Yoga: New 'Om' of good sex life!

 

NONA WALIA 10 September 2009, 12:00am IST

To beat fatigue in the bedroom, yoga is the new Om of sexual well-being.

Sex it up with yoga! (Getty Images)

In yoga studios of suburban Delhi, there's a new asana for sexuality, which is bringing a revolution in the lives of men and women. Delhi-based yoga expert Mini Shastri advises Surya Namaskar every morning for a scared sexual connection.

" Surya Namaskar is a combination of 12 different poses, back bends, forward bends. While doing the namaskar you contract and expand your nerves to the pelvic girdle, which is your sexual core. This stimulates your sexual hormones and helps you achieve a new sexual equilibrium. While kundalini yoga is also beneficial for a better sex life. For instance, vrkasana or the scorpio pose helps your reproductive organs.''

AWAKE YOUR SENSUAL BEING
Ellen Barrett's book Sexy Yoga, is designed to open up seven chakras (energy centers) that involve sexuality: root, sacral and heart. "Yoga means union or yoke in Sanskrit, and it focuses on bringing the body into harmony with the mind and spirit. The awareness of sexuality through yoga is deeper and more intimate. Yoga is about discovering the joys of elegant sexuality,'' says Barrett.

Why are more people rediscovering the yogic position on sexuality? "Yoga helps you in creating a balance. Kundalini yoga helps you create bio-energy, It activates your sex hormones. There's a spiritual connection between yoga, sex and celibacy on the other. Yoga helps you achieve your needs, you can be celibate or satisfied sexually through yoga, it helps you supress or express sexual desire. Kundalini yoga is a bio-science of sexuality and psychology. It can rejuvenate through breathing exercises, which enhance consciousness, with bio-magnetic awareness, you can use your charms sexually. We have higher forms of prayananam ,'' says Kundalini yoga expert, Meena Nanda, who teaches dynamic life management for well-being.

DO WE REALLY NEED NUDE YOGA?
Perhaps, some people are taking yoga for sensuality a bit too far. Like New York-based ashtanga yoga teacher Aaron Star is the founder of Hot Nude Yoga, which combines ashtanga and vinyasa yoga session. "The students discover breathing techniques that will help you to relax and bliss out. The practice involves the classic stretching postures and breathing exercises, coordinated with chanting and meditation to stimulate the release of so-called kundalini energy. It uses the energy of sex to raise the kundalini energy to the higher chakras. It is a good idea to be a regular practitioner of ordinary yoga before you embark on yoga for sex,'' says Star.

MUDRAS FOR SEXUAL HEALING
Sexologist Dr Prakash Kothari believes, yoga is the perfect for emotional, sexual and spiritual well-being. "There are certain asanas that enhance physical intimacy -- bhramari prayanam , chanting of Om with eyes and ears closed reduces anxiety, helps in contracting and expanding sexual nerves. While vajrasana helps in erectile dysfunctions, vajroli and ashwini mudra can help pregnant women pursue a healthy sex life after delivery. These mudras help the pelvic muscles. I also advise surya namaskar to those who have endrocrine imbalance. If you follow these excercises, yoga can really improve your sex life.''

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The right to form a trade union - the Jet Airways Strike

  

The right to form a trade union - the Jet Airways Strike

 

 By Girish Menon
 

One of the main issues that has got sidetracked in the Jet Airways versus its own pilots controversy is whether pilots of Jet Airways have a right to form a trade union.
 
In the Hindustan Times of date, Mr. Naresh Goyal the Jet Airways chief likened his pilots' actions to terrorists "who are holding the country, the passengers and the airline hostage". Surely Mr. Goyal, forming a trade union and insisting on collective bargaining are not akin to the acts of a terrorist!
 
This Jet Airways confrontation will be a litmus test for corporate India's campaign to water down the labour laws of the land and to ensure that workers have no collective bargaining rights in a 'globalised' world. Jet Airways have been surreptitiously shedding staff in many other departments during 2009, despite Mr. Goyal's tears of retribution during Diwali 2008, after his airline with one fell swoop made hundreds of cabin crew redundant.
 
Airline pilots in India are probably the only group of individuals who have the might to confront the unbridled corporate and governmental reach of the Jet airways management. These pilots, scions of political bigwigs, have the economic wherewithal to sitout a lock out as well as the political network to counter the political machinations of Naresh Goyal.
 
