Body Orgasmic: 7 Ways to Great Sex

Shasta Townsend

Yoga practice helps us feel better in body, mind and spirit but what if it also offered access to a deep, blissful, connected state through sex?

There are millions of women practicing yoga around the globe. We stretch, sweat and strengthen ourselves so we may be more radiant, powerful and beautiful on and off the yoga mat. Women have embraced Yoga as an empowerment tool (and I salute our male yogis too) but there is one final area yet to be embraced—our sexuality and our power as sexual beings.

Yoga may have changed your life in a myriad of ways but has it changed your sex life? The time is ripe to extend our practice from body beautiful to body orgasmic—great yoga on the mat leads to great joy on the mattress.

This article is not intended to be a dissertation on the power of sexuality but rather a joyful offering of how your yoga practice can help you experience ananda (bliss) through sex.

7. Know me, know my body.

Yoga increases your awareness of your body. You begin to know your body in new and wonderful ways which means you can know what is nourishing, strengthening and affirming for your body on the mat and on the mattress.

I remember a friend in university telling me she had no sense of where her body was most of the time and during sex she felt like a disconnected head.  Needless to say her level of body connection and therefore pleasure was non-existent. A relationship with your body is one of the most important steps to great sex.

The next time you are in Triangle Pose, ask yourself where your body really is in space. Notice exactly what feels good and what feels uncomfortable. Begin to know your body deeply so it may tell you what you truly need to feel fabulous.

6. The gateway drug.

Which brings us to a deep truth—great yoga and great sex is not just about technique but about a deep connection to presence. Presence can be described as that radiant life force or Divine power within us.

Remember a time you felt so alive in your practice; your body was a gateway to calm, beauty, sensuality and the Divinity within you. Your body is your tool for awakening. Embrace it. I guarantee this gateway will be one of the most euphoric drugs available to you—your own body.

5. Slow down baby.

Speaking of presence, yoga contributes to great sex because it teaches us to slow down. When we are rushing through our life, our practice and foreplay all with a sense of urgency to get it done we miss the deeper radiance within us as well an opportunity to make a deep connection with our self and our partner.

The average lov making session is less than seven minutes. I take longer to drink a cup of coffee!

What’s the rush? Perhaps it’s our addiction to “busy.” Remember you created your to-do list so you can decide what’s on it. Would you rather be busy or “get busy” with your lover? Perhaps joy, celebration and connection could be at the top of your list as you slow down and embrace joy.

4. Getting my sexy back.

Within a year of starting yoga I went from a size 14 to a size 6 and felt sexier than ever before. I am not suggesting in anyway that body size should indicate how women feel about themselves. I know size 20+ women who are some of the sexiest women on the planet. Self-deprivation, eating disorders and feeling worthless because we aren’t toothpicks is not what it’s about.

Skinny does not equate to sexy. However, all women know that when you don’t feel attractive you don’t feel turned on. Yoga helps balance our weight, our hormones and the way we feel about ourselves.

Now at a happy size eight I am not the skinniest woman in the room, nor do I need to be. I embrace my curves and feel confident in my skin which allows me to be confident and embracing in the bedroom as well.

3. Shameless.

Although we have come a long way baby we still carry a lot of shame about our bodies and sexuality. I think of myself as a free, alive and radiant woman but still remember a university party and the guy who called me a “slut” because I would not sleep with him, but had slept with his friend. I know this is a clear example of jerk-dom combined with a ridiculous premise but I also still feel the remnants of the shame of this experience.

Liking sex and wanting it for myself and not as a servant to men’s desires made me a “slut” in his eyes and made me question myself.

Women who are overt sexual beings in our society are often seen as “whores” so we lock our sexuality away to fit the good girl or virgin archetype. This compartmentalizing is not only extremely damaging as we deny ourselves, but also why we struggle as a culture for holism on our planet today.

Yoga is a tool that reminds us that all truly is one. We are the radiant sexual Goddess and the innocent girl. We do not need to sacrifice any part of our self or feel shameful as all is beautiful in the eyes of the Divine.

As I freed up my shame about my robust sexuality I felt a new confidence grow in myself. This allowed me to feel more fearless and therefore less protective and defensive, which in turn opened up a new depth of intimacy and joy in my relationship with my husband, which meant even better sex.

