What is Yab-Yum?

Tantra is Sanskrit for “tool for stretching” or “instrument of expansion.” 
In the last couple of decades, the term Tantra has made its way into the pop culture lexicon. From Tantra Restaurant, an upscale restaurant and lounge in Miami’s South Beach, to Tantra Salon, a small hair salon in suburban Philadelphia, the allure of this mysterious practice is evident. 
Tantra is not a religion; there is no dogma, no institution. It is a practice; a way of being.
 
Thanks, in part, to a provocative (and drunken) 1993 Q magazine interview with Sting and Bob Geldof (Sting talks about it in a recent interview with The Guardian), there’s been a fascination with tantric sex, also commonly referred to as “sacred sex”. 

Despite the hype, sex is merely one facet of this complex and esoteric spiritual philosophy. Tantra encompasses the use of chakras (the energy centers of the body), mantra (Sanskrit chants), asana (yoga postures), pranayama (rhythmic breathing) and ritual ceremony to address concepts such as the weaving of light and shadow, paradox, and reverence for the body as a pathway to the Divine. 
The yab yum sex position is another great example of how tantric sex is working its way into the mainstream. Rather than being something exclusively for those with an intimate knowledge of Tantra, education around the spiritual practice has made it accessible to everyone.  

This intimate move is one of the most common Tantra practices and combines sex, meditation, and yoga into one, offering couples the chance to get deeply intimate with one another through a physical connection and better emotional wellbeing. 

If you're looking to build on your list of the best sex positions with an easy tantric sex position and all the benefits it has to offer, there's no better position than the yab yum to start with. Here, a certified sexologist reveals everything you need to know about the yab yum sex position and how to try it for yourself. 
What is the yab yum sex position? 

The yab yum is a partner-facing move, explains certified sex educator Suzannah Weiss. It's also often known as the lotus sex position. The partner penetrating sits cross-legged on the bed or the floor and the partner sits on top of them. "If you are on top, you'll be on your partner's lap and you'll wrap your arms and legs around them and rock back and forth," she says. "Your partner will have their arms around your waist." 
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Rather than bouncing up and down like you might do in the face off sex position or the classic cowgirl, however, the top partner in the yab yum sex position especially moves backward and forward in a grinding motion. "Instead of mimicking the thrusting motion of a person on top, the yab yum allows for a back-and-forth motion that tends to be better," says Weiss, who is also a sex and love coach as the resident sexologist for pleasure product brand Biird.  
Because of this, it's best to try the sex position on a flat, soft surface with support for both partners' legs - like a bed or carpeted floor. However, the yab yum is relatively versatile as positions go, so you could always try it on a chair too. You'll both need to let your legs hang loosely and the partner being penetrated on top should be able to touch the floor with their feet to support the gentle rocking motion.