The result of this battle will define the future of industrial relations in 'modern and globalised' India. If Naresh Goyal wins, then it will be difficult for any economically weaker section of employees to obtain the right to form a trade union and if necessary to go on strike. If the pilots win, then it will only be a minor reprieve for this well off section of workers. What will follow will be a furore in the Indian media, led by the pink newspapers, to improve the Indian labour markets so that Indian companies can get a 'global edge' (read weakening of labour laws).
 
You have been warned. Workers of India, you have nothing to gain except more working hours and less rights to industrial action.
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Chilling with Sachin Tendulkar - Secret of batting

 

After two decades playing international cricket, how has he so ruthlessly accumulated these runs?

 

"The secret to batting is to stay still and just react to what the bowler has done," he says, making it all sound simple. "You have to be still both in your mind and physically. It is so important that your mind is not full of a lot of thoughts because your reaction time is not going to be good. You have to keep your mind blank.

 

"The toughest thing is to clear your mind. The mind always wants to be in the past or the future; it rarely wants to be in the present. My best batting comes when my mind is in the present, but it doesn't happen naturally. You have to take yourself there. I am not able to get in that zone as often as I would like, but when you are there you don't see anything except the bowler and the ball. You have to allow your instincts to take over. Trust me, your instincts are 99% right, but you know, the older I get the more I realise how important your breathing is to good batting. By that I mean, if you focus on breathing and relaxing, you can force yourself into a comfortable place to bat."

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Cycleway may spell end of a school bus

stephen.exley@cambridge-news.co.uk

VILLAGERS are set to benefit from a new cycleway and footpath - but they could lose out on their free school bus as a result.

The improved off-road path would run between Milton and Impington to the south of Butt Lane and Milton Road, offering a safer route for pedestrians and cyclists as part of the £7.2 million Cycle Cambridge package of improvements.

But Milton parents with students who attend Impington Village College fear losing the free bus provided by Cambridgeshire County Council if the route is deemed a safe route.

Girish Menon, of Cherry Close, whose son Om, 11, attends the school, said: "I think this is an outrage. We need to ensure Milton students have a safe journey to school.

"The effect this scheme will have on the council's green policies are laughable. I can see many Milton parents using their cars to drop off their children at school.

"Instead of three or four buses now operating, we may have 100 cars ferrying students to Impington during rush hour."

Jane Coston, a Milton parish councillor, has been handing out leaflets to highlight that the council's consultation process ends on Thursday. Speaking in a personal capacity, she said: "More than 200 children travel by bus and I am concerned for them. It could be taken away and that would be awful."

Students who live less than three miles from school qualify for free travel if the route is not deemed safe for a child accompanied by an adult.

The council plans are for a 2.5-metre wide walkway/cycleway and it believes it would attract students, workers and leisure users.

Mike Davies, programme manager for Cycle Cambridge, said: "If approval to build the route is given by councillors, once it is built it will be assessed for its suitability for children."

He said the process was "lengthy but democratic."

A consultation event about the plans takes place tomorrow (Wednesday, 09 September) at 3pm-6pm at Milton's community centre in Coles Road.

Alternatively, visit www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/transport/projects/south by Thursday.

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Om's best cricket season so far as a bowler

 

