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A Taoist couple making love. The woman looks in a mirror so the sentiments shown in her facial expression can be examined.

From a Chinese watercolor on silk, circa seventeenth century.

Female figure showing the changing location of erotic passion in woman (known as Amritakala), starting with the right big toe on the first day of the bright half of the lunar month, ascending to the top of the head by the fifteenth day, and descending the left side of the body during the dark half of the month. From a Rajasthani miniature painting of the eighteenth century.

erogenous zones

The mind is the foremost erogenous zone. The two main functions of the mind are thought and imagination. Thought is generally considered a male attribute and imagination a female one. This division

into two categories is both revealing and po -

tentially confusing .

Confusion in this context can be avoided if we recall the basic fact of our inherent bisexuality. The categorization of mind into thought and imagination refers to archetypal principles and in no way limits the roles either sex may play.

T h o u g h t is associated with logic and imagination with intuition. If the imagination can be stirred up, then the body will respond through the sense organs. Subtle channels connect the mind with the eyes, ears, nose, mouth, and skin surface; the hands, feet, sexual region, and head are the main terminals of the subtle channels. The so-called erogenous zones are in fact all the points and places that lead directly to the psychic centers and, through them, to the mind itself. A close study of the illustrations of the pressure points and acu-meridians will give a clear idea of the distribution of erogenous zones throughout the male and female body.

The Ananga Ranga lists the following erogenous zones on the body of woman: the head, mouth, eyes, lips, cheeks, ears, throat, nape of neck, breasts, nipples, belly, back, arms, hands, thighs, Yoni, knees, ankles, feet, big toes, as well as the waist, buttocks, top of the head, space between the eyes. However, the main and most distinct areas of stimulation are the mouth, Yoni, breasts, neck, navel, buttocks, inner thighs, fingers, and toes. In man, the erogenous zones are mostly centered around the Lingam, navel, heart, and thighs, though the hands, feet, tongue, ears, and breasts are also significantly erogenous.

The Tantric tradition states that passion is located in different parts of a woman's body at different times, according to the lunar cycle. The Ananga Ranga concurs, stating, "Passion resides in the right side of woman during the bright half of the lunar month.

Acu-meridians, front view. These are the subtle channels through which energy circulates.

Acu-meridians, back view. By visualizing these channels while retaining the breath, energy is consciously induced into the Subtle Body, charging the whole being with vitality.

The P'ing-i point (for retention)

Pit of stomach: pressure here prevents premature ejaculation

Pressure on these points helps to improve sexual powers

Liver: pressure here relieves complaints and effects of anger, which

limit sexual performance

Pressure points for curing impotence

Pressure point for the relief of constipation

Pubo-prostatic point: increases sensitivity in the testicles

Penis pressure point (under pubic bone)

Squeezing testicles firmly but gently helps to invigorate, particularly in old age

Inguinal region: promotes sexual ability

Pituitary pressure point: controls mental/sexual functions. Pressure helps to improve sexual powers and cure impotence.

Pressure points for prostate problems and impotence

Sex-related pressure points in the male, front view.

Pressure on these points helps to improve appearance and strength of the eyes; good for relief of headaches

Thyroid glands: pressure on these points helps to stimulate hormone production and keeps skin, face, and body both beautiful and healthy. Helps in menopause.

Pressure helps to tone up sexual centers

Endocrine glands: massage here helps to stimulate reproductive organs

Knead breasts with palms to keep firm or enlarge. Stimulates sexual urge

Relieves hysteria

Relieves female sexual organs.

Good for the liver.

Points which increase the flow of sexual energies. Improves potency.

Helps in cases of menstrual irregularities or pains

Pressure points for the ovaries and innermost sexual organs

Inguinal region: pressure here can help to promote sexual ability

Points which help to stimulate the female organs. Gentle pressure relieves tension and helps in menopause problems.

Pressure points for vaginal stimulation of sex center and for relaxing that whole area

Pressure point which reaches the pituitary control center

Pressure points for the relief of menstrual irregularity

Adrenal glands: pressure here tones up the emotional centers

Pressure here helps to improve sexual powers

Sacral vertebrae: pressure points for the prevention of sexual energy loss. Also helps to avoid premature ejaculation.

Pressure on these points can help in cases of impotence

Prostate: this point, at the tip of the "tailbone," helps to control sex energy

For control of emission and prevention of "wet dreams"

Pressure point around the anus and between the anus and genitals helps to stimulate sexual response

Pressure at these points can help to improve sexual performance. These are key meridians, leading to the inner subtle centers.

Sex-related pressure points in the male, back view.

Pressure on all these points helps with firming and enlarging the breasts

Medulla oblongata

Upper shoulder

Interscapular area

Inside arm: pressure here relieves female organs

Suprarenal glands: apply pressure with fists to increase sexual ability

Sexual glands

3rd, 4th, and 5th lumbar vertebrae and buttocks: pressure on these points helps cure frigidity

Helps menstrual disorders

Pressure here helps prevent sexual energy loss

For the control of menopause

The erotic power of the mind was well known in the Orient. Facial expressions were studied to gain understanding of the sentiments associated with eroticism.