2. Saying yes to joy.

In ancient Yoga philosophy, kama, defined as pleasure, joy and desire was a high principle. It was one of the four highest goals of life along with service. As humanity embraced a punishing God and viewed life as suffering and the body as dirty, we moved away from the philosophy of life as a gift and saw detachment, self-denial and suffering as holy.

Tantric teachings remind us that we are here to experience joy in this life and in this body. Even current neuroscience confirms that the human brain is wired for connection, freedom and celebration. Your right hemisphere is all about the party—joy is your natural state! Yoga helps us experience and remember our joy.

Remember the euphoria you experienced after a great Yoga class? You were glowing with possibility and all was beautiful in the world. Your heart was open and you could not stop smiling. Stepping into our joy is one of the most powerful tools of healing available on this planet today.

Sex can also be a great source of joy if we embrace it as such. Part of this is letting go of our shame, fear and denial but also to see ourselves, our bodies and our union with another as a source of what we are here to experience—joy! So next time you say yes to sex, think of it as a way to say yes to kama.

1. I bow to you gorgeous one.

Yoga reminds us to honor each other. When we bow and offer a Namaste we are literally bowing to the Divine in each other. Our sexual union can also be a way of honoring the Divine in our selves and our partner. How do you honor your partner? How do you think about your lover? Do you seek the Divine within them?

I have been married for nearly 10 years and I still have amazing sex and yes, with my husband. Not only am I still in love with my husband, I am also extremely attracted to him. Why did this attraction last? Well, I look for things to appreciate, to love and to honor. I purposefully choose to get turned on about him rather than to think about the things that annoy me. Moreover I honor the Divine in him and seek to affirm it in and out of the bedroom. I see him as the Divine in gorgeous form.

In Yoga philosophy our Ishta Devata is the Divine in beloved form. My husband is a powerful living breathing emanation of the Divine to me as I am to him. Who would not want to have sex with a god?

It’s time for us to embrace our sacred sexual current and free ourselves to experience ananda (bliss) on our mat and on our mattress.

12 Answers to Sex Questions You're Embarrassed to Ask Your Friends

Laura Argintar

We casually talk about sex with our friends over $13 omelettes, but we can’t bring ourselves to discuss those potentially mortifying personal questions we’re really curious about (cough butts, cough).

Let’s face it: You don’t want your friends envisioning you doing anal, and you sure as hell don’t want to provide them with that image.

Even when it comes to practicing safe sex, we don’t want to be judged when we do something stupid, like forget to wear a condom or take our birth control pills.

It’s not exactly easy to admit, “I’m scared I’m going to get pregnant,” while your best friend’s knocked-up sister is chilling on a virgin mimosa.

The thing about sex is, we’re all just getting our feet (and other body parts) wet. So we turned to the experts for the answers.

Here are The 12 Answers to the Sex Questions You’re Too Embarrassed To Ask Your Friends:

Safe Sex

1. Does the effectiveness of Plan B decrease as you take it more throughout your life? Will I become infertile if I make Plan B my Plan A?

Plan B is called “Plan B” for a reason — because it should not be relied upon as a form of contraception (but it is a great back-up for accidents like forgetting birth control pills or breaking condoms).

Dr. Brightman, private OBGYN and Assistant Clinical Professor of OBGYN at the Mount Sinai School of Medicine, tells us plain and simple, “[Plan B] is not less effective with repeated use nor will it have any long term impact on your future fertility.”

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2. Can you finish inside a girl on the birth control pill and still impregnate her?

“Here’s the thing about birth control,” explains Dr. Emily Morse, host of the top downloaded sex and relationship advice podcast “Sex with Emily” and SKYN brand ambassador.

“When taken correctly, oral contraceptives (AKA the Pill) can have up to 99 percent success rate at preventing pregnancy. Key word here being CORRECTLY.

Sadly, somewhere around nine out of every 100 women who rely on the pill to protect them during intercourse still get pregnant, usually because they either forget to take the pill regularly, “double up” on doses, or are take the pills with antibiotics that interfere.

