Balance is one of the important tenets that the practice of yoga teaches. Not only does the physical action of flowing through and holding poses require you to build muscles that enhance balance, but it forces you to establish or explore balance in your mental practice as well. You are supposed to find a happy medium between consciously focusing on the present and allowing your body to move without judgment. You are always exploring your own edge and reaching farther than before, while still remaining grounded and humble in your practice.
Ultimately, the negotiation between these conflicting actions and thoughts is meant to give you practice bringing more balance to your life. Yoga combines exercise with relaxation and physical challenge with mental awareness. Just by finding time to practice yoga, you are inviting a balance between work and play into your schedule and with persistence, into other realms of your life. And believe it or not, (I bet you were wondering when I would make my point!) balance in the bedroom is one of them!
While moving through your yoga workout, it is important to remain symmetrically balanced. If you hold a pose that stretches your back, you should take the counter-pose to stretch your chest. This sex position is meant to be a possible follow-up for the Downward Dog inspired positions in my last article, countering the hamstring, hip and chest opener with a pose on your back called Happy Baby.
The Happy [Oh] Baby! Position
Lie on your back and lift your legs straight into the air. Bend your knees toward your nose until you can grab the soles of your feet comfortably and let your legs fall open to the sides. (If my description is confusing, visit this link to see a picture of the pose: http://www.tracis.info/tracis.info.pictures/Happy%20Baby%20Pose.jpg)
Your back should remain pressed firmly into the surface on which you are lying, and you should feel comfortable and sturdy. All on its own, this position allows your partner a fantastic and rarely seen view of your body, opening your vulva for exploration and intense stimulation. Take advantage of this extra exposed stance for a foreplay pit stop! (Hint: cunnilingus recommended.)
If you choose to move into the position that allows for penetration and intercourse, you will need to prop a pillow under your shoulders and upper back. This will give your partner a better angle for insertion, while maintaining the fully open-legged posture as before. Continuing to hold your feet as your partner enters you will give you more leverage to thrust than the traditional on-your-back missionary position does. However, if it is more comfortable, experiment with releasing your feet so that your legs are draped over your partner’s shoulders. This pose allows direct stimulation of your G-spot. And as promised, it should act as a good stretch for your groin muscles as well.
Hopefully, the Happy [Oh] Baby! offers a satisfying counter-pose to the Downward Doggy Style variations. After exploring both positions, you should feel open and stretchy – balanced in both directions. As always, I implore you to experiment with other yoga inspired positions on your own, and write back to let us know about the best ones!