What the Kama Sutra is
The Kama Sutra is an ancient Indian text on love, pleasure and relationships, written in Sanskrit by Vātsyāyana, probably between the 2nd and 4th centuries CE. "Kama" means desire or pleasure, and "sutra" means a thread or short teaching.
Only one of its seven parts is about sex positions. The rest covers how to find a partner, courtship, marriage, being a good lover, attraction and the arts a cultured person should learn.
It became famous in the West after Richard Burton's English translation in 1883, and today the name is used for almost any guide to sex positions.
Classic positions, explained simply
The Lotus: one partner sits cross-legged and the other sits in their lap facing them, wrapping their legs around. It is slow, close and intimate, ideal for eye contact and kissing.
The Yawning Position: one partner lies on their back with their legs raised and open while the other kneels or lies between them. The Splitting of a Bamboo is a variation where one leg rests on the other partner's shoulder.
The Clasping Position is the book's name for lying face to face, close together, like a relaxed missionary. The Twining Position is similar, with one partner wrapping a leg around the other.
More classic positions
The Mare's Position is where the partner on top controls the movement by gripping, so the person underneath can stay still and relax. Riding positions in general give the partner on top control of pace and depth.
The Congress of a Cow is the book's name for what is now usually called doggy style. The Suspended Congress is a standing position where one partner holds the other up against a wall, which needs strength and a sturdy wall.
The book's advice is to change positions to suit both partners' comfort and pleasure, rather than performing acrobatics.
Tips from the book that still work
The Kama Sutra puts a lot of weight on foreplay, kissing and touch, and on understanding what the other person enjoys. That advice is just as useful today as the positions.
Go slowly, use pillows for support, and talk to each other: what feels good, what does not, and when to change. Our guides to tantric sex and lube have more tips.
Above all, consent and comfort come first. If a position hurts or feels awkward, stop and try something else; see our guide to consent and boundaries.
Your questions, answered
Is the Kama Sutra just about sex positions?
No: only one of its seven parts covers positions; the rest is about love, relationships and pleasure in general.
Who wrote the Kama Sutra?
Vātsyāyana, an Indian philosopher, probably between the 2nd and 4th centuries CE.
What is the easiest Kama Sutra position for beginners?
The Lotus and the Clasping Position are simple, comfortable and intimate.