So next time you’re gearing up for a condom free romp with that cutie from your dorm, ask yourself this: Does she seem like a responsible lady? Like the kind of girl who would remember to take a pill every day, around the same time, for several months without missing?” Yeah, better set a reminder.

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3. If you’re on the Pill, can you have unprotected sex during the week you take placebo pills? Are you still protected?

Bareback away, pre-tested-disease-free partners! “When taken regularly, birth control pills are more than 99 percent effective even during the placebo days,” advises Dr. Brightman.

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Ass-play

4. Will I get a disease from licking the booty?

Welcome to 2015, kids, there’s no difference between indulging in a slice of cake and any other body part. “The vagina, vulva and ‘booty’ are covered with normal bacteria,” assures Dr. Brightman.

Take heed though, young badonkey steed, Dr. Brightman also adds that if the owner of the booty has an active herpes lesion, chlamydia or gonorrhea, these infections may be transmitted by licking them. (In case you didn’t get the memo, we’re going there.)

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5. Wtf is up with anal sex? Is there a “right” way to do it? Is it even safe to do (I mean, up until this point I thought of it as an exit, not an entrance)? Will it forever ruin my insides because thinking about it, I feel like it will? Will my buttonhole be #foreverstretched?

Like love and learning to sing, when it comes to anal sex, you just can’t force it. “Forced penetration of the rectum can harm the sphincter and cause tearing, and potential harm sphincter function,” says Dr. Brightman.

But that doesn’t mean you should be discouraged, as Dr. Brightman says, “When the sphincter is relaxed and [with] lots of lube, you are unlikely to be harmed.”

As far as the whole stretched-out butthole debate, Dr. Morse asserts that this is all a myth:

“Let me put it this way: Your behind was intended to accommodate the passage of some pretty heavy sh*t (too much?). Regular, healthy use of anal sex will not leave you stretched out like a pair of cheap leggings. If anything, it will leave you slightly more relaxed, and able to enjoy sex more, without losing the firmness necessary to carry out its other less pleasant functions.”

Hmmm, this is a new move we can get behind…

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Abortions

6. Do abortions compromise your future fertility?

We’re handing this one over to the pro (which, coincidentally, if you’re seeking an abortion you should too). “When performed safely and preferably in the first trimester, they should not impact future fertility,” clarifies Dr. Brightman. “There is a greater risk that future fertility may be affected when a woman has many pregnancy terminations. This can result in uterine scarring.”

Above all, the most important thing to consider when terminating a pregnancy is safety.

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Penises

7. What does semen do to your body when you swallow it? Is it actually good for your skin?

Even though it may have a foreign flavor, ingesting semen is no different than eating lunch. “It is a natural body secretion and it will be absorbed,” asserts Dr. Brightman.

“Because semen contains vitamins and minerals, some feel that is good for your skin,” she adds. But before you go jerking off into your green smoothie, remember, “Frankly, so too is a healthy diet and drinking plenty of water!”

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8. What does it mean when he can’t get hard? Is it me?

Let’s not take a female (or male!) empowering moment and spin it as our faults, okay? Dr. Duana Welch, author of Love Factually, confirms that it’s not you, it’s him, and she’s got the science to back it up.

“Erection is a reflex; it does not involve the brain, but the spine. A sexy thought can trigger the reflex, and an off-putting thought can dampen it. But the reflex can show up without any sexy thoughts, and it can fail to show up in spite of all the sexy thoughts in the world.”

Translation: When he doesn’t get hard, it could be for many reasons — his erection can go MIA even though he’s reaaallly into you.

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Vaginas

9. Sometimes I’m turned on, but not wet at all. What does this mean?

Except for the fact that you don’t go out on Friday nights anymore, don’t worry, you’re not turning into your grandma. “Vaginal lubrication can vary depending on where you are in your cycle,” explains Dr. Birghtman.

“During the days that precede ovulation, the cervix makes a lot of clear, stretchy, slippery mucus, which can make you feel more lubricated.” Conversely, right after your period you can feel drier.

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10. I queef all the time. What’s the deal? How do I make it stop!?

You can stop freaking out, this isn’t a product of eating too much grilled cheese. “This has to do with the laxity of vaginal walls and air entering the vagina during sex,” notes Dr. Brightman.

