Do you think it’s possible to live forever? The question might seem preposterous, and the answer an obvious and screaming “No!” And, of course, savvy modern science tells us that everything dies, typically in less than 100 years. Yet, our brothers and sisters from bygone eras care to differ.
In ancient China, “white tigresses,” Taoist female masters and seemingly intrepid and virile women came from all walks of life, searching for youth, vitality and immortality. They used the power of sexuality to illuminate their minds and bring health to their bodies. At the very pinnacle of practice, they would be able to walk among the angels. That was not death, but a visit to the Immortal Realm, before returning back to Earth. These women still exist today. They tend to practice in secret, but tigresses and their male counterparts, “dragons,” are rumored to live and love in modern-day Hong Kong and Taiwan.
Traditional Buddhists teach that one should merge one’s consciousness with the eternal, like a drop of water merging with the sea. The Buddhist loses all identity of self and becomes an indistinguishable part of the eternal everything. Most monastic Buddhists live quiet lives of meditation and total celibacy, striving for a mental merging with the cosmos.
Not so for tigresses and dragons. They view sex as a powerful force. They even pity their Buddhist friends for abandoning such an incredible tool on the path to the eternal. Sex guides them to heaven, and not just metaphorically.
Peeping into the science of sex tells us that when we have good sex we release loads of nourishing neurochemicals. What do these do? They make us feel like gods and help us look good. In other words, they are anti-aging.
Dopamine is the feel-good chemical released in the reward center of the brain. It is the same chemical released unnaturally by cocaine and methamphetamines in unhealthy, detrimental doses. Responsible for the frenzied “falling in love” feeling, dopamine is the adventure chemical. It allows you to act romantically, and makes men and women want to do crazy things for love. It makes you feel good about what has happened, is happening, and what is going to happen. It even provides you with an outgoing and assertive personality.
Serotonin is a tryptophan-derived monoamine neurotransmitter. The same chemical released unnaturally by heroine, barbiturates, alcohol and antidepressants, it is also released by sugary and carb-y comfort-foods. It is the satisfaction chemical. It allows you to relax. When you crave comfort foods or retail therapy, what you are really craving is serotonin to comfort and anesthetize yourself. A potent orgasm can release serotonin into your system for you. It is one of the reasons we relax after an orgasm feeling more satisfied. More sex means less food-craving, addictions, and weight-gain.
Human growth hormones, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), and testosterone are all released during a powerful orgasm. They help repair, renew, and build muscle, and rebuild cells. Both men and women experience a healthy burst of creative thought when oxytocin is released during sex, since orgasm produces a powerful surge in the right, creative-thinking, side of the brain.
A healthy sex life is the key to a happy existence, which makes for a long life. A good laugh can also be like good sex. You’re out of breath, you’re tingling, you’re breathing. All good things! Isn’t positive energy, perhaps wielded most powerfully through sex, then, the stuff of immortality?
