Long before risqué how-to videos and spicy magazine spreads, there was the Kama Sutra. 

Regarded as Ancient India's OG guide to love and sex, the Kama Sutra has long held cultural significance. However, its intricate poses and wisdom remain a mystery to many, its tenets overshadowed by today’s fast-paced approach to romance.

Have you tried any of the Kama Sutra's intricate poses? (No judgment if you haven't.) These positions are the ultimate way to turn up the heat, so grab a comfy pillow, settle in, and get ready to take notes.  

What’s the Kama Sutra? 

Chances are, you've heard of this ancient text, the Kama Sutra. While it's often considered a guide to exciting and exotic sex positions, it's actually a profound ancient Indian text examining desire, love, and relationships.  

Originating around the 2nd century CE, the Kama Sutra's title can be broken down into two Sanskrit or Hindu meanings: "Kama," which means desires or pleasures of the senses, and "Sutra," which means a thread. Written by the philosopher Vatsyayana, the Kama Sutra is about so much more than sex.  

While Vatsyayana created the Kama Sutra to highlight Kama (sensual pleasure), one of life's most important virtues, there are three additional life goals: virtuous living (dharma), material prosperity (artha), and spiritual liberation (moksha). 

The Kama Sutra book is actually seven books in total, with only one focusing on getting intimate. Most of the other content explores themes of attraction, courtship, and marriage.

Kama Sutra tips for beginners  

Flipping through the Kama Sutra’s book on sex might feel arousing and overwhelming — there’s a lot of great stuff in there.

While you may not be a courtesan in ancient times, learning new positions is an excellent way to elevate your sex life, grounding yourself with a few beginner's tips is the right way to start. Here's how to have a safe and steamy experience:  

• Ease into it: Exploring the Kama Sutra's eroticism isn't a race. Start simple and get a feel for its contents before expanding your horizons. 

• Have a heart-to-heart: Loop your partner into how you're feeling. Be open and honest, and discuss what excites you and what makes you hesitate. Set clear boundaries, and actively listen to your partner's thoughts and feelings. 

• Give your partner a squeeze: During penetrative sex with your partner, give their penis or strap-on a squeeze with your Kegel muscles. This may intensify your sexual experience. 

• Know your body: Some of these positions are like yoga but sexier, so make sure you feel physically ready before diving in to avoid injuries.  

• Consider your connection: Synchronize your breathing with your partner to take things to the next level and ramp up the eye contact, leaning toward tantric sex practices to deepen your bond. 

Kama Sutra positions to try  

Despite being written thousands of years ago, the Kama Sutra's sex positions hold strong today. Exploring these options is a fun way to learn more about your sexuality and intimately connect with your partner. Whether you're just starting out or you've been into the Kama Sutra for a while, try these positions: 

The Amazon 

To try The Amazon, lay your partner down on their back and have them pull their knees to their chest. Position their penis underneath them and squat down on it to have intercourse. Gently rock back and forth and experiment with different motions to find what feels good. To add extra stimulation, try using a beginner-friendly butt plug. This empowering position lets the person with the vulva experience a unique sexual perspective.  

The Hero  

Lie on your back and pull your ankles toward your ears. Have your partner kneel between your legs and hold them back while penetrating you. This variation of missionary is great for G-spot (and maybe even A-spot) stimulation — and works well with bondage play (if you're into that). The Hero allows for deeper-than-usual penetration, and if you have a favorite rumbly vibrator, throw that into the mix for even more fun.  

The Plough 

A more relaxed version of the Kama Sutra's Wheelbarrow position, The Plough is worth exploring. Lay face-down with your upper body on the bed and extend your legs straight out behind you, off the bed. Your partner stands behind you, holds your thighs, and enters you from behind. This position is excellent because tensing your leg muscles tightens your vaginal muscles, enhancing sexual sensations.  

The Janukurpara

If you’ve always wanted to try sex standing up, the Janukurpara position is for you. To try it out, have your partner lift you up and lock their elbows underneath your knees. From there, they can grab your butt while you hold onto their neck carefully for support as they enter you. It’s less complicated than it sounds, though it definitely requires upper body strength, and the deep penetration is to die for. This position is also great if you love steamy eye contact during your session. 

The Piditaka 

This Kama Sutra position is as comfortable as it is pleasurable. To try the Piditaka, lay on your back and pull your knees to your chest. Have your partner kneel directly in front of you with their knees on either side of your hips and rest your feet on their chest. Your partner can then rest your hips on their thighs to enter you. Start slow — you’ll be surprised how quickly the Piditaka heats up. This position is great for spicing it up without getting too acrobatic. 

The Rider  

The Rider is the Kama Sutra's version of the classic Cowgirl position. You can sit upright, showcasing your body, or lay down on your partner for a more intimate connection. This position pairs well with couples' sex toys and puts you in the driver's seat, which is crucial if you need clitoral stimulation to orgasm. The Rider also encourages precise angling for maximum pleasure and offers a great view for your partner. 

The Curled Angel  

The Curled Angel, much like the name suggests, is a sweet and intimate sex position. A variation of spooning, lay side by side with your partner, with the person who has a penis (or strap-on) behind the person being penetrated. In this position, you can take turns controlling the speed and depth with your partner, and your hands are free for clitoral and nipple stimulation.  

Lessons to learn from the Kama Sutra  

The Kama Sutra may be ancient, but it contains lessons that will be relevant for centuries — if not forever. Amid modern culture's fast-paced interpersonal and sexual dynamics, it offers profound insights into intimacy that can enhance relationships in multiple ways. Here are a few essential takeaways from the Kama Sutra:  

• Foreplay is key: Diving straight into sexual intercourse without plenty of foreplay is a no-go. The Kama Sutra emphasizes the importance of foreplay, from simple gestures establishing mutual consent to more advanced techniques.

• Kissing is an art: Kissing is about connecting with, exploring, and understanding your partner. It's essential to be gentle, adjust to your partner's needs and wants, and explore various parts of the face and body. 

• Sex is more than just penetration: Intimacy is so much more than just penetration. The Kama Sutra mentions 64 acts of intimacy, from conversation and caressing to oral sex, enticing, and moaning. 

• Get expressive with intimacy: The Kama Sutra introduces acts like scratching and biting during sex. Different kinds of scratches, like the “half moon” or the “tiger's claw,” can heighten pleasure, and gentle biting is seen as erotic. 

• The person with a vagina comes first: The Kama Sutra suggests that people with a penis should focus on giving partners with vaginas an orgasm first. This helps everyone feel fulfilled, as many people with vaginas can have multiple orgasms and continue with sexual activity afterward.   

Enhance your sex life with Quinn

Trying new sex positions is an excellent way to elevate your sex life, but what about audio erotica? 

Quinn is an audio erotica app created by women for the world, and we offer a wide range of erotic content to help take solo and partnered sex to the next level. Whether you're interested in gentle sex, LGBTQ+ content, BDSM, or something entirely different, Quinn is ready and waiting to help you explore your body and achieve arousal and incredible orgasms.  

To access thousands of narrated sex stories and guided masturbation sessions, download the Quinn app for iOS or Android.