Bowling Statistics - 2009 for all Granta teams

Name	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wkts	Best Bowling	5WH	Econ	S-R	Ave	Bowled (%)	Caught (%)	LBW (%)	Stumped (%)	%Team Wkts
Om Menon	23	3	81	16	4/3	0	3.52	8.63	5.06	6 (37.5)	5 (31.25)	1 (6.25)	4 (25)	31.37
Matthew Cooksey	31.3	5	103	16	6/17	2	3.27	11.81	6.44	3 (18.75)	10 (62.5)	2 (12.5)	1 (6.25)	48.48
Sam Inglis	99.4	23	243	28	4/15	0	2.44	21.36	8.68	13 (46.43)	12 (42.86)	1 (3.57)	0	23.93
James Brooklyn	133.1	55	422	41	7/15	3	3.17	19.48	10.29	21 (51.22)	15 (36.59)	2 (4.88)	2 (4.88)	29.71
Hussain Biplob	35	2	105	10	3/22	0	3	21	10.5	5 (50)	5 (50)	0	0	24.39
Duncan Howells	112	27	369	28	5/14	1	3.29	24	13.18	7 (25)	18 (64.29)	3 (10.71)	0	22.76
John Naylor	46.5	5	136	10	3/14	0	2.91	28.08	13.6	5 (50)	2 (20)	2 (20)	0	17.24
Neil Mckeown	51	9	222	15	5/41	1	4.35	20.4	14.8	8 (53.33)	5 (33.33)	2 (13.33)	0	26.32
Mark Coteman	58.4	4	223	15	3/32	0	3.8	23.48	14.87	6 (40)	4 (26.67)	3 (20)	0	15.96
Matthew Winter	67.5	13	205	13	3/25	0	3.02	31.29	15.77	5 (38.46)	7 (53.85)	1 (7.69)	0	15.66
Joe Heather	75.2	17	259	16	5/55	1	3.44	28.24	16.19	6 (37.5)	6 (37.5)	4 (25)	0	30.77
Lewys Hill	248.5	41	747	46	5/40	1	3	32.45	16.24	12 (26.09)	21 (45.65)	9 (19.57)	4 (8.7)	24.08
Jack Upton	50.4	8	195	12	4/33	0	3.85	25.35	16.25	3 (25)	8 (66.67)	1 (8.33)	0	15.79
Jamie Jones	53.2	14	163	10	5/27	1	3.06	31.98	16.3	6 (60)	4 (40)	0	0	15.15
Tom Elmslie	72.2	4	349	21	5/23	1	4.82	20.69	16.62	5 (23.81)	5 (23.81)	1 (4.76)	3 (14.29)	22.58
Paul Scott	66	7	204	12	3/29	0	3.09	33	17	8 (66.67)	3 (25)	0	1 (8.33)	16.9
Joseph White	118.3	25	364	20	4/35	0	3.07	35.55	18.2	7 (35)	9 (45)	3 (15)	1 (5)	17.24
Thomas Faulkener	54	8	225	12	3/25	0	4.17	27	18.75	3 (25)	7 (58.33)	1 (8.33)	1 (8.33)	17.65
Sean Park	117.2	14	444	22	5/19	2	3.79	31.99	20.18	0	16 (72.73)	5 (22.73)	1 (4.55)	18.49
Jason Coleman	277.4	54	853	42	5/17	1	3.07	39.67	20.31	10 (23.81)	20 (47.62)	12 (28.57)	0	19.35
Jonathan carpenter	113	26	355	16	4/49	0	3.14	42.38	22.19	7 (43.75)	8 (50)	1 (6.25)	0	13.22
Mark Nunn	83.2	10	282	12	4/19	0	3.39	41.65	23.5	6 (50)	6 (50)	0	0	13.19
Alex Fullarton	79.1	6	329	14	4/17	0	4.15	33.94	23.5	0	11 (78.57)	1 (7.14)	2 (14.29)	14.29
Freddie Clamp	79.3	8	307	13	5/61	1	3.86	36.69	23.62	4 (30.77)	5 (38.46)	3 (23.08)	1 (7.69)	26.53
Rajan Singh	149.3	24	636	26	4/32	0	4.25	34.5	24.46	16 (61.54)	10 (38.46)	0	0	15.2
Craig Park	166	26	566	23	3/22	0	3.41	43.3	24.61	6 (26.09)	11 (47.83)	6 (26.09)	0	11.5
Matthew Friedlander	83	13	326	13	4/43	0	3.93	38.31	25.08	3 (23.08)	10 (76.92)	0	0	14.29
Jonathan Atkinson	66	2	345	13	4/46	0	5.23	30.46	26.54	1 (7.69)	9 (69.23)	0	3 (23.08)	14.13
Tim O'Connell	111.5	19	425	15	4/25	0	3.8	44.72	28.33	1 (6.67)	11 (73.33)	2 (13.33)	1 (6.67)	13.51
John Kay	80	7	410	11	4/73	0	5.13	43.64	37.27	5 (45.45)	3 (27.27)	2 (18.18)	1 (9.09)	13.58

 