By contemplating the vowel sounds in the lunar center of the head region, sixteen Joys arise. These are established according to the phases of the moon.

KALACHAKRA TANTRA

By understanding the influence of the phases of the moon on the passion of woman, satisfaction can very easily be achieved. Without following these teachings, a person becomes liable to all kinds of sexual difficulties, such as love quarrels.

ANANGA RANGA

The reverse is the case during the dark half. The shifting takes place by the action of light and darkness, otherwise the site of passion would remain the same."

This account has some startling scientific implications. We know that the two main glands in the head are the pineal and pituitary, which both secrete subtle essences and hormones. The pineal is activated by light and follows a lunar cycle in women. The signals from the glands in the head reach all parts of the body and govern mood, temperature, and many other delicate and mys-

terious internal processes.

The Ananga Ranga offers us a generalized

picture of the cycles of erotic passion woman, as illustrated in the chart below.

The Tantric teachings on sexual love directly into the lunar cycle of passion

woman. Rituals and sexual Yoga postures are prescribed for specific days, with stimulation advised for precise areas of the body. Taoism has a similar tradition, with the additional belief that the clitoris of a woman varies in size according to the phase of the moon. Similar ideas are also found in the earliest Indian texts, the Vedas.

In the Vedas, lunar cycles are associated with the Soma plant, a powerful psychedelic drug, which supposedly gained and lost leaves as the moon grew large or small. These plants may have been species of creeper, like the morning-glory plant, or possibly mushrooms or herbs. Tantric commentaries identify the Soma as synonymous with the Divine Woman, the Inner Shakti, who is externally identified with the female partner. Secret texts, such as the Chandamaharosana Tantra, indicate that the Yoni of woman produces Soma-like secretions when she is in high ecstasy. The texts recommend that the adept drink deeply from this fount of life.

All the texts stress that the Bright and Dark Cycle of Woman only operates when she is living a totally natural existence. Even artificial light upsets and alters the periodic cycles of woman and varies the centers of passion. There is a rejuvenation rite that requires a

Pituitary Gland

Pineal Gland

Thalamus

Hypothalamus

Thyroid Gland

Parathyroid

Thymus

Adrenals and

Suprarenal Glands

Pancreas

Ovaries (female)

Prostate (Male)

Vestibular and Urethral Glands (male and female)

Testicles (male)

The glands of the endocrine system. These all have influence on sexuality and control hormonal secretions.

woman to remain in darkness for a full month before sexual activity. This rite has the effect of altering her hormonal secretions, and at the same time, her "seats of passion." During this rite, the woman is instructed to focus her mind on her sexuality, drawing up energy from her sex center to her head center and flooding it down throughout her body. She is told to meditate on herself as a

waterfall, nourishing her own inner world. Love-making practiced after this month of preparation is vitalizing and transcendental.

Try to bring the power of both thought and imagination to awaken the erogenous zones throughout the body. Explore the natural relationship of lunar cycles to the seat of passion in the Shakti. With the intuition open, share the secrets of sensual ecstasy.

Love-making with a horned pillow in use. From a Chinese print of the nineteenth century.

The bed should have a canopy above it, with garlands and bunches of flowers all around.

There should be at least two pillows, one at the top and the other at the bottom. Ideally, there should also be a separate couch, as well as perfume, musical instruments, fruits, and games.

KAMA SUTRA

Love-making on a traditional Chinese bed. The woman holds her left hand in a gesture used to channel sexual energy and prolong orgasm. A Chinese painting of the eighteenth century.

with soft, sun-dried straw, flowers, and sweet herbs." Feather beds and covers are warm and comfortable, but unfortunately, rather expensive. Once you've set up a bed or mattress, you'll find it easy to hang drapes, silks, or curtains according to your own taste.

Pillows and cushions are tremendously important for lovers. Used knowledgeably, they can help create or maintain love-making positions, In ancient China, a certain type of horned pillow, shaped like a half-moon, gained great popularity, becoming almost a necessity in every love nest. It could be used to support the buttocks of the woman as well as for her head or side. A well-equipped bedroom has cushions and pillows, both large and small.

Consider this instructive description of the correct use of pillows from an erotic novel of the Ming period (1368-1644), known as

The Way to Holiness through the Flesh:

The use of a pillow is a simple and widely known trick; but few men are considerate enough to bother, and still fewer know how to do the thing properly. In addition to supporting the buttocks with a pillow, most men leave the other under the lady's head; this is a big mistake, for her body becomes bent through being raised at both ends. His weight will cause her discomfort and hinder her movements. Generally it is best to eliminate the head pillow if placing one under her buttocks.

One Hindu love-posture described in the

Ananga Ranga (The Bow) does specify placement of pillows under buttocks and head simultaneously, but this is an unusual feature. A number of small pillows can be very useful in creating comfortable sexual positions. Imagination is an important ingredient in successful love-making; beds and pillows should be chosen to allow innovation and a variety of positions to develop freely. Then love-making can ascend to the highest level.