Sex rules according to Ayurveda

Most of us have been given a veiled theocratic brought up, such that we believe the traditional school of thought to promote sex as something to be indulged in for reproductive purposes only. For many, Ayurveda could also be a perpetrator of such a philosophy, however, this is not so.

Here’s a stun: Ayurveda doesn’t restrict sex to reproduction. According to this school of thought, it can nourish us deeply and should be indulged in time to time. But there are rules to this laissez faire. Here we look at what the school of Ayurveda defines for us when it comes to sex

Ayurveda believes that our bodies are made of 7 essential tissues or dhatus. Of these, one is the rasa dhatu. Rasa, or the serum or sap, is the white part of the blood. Of this rasa come the sexual fluids called the sukra dhatu, the process of their formation being roughly a month long. Sukra dhatu is a very refined form of the rasa and so, is merely a fragment of it. The sexual fluids, or the sukra dhatu, are thus products of a lot of effort from our body. And from these fluids come a further more concentrated form of rasa, called the ojas. Ojas is the basis of a new life and is potent enough to ‘create’.

Another factor that affects one’s sexual energy is a force called the ‘apana vayu’. It refers to one of the five winds our body comprises and resides in the lower part of the body. Apana vayu is a factor in regulating menstruation, reproduction and even orgasm. If the movement of this vayu is healthy, it keeps intact the sense of rootedness in us.

Recently, internet has been flooded with the benefits that an orgasm has on our body. From releasing stress, boosting immunity, production of oxytocin and developing a sense of connectedness with our partners, sex can do all wonders. But for Ayurveda, this isn’t exactly the case.

Ayurveda believes that under certain circumstances, an orgasm can be harmful for our bodies. This is because sex produces vata dosha in our bodies. This leads to a depleting effect on us.

In the above terminology, vata dosha costs the body sukra dhatu, a rasa that was made by a month-long process. This, in turn, limits the production of ojas, that is, the life-giving energy within us. Also, it can disrupt the apana vayu, leading to a sense of uprootedness.

According to Ayurveda, sex leads to the build-up of vata dosha in our body. Thus, the best time to have sex is during the day, in the morning after sunrise but before the clock strikes 10 or during early evening. Night time, when most of us prefer having sex, is not ideal as per Ayurveda.

Also, the ideal seasons to have more sex are winter and early spring. During summer and fall, the influence of vata increases. Thus, one must reduce their frequency of sex and orgasms. This is because the heat already depletes one’s energy and thus, our bodies do not have any excess rasa to spare for sexual indulgence.

For those who are in good health, they must have sex three to five times in a week during spring and winter. If they don’t, their bodies may build up ojas that should have been ideally spared.

In summertime and fall, one must not have sex more than once in one or two weeks

– Have foods that are natural aphrodisiacs and stimulate the production of sukra dhatu, such as ghee, coconut juice and milk.

– Practice self-massage done with oil, referred to as abhyanga, before bathing.

– Post sex, take a bath and wear clean and comfortable clothes.