The longing for the genital embrace is profoundly expressed in the belief in a “universal spirit,” in “God,” the “creator.”

– Wilhelm Reich, “Cosmic Superimposition”

Until recently, it was possible to read many volumes on the subject of Tantra Yoga without realizing that sexual energy was its central motif. over the thousands of years during which this complex philosophy, religion, and science of sexual union has evolved, its central source often remained hidden.

Today a number of spiritual teachers will show anyone with the time and money the actual practice of spiritual sexual union. Still, the essence of what they impart is shrouded in the terms of the teacher’s particular religion, and subject to their sometimes tyrannical control. New Age revelations of Tantra’s ancient central secret still leave the seven veils of belief and dogma intact.

Has anyone ever tried to remove the veils, to lay down simply and clearly, without intermediaries or the trappings of any particular religious trip, the essential lpractice of sexual spiritual union?

In the last half of the nineteenth century Alice Bunker Stockham, one of the first woman doctors in the U.S., did just that. In her book, “The Ethics of Marriage” (available from Health Research, Box 70, Mokelumme, CA 95245), she promoted women’s rights and equality of the sexes, urged the prevention of “wedding night rape,” and advocated a safe, free method of birth control through a practice she termed “karezza” (pronounced kar-ET’-za), from the Italian “carezza,” or “caress.” Read more

“I like the idea of karezza (making love without the goal of orgasm),” explained a 28-year old friend, “but I’m not married yet … and I’m certainly not going to live without sex!” I asked her how she proposed to explain the concept to her 20-something peers, and she said she already had–quite successfully. Here’s Joni Renee’s account: Read more

Taoist Secrets of Love: Cultivating Male Sexual Energy by Mantak Chia (with Michael Winn) was my first introduction to the wisdom of making love without striving for orgasm. This book made a big impression on me and I am very grateful to its authors. Chia, a neo-Taoist master, teaches men another way to manage their sexual energy, as well as the weakness in humanity’s current habits. His book greatly expanded my understanding of my role as a lover, helping me to become a safer lover.

However, even before I stumbled upon the ancient account of Taoist lovemaking in the work ascribed to the famous Taoist sage, Laozi (or “Lao Tzu”), I realized that there was an inherent inconsistency in Chia’s teachings. The mystical, merging experience which he calls “the valley orgasm” is a state of “not doing.” Yet, much of Chia’s book is about performance-oriented techniques, such as clenching the teeth, the buttocks and the muscles around the prostate gland, counting intercourse strokes, and so forth. These vigorous measures permit a skilled man to approach the edge of orgasm, and then maintain his control sufficiently to make love rather vigorously…indefinitely. Read more

Taoist Secrets of Love: Cultivating Male Sexual Energy by Mantak Chia (with Michael Winn) was my first introduction to the wisdom of making love without striving for orgasm. Chia, a neo-Daoist master, teaches men another way to manage their sexual energy, as well as the weakness in humanity’s current habits. His book greatly expanded my understanding of my role as a lover, helping me to become a safer lover.

However, even before I stumbled upon the ancient account of Daoist lovemaking in the work ascribed to the famous Daoist sage, Laozi (Lao Tzu), I realized that there was an inherent inconsistency in Chia’s teachings. The mystical, merging experience which he calls “the valley orgasm” is a state of “not doing.” Yet, much of Chia’s book is about performance-oriented techniques, such as clenching the teeth, the buttocks and the muscles around the prostate gland, counting intercourse strokes, and so forth. These vigorous measures permit a skilled man to approach the edge of orgasm, and then maintain his control sufficiently to make love rather vigorously…indefinitely. Read more