Yab-yum (Tibetan literally, “father-mother”) is a common symbol in the Buddhist art of India, Bhutan, Nepal, and Tibet representing the male deity in sexual union with his female consort. Often the male deity is sitting in lotus position while his consort is sitting in his lap. Despite appearances, the yab-yum is not related in any way to sexual practices. The traditional Tibetan Buddhist Yab-yum image of two deities in an overtly sexual posture, is a meditational tool, one of many seemingly contradictory images of sex used to achieve the … Continue reading →