Know the Power That Dwells
in Your Pelvic Floor
Tantric practitioners have known for centuries that activating the pelvic floor, which encompasses the area between the tailbone and the top of the genitals, is the key to working with sexual energy at its source and that it is very important to bring awareness to and exercise this part of the body. This idea only gained some measure of currency in the West in 1948, when Dr. Arnold Kegel recommended it as a preparation for childbirth and for restoring pelvic strength thereafter. The truth is that Kegel exercises are good for people of all ages and genders, whether they’ve had children or not.
In Tantra and Yoga there are many different ways to exercise the pubococcygeal, or PC, muscles. These exercises are the first step in a number of advanced energetic practices, since Tantrikas and Yogis recognize the pelvic floor as the very root of human existence, the seat of the life force. The root lock, or mulabandha, involves tightening and holding the anal sphincter. Pulsing the anal muscles is called ashwini mudra (the gesture of the horse), and pulsing closer to the genitals is known as vajroli mudra (the thunderbolt gesture) for people with male genitalia; sahajoli mudra (the spontaneous gesture) for people with female parts. (Some traditions do not make the gender distinction and use the terms interchangeably.) This is a very basic overview of techniques that are discussed in considerable detail in several classical texts.
There’s no need to memorize the terms or become adept at all the variations, although the more you practice, the more skillful you will become. Focusing on and exercising the muscles of your pelvic floor will connect you with the source of your sexual power, not only because you are toning the muscles but also because you are bringing your attention to this part of the body, something people often neglect. These exercises strengthen erections and make it easier to regulate the ejaculatory response. Similarly, they strengthen the vaginal muscles, improve responsiveness, and help make G-spot or ejaculatory orgasms possible.
You can begin by closing your eyes and bringing your attention to your pelvic floor. Focus as intently as you can. Then inhale, imagining that your inhalation begins deep inside your pelvis. Take five or six deep breaths, maintaining your focus. Next, squeeze your PC muscles; relax them; then bear down (or push out) very gently, so that you feel your labia open or your scrotum descend, working the muscles fully in three steps. The last step is important because G-spot orgasms involve bearing down, which is an unfamiliar movement for some, and because people often overemphasize the contractions, which can produce too much tension.
If you have trouble locating these muscles, you can find them by stopping the flow of urine midstream next time you use the bathroom. Once you’ve found your PCs and know how to exercise them, try doing three sets of ten pulses three times a day and increase the numbers gradually. This is not only a muscular exercise. By focusing on your pelvic floor, you’re bringing attention to your sexuality in a very direct way, and your sexual experiences will be the better for it.