posture is greatly improved along with balance, leading to greater muscle tone and a higher response during intercourse, translating to a better sex experience. A stiff and flabby body is limited to what experiences are available when having sex.

Even those who aren’t getting any sex may think yoga can be a good substitute. Classes have an analogous structure to sex: there is an easy, pleasing mood upon entering the room, a building intensity through asanas into poses that may become more difficult, a sweaty, overheated phase, then a nap at the end. The social aspect of yoga classes can be the closest thing to having sex with strangers without actually having it. Then there’s Hot Nude Yoga. I’ll let you use your imagination.

Nobody’s perfect, and nobody has perfect lives; there has to be a challenge. Each morning is a new gift of a new day for each of us to experience, and with proper time and goal management every day can be filled with time periods allocated to living life fully and happily. This means we lead virtuous lives, prosper, enjoy aesthetic and erotic fulfillment, and become liberated. We can all do it. It’s why we’re here.