Bowling Statistics - Granta Under 11a/ 2009 summer

Name	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wkts	Best Bowling	5WH	Econ	S-R	Ave	Bowled (%)	Caught (%)	LBW (%)	Stumped (%)	%Team Wkts
Om Menon	23	3	81	16	4/3	0	3.52	8.63	5.06	6 (37.5)	5 (31.25)	1 (6.25)	4 (25)	31.37
Mihir Chandraker	23	4	72	7	3/13	0	3.13	19.71	10.29	4 (57.14)	0	0	3 (42.86)	20.59
Jonah Omitowoju	11	1	44	4	2/6	0	4	16.5	11	2 (50)	2 (50)	0	0	18.18
Thomas Cox	24	7	51	4	2/10	0	2.13	36	12.75	2 (50)	1 (25)	1 (25)	0	7.84
Ben Taylor	13	3	37	4	2/10	0	2.85	19.5	9.25	2 (50)	2 (50)	0	0	7.84
Hugh Barker	3	0	14	3	2/13	0	4.67	6	4.67	3 (100)	0	0	0	17.65
Michael Cowdrey	5	0	16	2	2/12	0	3.2	15	8	0	1 (50)	0	1 (50)	11.11
Blaise Mann	25	4	95	2	1/3	0	3.8	75	47.5	2 (100)	0	0	0	3.77
Charlie Lewis	7	1	13	2	2/3	0	1.86	21	6.5	1 (50)	1 (50)	0	0	8
Robert Marmion	9.5	0	44	2	1/2	0	4.49	29.4	22	1 (50)	0	1 (50)	0	16.67
Lewis Evans	10	0	34	1	1/11	0	3.4	60	34	0	1 (100)	0	0	2.78
Blaise Mann	2	1	2	1	1/2	0	1	12	2	1 (100)	0	0	0	12.5
Robbie Sewell	2	0	13	0	0/13	0	6.5			0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0
Edward Hyde	2	0	7	0	0/7	0	3.5			0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0
Theo Pow	9	5	16	0	0/0	0	1.78			0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0 ()	0

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A Letter To 'The Economist'

25 August 2009

To the Editor
The Economist

Dear Sir,

This is with regard to the review of my book Listening to Grasshoppers that appeared in The Economist. If this letter is long, ironically it is because the factual errors in the review are so many. In an attempt to highlight my "flawed reporting and incorrect analysis" the reviewer makes some extraordinary errors and leaps of logic:

1. "Ms Roy cites a massacre of perhaps 2,000 Muslims in Gujarat in 2002, in which the state's Hindu-nationalist government was allegedly complicit. Almost no senior official or Hinduist agitator has been prosecuted over the atrocity. And Narendra Modi, Gujarat's chief minister then and now, is currently vying to take over the leadership of the main opposition Bharatiya Janata Party, and one day India. Many of the country's industrialists would approve of that; even Ratan Tata, the gentlemanly head of the vast Tata Group which prides itself on its ethical dealings, has praised Mr Modi's business-friendly policies. Nothing annoys Ms Roy more."

Mr Tata did not merely praise Modi's business policies, he endorsed him warmly and publicly as a future candidate for prime minister. In India the said Mr Modi is still being investigated for his role in the 2002 pogrom. In his successful election campaigns after the pogrom, Modi brazenly cultivated communal hatred. He is a member of the RSS (Rashtriya Swayam Sevak Sangh), an organization that is proud of its fascist origins and counts both Hitler and Mussolini as its heroes. In addition to the massacres about 150,000 Muslims were driven from their homes during the carnage. Even today, under Mr Modi's administration, most continue to live in ghettos, socially and economically boycotted in a brutal system of communal apartheid, while the killers continue to live as free, respectable citizens. Incidentally, after considering the available information, the US government has denied Mr Modi a visa. A handicap, wouldn't you say, for a potential prime minister? Incidentally, for more on the Tata's "ethical dealings" you could google "Kalinganagar" or "Singur".

2. ". . . she is not always a reliable witness. Her claim that in Kashmir last summer protesters were as likely to call for union with Pakistan as freedom from India is probably wrong; most seemed to want to be shot of both countries."

