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Ivan Petkov

No human feeling other than love has ever been so coveted, praised and glorified. However, it brings so much pain and suffering at the same time. The meaning of love is so broad since selfless, unconditional and pure love stands on one side and burning and destructive passion on the other. It gives rise to the purest and brightest human impulses and actions, but also separates families, causes deaths and wars. Why is that?

In ancient European culture we can find traces of training in the art of love, both spiritual and material. All aspects of love are embodied in the ancient myths and legends. And regarding the everyday life of the people, a small group of aristocrats had the privilege of enjoying learning the art of love. The appearance of Christianity democratized the ancient philosophy (the meaning of which was love of wisdom) and made Christian views comprehensible for the masses but the dogma of original sin rejected the sensual and sexual side of love, thus making sex a taboo. Arts connected with love in its entirety and presenting it as a path to divinity became secret and again available to few. Today, in a society in which sexual stimuli are everywhere, as they are an integral part of cinema, photography, television, print media, the internet and ... advertising, the art of love has gained some popularity but it is available to few again. The mass idea is quite inaccurate and shallow. As for introducing it in education, for the moment, we cannot even talk about such a trend. It is a good fortune if parents dared to introduce sexual culture in the overall education of their children, not to speak of its correct interpretation.

I wrote on GRReporter’s pages about different advanced technology, which has made information publicly available. I think it is time to take advantage of this availability and to benefit from this “ocean” of information that is surrounding us, for the sake of ourselves, our health, our relationships with our loved ones and with all others.

Things in the East have evolved differently to some extent. There they have preserved the knowledge which is similar to what was known in our lands in ancient times. However, it would be too bold and unrealistic to talk about popularity. For example, I will mention that in India, the country that gave birth to Tantra and the Kama Sutra, a man and a woman are banned from kissing each other in public, even if they are married. The reason for this is the influence brought by the Islamic invasion in the Middle Ages.

Over the centuries, knowledge was making its way through, and was travelling with, merchants, knights or people who were simply looking for a better life and had thus reached our lands. The tantric texts, which were disseminated in the West before that, were presented to the public attention only at the end of the 19^th century, timidly at first and with an official translation and research later, and through people who had studied in the East. Naturally, after so many centuries of oppression, Europeans see, in the first place, the sexual rites and practices in the ancient Tantric teachings. Moreover, this “reputation” is still the mainstream. Type "tantra" in Google and you will find out what I mean.

Sensual sutra

The Kama Sutra was not written by one author but was compiled over centuries. According to historical sources, the collection was developed in the period between 400 BC and 200 CE, and one of its last compilers, Vatsyayana, is known even today. The collection contained various tips aimed at men and women and, according to some researchers, only one third of its content was related to the sexual act and the positions with which we associate the Kama Sutra today. Kama Sutra means "sensual sutra". "Sutra" means "thread" or connecting knowledge into a common texture composed ​​of different threads. So, the Kama Sutra was a manual guiding young men and women to their joint marital life and included every aspect of it, from matchmaking, through different gifts, rites, the wedding ceremony to the start of living together. Some of the tips are valid today whereas others may sound archaic or even incomprehensible.

For example, the wife owed ​​absolute obedience to her husband and her duty was not to give rise to a row even if she were offended in the worst possible way. She had to look down so as not to incite her husband's anger and wait until it subsided. However, if the husband went too far and violated some of the strict rules of behaviour, which meant that he did not respect his wife (beating is not among them) and there was strife, his wife could pull his hair, hit him, shout at him, bite him and claw at him, but never outside their home! After such a quarrel, the passion could naturally be transformed into lovemaking.

However, we would perceive some tips as romantic. After a passionate night, the wife would give her husband a rose in order for the scent and freshness of the flower to remind him of his beloved.

I will not go into details about the Kama Sutra. As I mentioned, some of the texts reflect the perceptions and moral values ​​of the society of the time. Another part is universal and coincides with the perceptions, morality and conduct of our time. Many people in the West believe that the Kama Sutra is a guide to tantric lovemaking and put a sign of equality between them. Sensual Sutra is not part of tantric tradition; it is rather a guide for more mundane matters.

Tantra