She goes on to explain that when we’re aroused, the walls at the top of the vagina expand and can fill with air. In certain positions, a penis can displace the air and thus, push it out — creating that loud noise.

If it happens to you, all you really can do is laugh. The gyno agrees, “I don’t think that everyone would make a big deal about this if it happened to men!”

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11. Am I more susceptible to diseases now that I have a Brazilian wax?

It’s more about irritation than it is catching diseases. “I have seen many women suffer folliculitis (pimples) because of shaving/waxing and inflammation of hair follicles,” offers Dr. Brightman.

Without pubic hair, women lack a barrier between their skin and their partner’s skin or pubic/facial stubble. “Without public hair, women are more likely to have irritation from friction of skin on skin, particularly if their partner is bare too.”

Don’t go complaining to your mom about it though. “In the years before women ‘bared it all,’ there were fewer women complaining of being irritated all of the time.”

Another case for wigging out? Dr. Brightman has seen more irritation in some (not all) women who take spin classes on a regular basis.

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Foreplay

12. How does oxytocin affect different genders? Is that why women become more attached? Can you really have ‘unemotional sex’?

Oxytocin is an endogenous chemical that does help partners fall in love with each other. It’s produced during intimate moments like sex, cuddling and breast-feeding.

“But oxytocin is not the only game in town!” says Dr. Welch, “Men and women also produce and respond to other biochemicals of attraction, including dopamine.”

So in one study of people who were in a friends-with-bennies scenario, 3/4 of women said they were having trouble remaining emotionally distant — even though they wanted to. In that same study, 75 percent of men said the opposite: They were having an easy time keeping their emotional cool.”

As for unemotional sex, you’ll have to figure out which type you are. “From that study and others, it appears that about 3/4 of women and 25 percent of men can’t; they get attached, sometimes even without wanting to. Yet for a quarter of women and 75 percent of men, they can hit it and quit it, no worries.”

The Psychology Behind Why Listening to Music Makes Sex So Much Better

The Psychology Behind Why Listening to Music Makes Sex So Much Better

Alexia LaFata

It’s a classic debate in the realm of Creationism versus evolution, of the chicken versus the egg, of almond butter versus peanut butter: Should you listen to music while having sex or not?

I know this question has perplexed humans for decades. I’m sure that “back in the day,” awkwardly fidgeting with a cumbersome record player before getting nasty was inconvenient, so most people just screwed in sad, sad silence.

But now, all we have to do is click open iTunes or Spotify, press the play button, and boom: Marvin Gaye can join you for some sweet lovemaking.

I thought a lot of people listened to music while having sex. For me, a good sex playlist has been an essential accessory in the bedroom and has only increased any and all physical sensations and emotional undertones.

It turns out, though, that most people I spoke to found playing music while having sex kind of weird, or never thought to prioritize it as an integral part of the experience in the first place. Other people said that they want to try, but never have the chance to actually turn some music on before starting.

Well, everyone should listen to music while having sex. And not just because everyone loves music, but because there are actual psychological benefits, including giving you the tools to be your absolute best in the bedroom.

Researchers from McGill University found that listening to music prompts the release of dopamine, the “feel good” chemical in our brains that also gets released when we reward ourselves with food, sleep and, of course, sex.

Another study from the same university found that listening to certain kinds of stimulating music increases our signs of arousal, including our heart rate, breathing rate and skin conductance.

It looks like you can maximize your feel-good chemical release by listening to music while having sex — that is, by engaging in two major activities that cause dopamine release at the same time. What could be more stimulating than that?

Here’s even more proof: A variety of studies, including this one from 2006 andanother from 2000, explored the relationship between listening to music and light exercise. These studies suggest that people who listen to music when they work out feel less fatigue and therefore exercise for longer periods of time than people who don’t listen to music when they work out.

Researchers discovered that listening to music helps us narrow our attention to the physical activity task at hand, which means we are distracted from any sensations of discomfort that may arise from fatigue while exercising.

And when we’re able to focus solely on our movements because we are sufficiently distracted from feeling tired and achey, the duration and intensity of our work out may also increase, which will certainly improve our mood.

So, what does all of this mean when it comes to sex? As most of us know, sex can be as exhausting as working out. Like a great session in the gym, a great sex session pushes you to your physical limits, tests your endurance and makes you sweat profusely.