I have never made such a claim. Nobody with an even passing acquaintance with Kashmir would (or should) say something so ridiculous. Given the intensity and violence of the fratricidal wars that Kashmiris have fought, and the thousands that have lost their lives over the Pakistan vs Freedom issue, and given that Kashmiri leadership is still unresolved about the question, it's extraordinary that the reviewer can so casually and so glibly claim to know what the majority of people of Kashmir want. My essay on Kashmir is actually titled "Azadi", which in Urdu means "Freedom". Perhaps the reviewer is unfamiliar with the language?

3. "More typically, she appears to gather her facts from newspapers (her articles strike the reader rather as 'lounge notes'), before selectively arranging and then exaggerating them to suit her own ends. For example, about 25% of India's territory is alleged to be affected by a Maoist insurgency, but that does not make it, as Ms Roy writes, 'out of government control'."

If the reviewer had cared to read the book instead of ransacking it, he/she would have come across a sentence that clarifies that several of the essays are "responses to the responses" about certain events. Given that much of my book is a critique of the disturbing role that a section of the corporate media has played in these events, is it surprising that media reports are frequently referred to? Most of the time this is in order to expose them for being false and motivated. To conclude from this that my "facts are gathered from newspapers" and that the articles are "lounge notes" is laughable.

The figure of 25 % of India's territory being under Maoist insurgency is a figure advanced by the Indian security establishment and is probably a slight exaggeration. However, it is a fact that vast swathes of India's territory are out of government control. It is for this reason that the Government has announced that in October, after the rains, there will be a military operation in states like Chhattisgarh, Orissa and Jharkhand in which ground troops will be backed up with helicopter gunships and satellite mapping. A brigade headquarters is being established in Raipur (Chhattisgarh), and 26,000 paramilitary troops (the same Rashtriya Rifles who are deployed in Kashmir, and similar to the Assam Rifles deployed in Assam, Manipur and Nagaland) are being raised for this war. This is in addition the thousands of security personnel who are already deployed in these areas. Perhaps the reviewer has never visited Dantewara , seen the burned, empty villages, or crossed the Indravati into the territory that is called "Pakistan", where police and security forces do not venture? Perhaps he/she hasn't heard of Abujmaad?

4. "Beyond India, her grasp of her subject-matter gets looser. If Ms Roy believes, as she writes, that a good portion of Africa's 'contemporary horrors' are caused by America's 'new colonial interests', she would do well to pay a visit to the continent."

My book is about India, not Africa, but yes, there is a paragraph about Africa. Here's the sentence the reviewer refers to: "The battle to control Africa's mineral wealth rages on -- scratch the surface of contemporary horrors in Africa, in Rwanda, the Congo, Nigeria, pick your country and chances are that you will be able to trace the story back to the old colonial interests of Europe and the new colonial interests of the United States." My mistake here is that I didn't mention the new colonial interests of countries like China and India as well. Does your reviewer not know about the legacy of Shell Oil in Nigeria? Or the politics that surrounds the mining of a mineral called coltan? Or of how Belgium's colonial regime structured the barriers of hatred between the Tutsis and the Hutus in Rwanda with their racist profiling and social engineering? As for the recommendation that I pay a visit to the continent . . . it's a grand idea, but how does one visit an entire continent? I have visited parts of it. Plenty of times. But the reviewer should know that it is possible to know things about places even if you haven't been to them, like historians know things about history without traveling back in time.

5. "For a more measured analysis, Ms Roy should perhaps turn to the finance ministry's recently published Economic Survey. There she would read that, 'High growth is critical to generate the revenues needed for meeting our social welfare objectives.' Ms Roy should take note."

Am I really being waved back into my seat with the finance ministry's Economic Survey? I thought everybody knew that the cut back on public spending (social welfare objectives) is almost in direct proportion to the growth rate? It's often a pre-requisite when loans from the World Bank, the ADB and the IMF are negotiated. Isn't that what structural adjustment is all about? Or is this the old Trickle Down theory being re-cycled? I've always wondered about this. Sometimes they say the Free Market provides a level playing field -- but then when questioned, they ask us to wait for Trickle Down. But things only Trickle Down slopes don't they? Anyway, there is a school of thought which believes that people actually do have rights. The right, for instance, to resist the Government taking away their land and their livelihoods, often at gunpoint, and then ordering them to wait for the leftovers (if the gentlemen leave any) to trickle down after the feast.

