Photos by Darekh Froude

Musician Sting is noted to have extraordinary sexual stamina.

According to various Web sites - www.usatoday.com and www.sting.com - his stamina may be attributed to his devotion to the ancient practice of yoga.

According to the USA Today site, "Some yoga forms, notably the tantric subset of kundalini yoga, employ special exercises to develop and balance the sexual organs."

"Sting, who made eyebrow-raising headlines when he announced years ago that he used tantric techniques to prolong sex for up to five hours, has been vocal of yoga's ability to take sex to profound levels of experience."

Beyond the sexual benefits of yoga, the benefits of a healthy relationship also contribute to sexual enjoyment.

Sting said in an interview on his homepage, www.sting.com, "They (certain yoga postures) allow you to control the whole operation better and make love for longer, which I think has beneficial effects · especially when you have a good relationship with a good partner."

Jeanne Missey, assistant director of fitness at the Student Recreation Center, agreed that yoga enhances intimate relationships by focusing on both balance and stamina.

"Anybody (who) is fit has stamina in all aspects of life, whether they're studying or having sex," Missey said. "And yoga, just like any other fitness class, is going to offer benefits that include stamina."

She added that yoga also increases self-awareness and focus, which aid in achieving a positive intimate experience.

"Yoga is all about connecting and what we do physically with our body in order to balance. That (physical balance) is supposed to spill over into more general philosophical balances in our life," Missey said. "Whenever we have to focus enough to practice balancing postures, our awareness also becomes more focused and we can focus more easily on a loved one."

She added that students often benefit from the balance yoga provides, both physically and mentally.

"(Yoga enhances) balance. It's something we all strive for, certainly as students, (to) balance our play with our work with our love," Missey said.

Literature sophomore Rachel Traywick has practiced yoga seriously for about two years.

"Yoga makes you more aware of your body and also helps you focus a lot better, which I think increases healthy sexuality," Traywick said. "In terms of exercise in general, a lot of exercise builds your muscles but doesn't open them at all, but yoga makes you a lot more open, too."

Missey added that yoga is not restricted to a physical fitness regime but also integrates both mind and body.

"(Yoga) happens to be a very fine form of fitness because it is so holistic in its approach as far as really integrating mind, body (and) spirit, centering the person," she said. "If you're more centered, more attuned, you do a lot better with a loved one."

Yoga classes are offered at the SRC for $125 for unlimited sessions or $5 per class.