Sometimes, it really does feel like an intense 30-minute sex session burns as many calories as the elliptical, especially when you incorporate strength training in the form of those complex, seemingly impossible positions from the latest issue of Cosmo.

It only makes sense, then, that listening to music while having sex has the same benefits as listening to music while engaging in any other kind of physical activity.

Cranking the tunes during sex can help you focus on your moves and distract you from negative thoughts or feelings (whether that’s fatigue, stress or anything else) that might prevent you from reaching your full potential in bed.

You’ll last longer, feel less tired and, because of how focused you are on the actual act, be hyperaware of every physical sensation.

Even Spotify thinks listening to music while having sex is important — so important, in fact, that they conducted a study in 2012 to learn what kinds of music we’re listening to while we get freaky.

Led by music psychologist Daniel Mullensiefen, the study asked 2,000 people in the UK between the ages of 18 and 91 their favorite songs to have sex to.

Here are the top 10 results:

1. “She’s Like The Wind” by Patrick Swayze

2. “Sexual Healing” by Marvin Gaye

3. “Boléro” by London Symphony Orchestra

4. “Take My Breath Away” by Berlin

5. “You See The Trouble With Me” by Barry White

6. “Let’s Get It On” by Marvin Gaye

7. “Unchained Melody” by Righteous Brothers

8. “My Heart Will Go On” by Celine Dion

9. “Je T’aime” by Serge Gainsbourg

10. “I Will Always Love You” by Whitney Houston

I don’t know about you, but this science-backed playlist seems way too heavy on the mushy side, so I’d like to offer my own version of this playlist, which consists of more sultry voices cooing against deep, unhurried basses — if you’re into that.

1. “High For This” by The Weeknd (also “Wicked Games” — actually, pretty much anything by The Weeknd)

2. “Nirvana” by Sam Smith

3. “Pony” by Ginuwine

4. “Novacane” by Frank Ocean

5. “So Appalled” by Kanye West

6. “Let’s Stay Together” by Al Green

7. “French Exit” by The Antlers

8. “Do I Wanna Know” by Arctic Monkeys

9. “Instant Crush” by Daft Punk

10. “Latch” by Disclosure

9 Types of Sex You Have During The First Year Of A Relationship

Gabrielle Saulsbery

The beginning of a new romance is fresh, exciting and abuzz with sly smiles and an electrifying level of nerves.

Getting to know the ins and outs of another person on an emotional and mental level, and then getting to know the ins… and outs… of him or her physically (or screw it, some people do it the other way around), can be wildly exciting.

When your relationship turns physical, sex might start out subpar. It’s not guaranteed to be bad necessarily, but it’s guaranteed to be just like your first time trying almost anything: not as good as it could potentially be.

Rhythm must be found, and communication airwaves must be opened up. That first surrender holds within it the possibility of all the types of sex you might have in the future.

During the first year of your relationship, there are many.

New Partner, New Landscape Sex

This is the first type of sex you will have with a new partner.

Is this perhaps your first partner? Well, then, you’re in for some surprises. Maybe sex is way better than you imagined. Maybe it’s nowhere near as good as you’ve been led to believe. Hold fast, dear grasshopper, these are the thoughts of even the most seasoned sexual beings.

Sometimes, even those much more experienced will be thrown for a loop with a new partner. “Different than you imagined” does not necessarily have to be good or bad. It can, in fact, just be “different.”

This type of sex, which can last from just once to hundreds of times, is fueled by novelty and honeymoon-phase butterflies, both of which make it highly exciting.

It is also very much about finding your collective rhythm. You might bump heads or you might have awkward hip swivels, but you will move past it.

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“By George, I think we’ve got it!” Sex

Holysh*tholysh*tholysh*t. This is the first time you really have sex with your partner. Okay, well, you had it before, but when you have it this time — you’ll know when it’s “this time”—, everything finally makes sense. Your bodies make sense together.

Instead of freestyle jamming (which is cool and all), you’ve started creating an effing symphony. Damn, is it good.

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“Wow! That was great.” Sex

Self-explanatory.

