Tantric traditions, which emerged around the 5th century CE, were born from Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain religious frameworks. Tantra encompasses a wide variety of practices which are united by their common sacred texts, the Tantras. Although it is difficult to pinpoint one comprehensive Tantric theme, Tantrism is often understood as a spiritual quest for salvation…
Tag: love
The Kama Sutra
The Kama Sutra is a classical Hindu text relating to the art of human sexual behavior and pleasure. The dense text was originally written in traditional Sanskrit by Vatsyayana, an Indian philosopher and sage who is believed to have lived between the first and sixth century of the Common Era.1 It has since been translated…
Staying in Love
Falling in love is a natural human phenomenon. People do not typically have to actively exert conscious effort to become attracted to someone and fall in love with them. Thanks to our biology, we are pre-programmed to desire close-knit relationships. For most people, this desire is fulfilled by forming intimate relationships with other human beings….
The Neurobiology of Romantic Love
Romantic love is one of the most universal human experiences. More than 20 years ago, biological anthropologist Helen Fisher studied 166 societies and found evidence of romantic love in 147 of them.1 According to Richard Schwartz, associate professor of psychiatry at MacLean Hospital, romantic love must be wired into our basic biological nature due to…
Looking Past Body Image To Enjoy Your Sex Life
The term “body image” refers to the subjective mental picture you have of your physical appearance. This can pertain to small details about yourself such as your hair, weight, or complexion, or it could be regarding more intimate details such as your physique or genitalia—your external reproductive organs, usually male or female. Your thoughts about…
Asexuality
Sexuality exists on a continuum, and not within a dichotomy of heterosexual and homosexual. Thus, there are many different types of sexual orientation. Sexual orientation describes a person’s preferences for whom they find emotionally, romantically, and sexually attractive. One type of sexual orientation is asexuality, or the lack of sexual attraction to individuals of any gender. For example, someone might…
Effective Communication
Effective communication is essential in creating and maintaining strong relationships with coworkers, family members, friends, and loved ones. With globalization and technology changing the way people communicate with one another, it is now more important than ever to be adaptable. Learning to communicate through verbal and nonverbal means, as well as becoming a thoughtful listener…
Homosexuality and Religion
Disclaimer: In this article, for the sake of simplicity and consistency, we will be using the term “homosexual” as a blanket term to represent all queer, bisexual, pansexual, questioning, and other non-heterosexual orientations. If you would like to learn more, you can read our Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity article. If you need resources or…
Polyamory
Polyamory (“poly” meaning many, and “amory” meaning “love” or “lovers”) is the practice of being open to multiple sexual or emotional relationships at once. There is a common misconception that polyamory is mainly about promiscuity.1 However, many polyamorous people engage in long-term relationships with multiple partners in which they are emotionally invested.2 Polyamory not cheating,…