When we say tantra, what do you think of? Eighteen hours of soul-melting sex? Sexual positions that require the flexibility of a contortionist? Ironic t-shirts you’d never actually see at your yoga studio?

Well, here’s a small taste of what tantric sex is really about:

• Tantrikas believe that sex is a way to connect with the divine and tap into the energy of the cosmos, so you and your partner are actually engaging in a spiritual act. Not just a carnal one.
• In western culture, sex can feel like a race to the Big O. The tantric sexual experience is less about orgasm and more about feeling.
• Connecting with your partner is a very important part of tantric sex. This is achieved in several ways including synchronized breathing and looking deeply into each other’s eyes.
• For many who practice it, tantric sexuality offers an opportunity to overcome self-consciousness . After all, if you’re in the midst of a transcendental experience—and you’re naked—it doesn’t help to feel insecure about your body.
• Some men who practice tantric sex are capable of experiencing multiple orgasms without ejaculating . (Even if your guy has that skill, we still recommend using birth control throughout your tantric experience.)
• The flower in bloom. The jewel case. The tripod. These are a few positions from the Kama Sutra that you can explore during tantric sex.

Want to learn some tantric tricks to try on your own? Cosmo has them. There’s even A Complete Idiot’s Guide to Tantric Sex . We love the emphasis on intimacy and making sex something sacred. We’re not sure we could hold out for hours of it on end, but we’d be willing to try.

XOXO,
Bedsider