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“We’ve had better, but I ain’t mad.” Sex

Sometimes, it’s just kind of “eh.” Yes, even if you’ve had good sex before, and even if you’re really into each other. Bodies aren’t always as responsive as you want them to be. Moods aren’t always as passionate as they are in 30-second cinema sex scenes.

Don’t let it stress you out. Assuming you’re young, there’s a good chance the best sex of your life is still to come! Get excited!

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“God, I love you.” Sex

This starts to pop up when you fall in love with the person. If you had a romantic connection from the jump, you probably have feelings-driven sex fairly often.

Here, it gets deeper: There’s a good chance the strokes get slower. There’s a good chance the eye contact intensifies. It might get louder, or it might be breathy and filled with near-silent moans.

It’s hard to describe this type based on anything other than feelings and connection, though, which are almost dishonored by an attempt to put them into words.

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“We mean business.” Sex

Even if you love someone, romantic sex might not always be on the menu. Maybe you just need to get off; maybe your partner does, too. Are you both just fulfilling a primal urge on this lovely evening? Better with your partner than someone else. I’m sure he or she would agree.

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Silly Sex

Sometimes, you bump heads. Cool. Sometimes, your bellies clap together. No biggie. Sometimes, you notice these things and laugh, making sex more of a fun and silly activity than a means to get your rocks off.

A huge mistake some people make is taking sex too seriously. Did you want X-rated movie sex, but ended up with evening sitcom sex, instead? Roll with it because if you can’t laugh with this person now, how are you going to laugh with him or her at any given inappropriate time (when it’s the most fun)?

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“I didn’t know I’d be into that…” Sex

Oh, dang. How naughty do you feel? Trying new things is exciting, and what if you found out you’re into something super taboo? Roll. With. It.

Keep going. Keep exploring. As long as you’re not doing anything to your partner to which he or she did not consent, forage onward!

Maybe it’s something your friends have told you was gross or weird, or something that’s unpopular to love. Tell them to pipe down and eat it.

Pleasure is awesome. Find your own kinks.

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“I didn’t know he’d/she’d be into that…” Sex

Remember how naughty but excited you felt when you found out you liked that thing other people maybe sort of kind of told you was weird to like in bed? Remember how your partner let you explore it?

Let him or her explore it, too. Even if it’s something you’re not 100 percent into sexually, as long as your partner isn’t doing it against your will, let him or her move forth. When you notice how turned on he or she gets, your tastes may very well expand.

Of course, the longer you’re with someone, the more dynamic your sex life has the potential to get. After a year, 

8 Reasons A Real Man Would Never Cheat On Someone He Truly Loves

8 Reasons A Real Man Would Never Cheat On Someone He Truly Loves

Paul Hudson

So many boys, so few real men.

I’m rather pissed off at all you stupid boys, parading about like actual men. In fact, you recently cost me a potentially promising relationship. Because you’ve managed to cheat on so many women and break their trust, there seem to be very few women left who are willing to trust another man.

I have never before cheated on a woman in my life, nor will I ever do so. Unfortunately, very few women seem to believe me. I’m sure I’m not the only man who has come across a similar problem.

I’m certain that plenty of great guys have had to carry the baggage some other douchebag left behind. When you break a woman’s trust, you will never get it back. I really mean never. Sadly, you’re also ruining it for the next guy.

By cheating on a woman, you are screwing her over for the long run – she’ll likely be unable to trust another man for years to follow. Real men don’t cheat. Here’s why:

Real men are emotionally stable.

We usually hear about women having trouble controlling their emotions. Truth be told, men are much worse. While women have the intelligence to share their feelings and discuss their problems (most of the time), men like to keep it bottled up.

Until, of course, they can’t take it any longer and explode. When something goes wrong in a relationship, women may very well cry, they may complain, they may throw tantrums or give you the silent treatment, but men – weak men – pretend like they feel nothing.

Once their cup flows over, they look for whatever release they can. They drink. They smoke. They f*ck. Unfortunately, since they aren’t on talking terms with their woman, they f*ck whatever they can find. Real men deal with their emotions appropriately.

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Real men have enough willpower to keep it in their pants.

I’m sorry to have to tell you this gentlemen, but because you are men you are going to want to sleep with every beautiful woman who crosses your path. Literally, every single one.

