In Energy and Eros: Teachings on the Art of Love, James N. Powell describes the skills required of courtesans in Ancient India:
“A cultured woman was expected to have a sound knowledge of sixty-four auxiliary arts in order to be considered a good lover. These talents included singing, playing musical instruments, dancing, painting, decorating one’s forehead, the art of adorning an idol with rice and flowers, flower arranging, bed making, garland weaving, the art of designing earrings and other ornaments, the art of mixing perfumes for the skin in order to stimulate sexual desire, the art of dressing tastefully, magic and sleight of hand, cooking, the preparation of sherbets and other beverages, sewing, the solution of riddles, the art of reciting verses in a game between lovers, mimicry, reasoning and logic, chanting, fencing, carpentry, gardening, teaching parrots to speak, composing poems, and the art of sizing up a man in a glance.”
I love this list so much. It starts pretty basic and then gets so specific. Magic? Riddles? Parrots? I feel like I might be doing sex wrong.
