After practicing these teachings for years, I have come to discover a few things about sex- it's one of the three best things in life, and I can't remember the other two. I have come to understand we need intimate physical connection at least as much as food, and when we don't enjoy enough we get old fast. Tigresses understood what keeps us from becoming a stuffy, prim, respectable and finished old woman. Sex keeps us connected to the human race. If unused or misused it can become a poison, if used well sex can become the most empowering medicine of all.

Interestingly, medical science is confirming the many health benefits of sex. The Hebrew University performed studies on semen and found it contained high levels of micronutrients and proteins that are par excellence for the skin. Studies also showed increased frequency of performing oral sex creates a greater production of saliva, and the micronutrients in saliva have been proven to break down fat cells. Yes, this means you can lose weight performing oral sex, but more on this later.

The Basis of White Tigress Philosophy
Were White Tigresses wanton lusty women who practiced indiscriminate random sexual acts? Hardly! They were highly disciplined and selective in their sexually and extremely conscious of their safety and health. Unlike many spiritual traditions, Tigresses viewed the expression of passion as central to a woman's well being. Taoist in nature, their goals were simple: to live a long, happy and healthy life, which for them meant, "being youthful in old age."

As rare and powerful as white tigers in the wild, they are renown for their exquisite beauty, gracefulness and total femininity. Their origins can be traced to the long lineages of Indian Tantrikas and Geishas of Eastern cultures, which flourished for centuries in part by honoring the cultivation of feminine intelligence, beauty and power. The unique aspect of the White Tigress is their claim that women have their own process for acquiring the physical and spiritual goals of Taoism, namely restoring youthfulness and ultimately achieving immortality through a disciplined use of sexuality. Tigresses viewed their sexuality as a spiritual gift, and they knew how to use it to stay healthy and young.

Replenishing her yin forces with the yang
The theory they maintain is that since males are yang by nature- outward and active- and females are yin by nature- passive and inward- both can sustain optimum health by replenishing themselves with their opposite energy. Although not an exact translation, in our current language it would sound something like this: Women have both a "yin" hormone called estrogen and a "yang" hormone called testosterone. When testosterone levels drop as women age we lose libido and the theory goes that if we add more testosterone (yang) we can restore our sexual desire. A Tigress however, sought to replenish and balance her hormones naturally.

According to Tigresses, the secret for men to stay young is to cultivate tranquility (yin) and avoid dissipating too much semen whereas women should cultivate more focused (yang) activity. Tigresses maintain that women become youthful by expressing their sexual passion intensely and frequently. Who ever thought the secret to staying young was to enjoy passionate sex? (Actually, many women are finding this out for themselves!)

Harnessing the Power of Puberty
Of course not everything about adolescence was great, and most wouldn't want to revisit the confusion or anxiety we felt growing up as teenage girls. For most of us it was like cracking through an eggshell we wouldn't want to be trapped inside again- but there were certain things about puberty that were fantastic.

Think about how exciting it was to date for the first time, how we longed for or fantasized about someone we liked, how thrilling it was to have our (often clandestine) first kiss… During these times our life force energy was rising to its peak. Our skin was subtle and soft, our bodies pliable, our hair shined and our eyes glowed. Our early curiosities and sexual feelings meant our hormones were raging, we felt energetic and full of vitality. A Tigress sought to recreate these conditions in her in mind and body. By learning to strengthen the feminine forces that first appear during puberty (with greater wisdom and safety than a teenager) they sought to fully embrace their femininity rather than discard it.

There are several ways a Tigress did this. The first was by practicing having a sensuous attitude in her mind. She enjoyed the attention of men and welcomed their natural attraction to her considering it beneficial to flirt in respectful ways. She understood how her attractions could rouse and stimulate her body and mind at any age. Tigresses were also as "health conscious" as many of us are today- they had healthy diets, took herbal formulas, practiced qigong and martial arts, and most importantly, maintained certain sexual "disciplines" to preserve their youthful demeanor.

White Tigresses engage in two primary oral practices to revitalize their yin and yang energies. In the first, Congealing the Dragon's Jade, she makes use of male semen to restore her skin and hair. In the second practice, she focuses on enjoying male sexual energy, referred to as Absorbing the Dragon's Breath. Absorption is the ability to receive the energy of the male orgasm into herself, whereby she strengthens her own, as well as her partner's energies. Tigresses viewed oral sex as far more than mere foreplay and it was considered most important for restoring beauty and achieving transcendent states of spiritual awareness.

These, and other sexual practices that were meant to be healing and transformational have long been held secret and were controversial in nearly every society. Yet as many today sense there is more to sex than getting our needs met, a growing number are seeking ways to express their sexual passion with greater care and spiritual intention.

White Tigresses are quite rare even today, and while their traditions are being adapted to suit our culture, their practices have survived due to the courage of a long lineage of dedicated women and men that still exist in secluded places. For the most part the methods of restoring youthfulness and creating the conditions for immortality have been handed down from teacher to student, often from sister to sister. Though most female Taoists and Tigresses remain reclusive, as it is their nature to disappear into the mountains, their teachings quietly echo through the valleys.

Translated into seven languages, (most recently Chinese) The Sexual Teachings of the White Tigress- the Secrets of Female Taoists by Hsi Lai has sold over 100,000 copies since its release in 2001.

She is the founder of Nourishing Arts, a spiritual sexuality educational center dedicated to the preservation and continuance of the White Tigress traditions. She will be presenting a Spiritual Sexuality Program for men and women in New Zealand and Australia in April 2006.

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