If you’re a real man, however, you won’t risk screwing up what you have for a brief few minutes in the sack with a woman you more than likely won’t have chemistry with. If you really want sex that badly then why not sleep with the woman who loves you?

If the sex bores you, then do something to make it more exciting. It takes two to tango – if she won’t bring the whipped cream then it’s up to you to do so.

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Real men don’t date women they don’t love or don’t believe they can one day love.

Obviously, we all date people we aren’t yet certain we will fall for — if love at first sight exists, it’s rarely the case. However, many will date someone they don’t especially care about simply for convenience.

Why go out to find tail when you can have it delivered? Real men understand that women aren’t objects and therefore don’t use them simply to satisfy their own needs. When they know they don’t love a woman then they cut things off instead of continuing to lead them on.

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Real men are respectful.

They treat people with respect when respect is due… especially when it comes to the women they’re dating. Cheating is lying; it’s breaking trust and it proves that you care little about your partner as a lover, friend and as a human being.

To cheat is to act as if you’re better than she is and the fact is that you aren’t. Break her trust and you will never really get her back. I had to learn this the hard way.

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Real men don’t need to add notches to their belts simply to make themselves feel like men.

Real men know that they’re real men. They can feel it with every step they take – and more often than not it shows. It shows in their demeanor and in their actions. Too many “men” these days believe it’s laudable to sleep with as many women as possible – as if it were some sort of game, and women are collectables of sorts.

Women aren’t objects, and this game that you’re playing is called life. If you get caught cheating and the stakes are high enough then you can ruin your life.

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Real men would never hurt the woman they love.

To be fair, real men would never hurt any woman, but especially not the woman they understand as being an extension of themselves. Real men love and care for themselves as well as those who are closest to them.

If you are lucky enough to have found a woman to love and are luckier still to have her love you back, then do everything in your power to keep her smiling. There is nothing worse in the world than losing a person you love. Mistakes are mistakes… but they aren’t always forgivable.

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Real men know what’s important in life – and it’s not another piece of ass.

Proper men are too busy living the life of their dreams to bother with excess. They are working on attaining all that it is that they want in life, but more importantly still, they understand what it is that they really want.

As men, we often want more than is good for us. Only when we get what we thought we wanted do we come to realize the error of our ways. I will tell you right now that there should only be one woman for you.

That one woman who will love you for your entire life is all that really matters. The rest you won’t even remember.

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Real men have the guts to break up with a woman.

If you plan on cheating on her then you clearly don’t want to be with her. Grow a pair and break things off. You’re clearly going to do it sooner or later.

Rip that bandaid off and get it over with. Be a real man and not a quivering coward.

Love and Sobriety have given Semko new life

Love and Sobriety have given Semko new life
Simon Hiatt - Metro Saskatoon

In a career that has taken him across the country and garner­ed international acclaim, both as a member of the Northern Pikes and as a solo artist, Saskatoon’s Jay Semko admits there is still some trepidation when it comes to the hometown gig.

“It’s always different than anywhere else,” said Semko, while laughing. “Partly because people here can also see me at Superstore.”

Fans who aren’t lucky enough to see him in the produce section will get their chance when he performs an acoustic set at The Refinery next week (May 17). He says the shows at home are easier on him now than they once were.

“I still can get a little bit nervous,” said Semko. “But there’s more of a confidence fac­tor now.” That feeling stems from some big changes in his lifestyle.

“I cleaned up a few years ago, I’ve been sober for five years now and that’s been a big part of getting my confidence back,” said Semko.

Success has also played a role in building Semko’s confidence. He recently received the Roots Album of the Year Award from the Saskatchewan Country Music Association for Force of Horses and his gospel song Drop You in the Water has been nominated for an International Independent Music Award.

But one only has to press play on his latest CD Sending Love to discover which change in his life has had the greatest impact. “Being in love adds a whole new dimension to your life,” said Semko. “I feel completely rejuvenated.”

Semko describes the CD of love songs as “pouring out of him quickly” inspired by his partner, Colli Christante, whom he met two years ago. The partnership has taken off on all fronts as she now also manages his career.

http://metronews.ca/scene/218746/love-and-sobriety-have-given-semko-new-life/