Regardless of our obvious ideological differences I hope you agree that errors and innuendo of this nature undermine the real debate.

With best wishes,
Arundhati Roy

The Ten Best Seduction Techniques

Sticky Eyes

When you are talking to your quarry, let your eyes stay glued to his or hers a little longer than necessary - even during silences. A gaze that lingers awakens primal, slightly disturbing feelings. It induces the same "fight or flight" chemicals that race through our veins when we feel infatuation. When you must look away, do so reluctantly. Drag your eyes away slowly. This is a particularly good technique for men to use, as women always want to feel that a man is absolutely fascinated by them.

The Visual Voyage

As you and your date are chatting, let your eyes do some traveling - but only on safe ground at first. Take a visual voyage all over his or her face, concentrating on their eyes. If he or she seems to be enjoying your expedition, take small side trips to the neck, shoulders and torso. For girls, take sneak peeks at his body - and when he sees you pretend you are a little embarrassed. This should really get his juices flowing and is a great way to get a friend to think of you sexually. For the man this technique is a little more dangerous, so be wary. If your eyes travel too far south for too long you'll be in trouble.

Expensive Dining

This is good for a gentleman who intends to pick up the bill on the first date. Make sure you take your date to an expensive restaurant with an atmosphere like the one you wish to project - be it elegant, upbeat, cool or arty. Atmosphere is important because she will transfer her feelings about the room to you. It may be superficial, but women tend to judge a man on the first place he takes them.

Dress to Impress

Even when seeking only a casual liaison, do not go out dressed like an unmade bed. Dress as though you were auditioning to be his or her husband or wife. Men must make sure they are coordinated and dress affluently: women love good quality clothes on men. Women need to dress alluringly but not in a cheap way. He is going to mentally undress you anyway, so there is no need for that short skirt. However, you might want to try a slightly more revealing second layer of clothes so that you can, at the right moment, take off that jacket and reveal some wonderful cleavage.

Give First Date Butterflies

When planning your first date, find out what pulls your date's strings, and then plan an arousing, emotional adventure. You don't have to go sky-diving, but a little shared danger is a proven aphrodisiac. A scary movie is an easy way to achieve this - or perhaps ice-skating, where the woman may be nervous and might have to hold on tight. Afterwards, go out for dinner or a drink to discuss your shared experience.

Co-react

To capture your quarry's heart, you need to share his or her convictions and show that you feel them deeply. Watch his or her reactions to outside stimuli, then show the same emotions - shock, disgust, humour, compassion, etc. This is particularly important for men, who are more inclined to misjudge situations. Make sure your reactions suit the mood.

Smile

A simple but crucial technique. A smile is the most effective form of body language and a great way to let somebody know that you are interested in them. As you are looking at or talking to a member of the opposite sex whom you wish to seduce, let a soft smile of acceptance frame your lips. Don't give too quick a smile: just let a slow one float over your face. This will seem much more genuine - while making your romantic intentions obvious.

How do you feel about that?

A good tip for men: pluck up some courage and, whatever your quarry is discussing, simply ask her, "How do you feel about that?" It might seem awkward at first, but woman love to talk about how they feel and will nearly always respond enthusiastically. Women, on the other hand, should wait until a relationship is on stable ground before asking a man much about his feelings - otherwise there is a danger of rocking the boat before it is launched.

Let Your Quarry Pass an 'Audition'

Men should not ask a woman out too soon, lest she think you are interested only in her looks. The ideal time to ask a woman for a date is when she has said something relevant to her personality. For example, if she says something spiritual, say that you'd love to hear more about that, perhaps over dinner. A woman values interest all the more if she feels that you appreciate her inner qualities. Women, meanwhile, can move faster, as men are less afraid of being treated as sex objects.

Have the First Laugh

Another obvious but important technique. Women: make sure you laugh at your quarry's jokes and, when in a group, be the first to laugh. It brings you closer together. Men should try and introduce cute private jokes to create a bond between the two of you. This will help to make you seem like long-time lovers rather than first-date strangers.

'How to Make Anyone Fall in Love With You: 85 Proven Techniques for Success' - £8.99, by Leil Lowndes, is published by Element