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Sex and romance have been around since the dawn of time, so it is no surprise that our ancestors have written a number of guides on the subject. The Kama Sutra -- perhaps one of the best known books about love and lovemaking -- is an ancient Indian Hindu text that was written sometime between 400 BC and 200 AD. Don't let its age fool you; the Kama Sutra has plenty of tricks and techniques to spice up your modern-day relationship.

Origins of the Kama Sutra

Scholars believe that the Kama Sutra originated from oral stories that were originally passed down from generation to generation in verse form. Eventually, these stories were compiled by Vātsyāyana into a single book. The title comes from Kama, meaning sensual desire or pleasure, and Sutra, which is a short book or collection of verses.

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The Kama Sutra was first translated from ancient Sanskrit into English by Sir Richard Burton in the mid-1800s. This was the height of the Victorian age, so you can imagine the reaction it must have received in England during this time; in fact, Sir Burton's wife burned many of the translations following his death.

Today, there are a number of translations available for readers who are interested in learning more about this ancient practice. While you can purchase the complete book, there are several editions that are focused exclusively on the sexual positions from the original text, along with illustrations.

Myths Regarding the Kama Sutra

Perhaps the biggest myth regarding the Kama Sutra is that the work is entirely about sex and sexual positions; however, this is not the case. While sex does make up a portion of the text, many chapters are devoted to finding a wife, improving physical attraction, making money, and the priorities of life. Only 50 of the 1,250 verses from the Kama Sutra actually address sexual intercourse positions.

Another common myth in the Western World is that the Kama Sutra is a manual for tantric sex. While there are a number of sexual practices related to the tradition of Hindu Tantra, the Kama Sutra does not explain any of the sexual rites associated with this practice.

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Yet another myth is that you have to be a contortionist to enjoy the positions described in the Kama Sutra. This is certainly not the case. While some positions may be more advanced, there are a number of positions and practices, such as embraces, kissing, and marking with nails or bites, that any couple who wants to add some variety to their lovemaking may use.

Kama Sutra on Sexual Compatibility

The Kama Sutra divides men and women into several different categories, based on the size of their genitals, passion levels and endurance during lovemaking. When men and women have similar sizes and desires, theirs is considered to be an equal union; however, those who do not correspond will result in an unequal union.

When it comes to size, men are classified as hares, bulls or horses. Women, on the other hand, are categorized as deer, mares or elephants. The three equal unions based on size are:

Sexual desires and carnal instincts also play a role in compatibility. A man who does not like being touched and has a low libido would be a poor match for a woman who feels intense passion while making love and enjoys being touched by her partner both during and after sex. In this case, the following categories are considered equal:

Endurance is classified as short-timed, moderate-timed and long-timed. As with the categories above, finding a partner who is your equal is important. All together, there are nine possible unions for partners according to the Kama Sutra.

Foreplay and the Kama Sutra

The goal of the Kama Sutra is to enhance the relationship between partners in order to increase pleasure. Try incorporating some of the Kama Sutra techniques into your foreplay to build up anticipation and drive your partner wild.

The Kama Sutra places a strong emphasis on showing your love for the other person before entering the bedroom. You can do this by having a pleasant conversation, engaging in a hobby together or feeding each other sweets before introducing any erotic touching. In other words, romance should play a key role in your sexual relationship.

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Joining your bodies in an embrace is a symbol of the feelings that you have for your partner. Try touching, rubbing and pressing your partner to make a total body connection. You should also embrace the four sexual areas of your partner's body, which includes the forehead, breasts, thighs and genitals.

Light biting can be a highly erotic foreplay technique. The Kama Sutra states that any part of the body that can be kissed -- such as the ear lobes or bottom lip -- can be bitten to create tension and improve sexual satisfaction. You can also use your teeth to remove your partner's clothing.

Aphrodisiacs

The use of aphrodisiacs to increase libido, potency and endurance was a well-known practice in ancient India. While some items, such as ram's testicles and monkey feces, may not sound particularly sexy, you can use common foods like honey, pumpkin seeds and ground black pepper to take your desire to new heights.

Positions of the Kama Sutra

While there are 64 different types of sex acts described in the Kama Sutra -- with varying degrees of difficulty -- you can begin slowly incorporating the most common positions into your lovemaking.

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Some positions are easily accessible to the novice. For example, the Yawning Position merely requires the woman to lie on her back and place her legs on the man's shoulders. Others may require more flexibility or strength to accomplish. With the Suspended Congress position, the man will stand with his back to the wall while lifting his partner's rear end. The woman, in turn, must hold onto the man's waist with her thighs and push her feet against the wall for additional support.

Keeping your romance and sex life hot is important for any relationship. Fortunately, the Kama Sutra has a number of tips to stimulate both you and your partner.

You can't really be held accountable for what you say in the bedroom, right? Your hormones are raging, adrenaline is pumping, and you're totally controlled by your urges. In the heat of the moment, it's easy to just say what comes to mind without thinking first.

But some things can have serious repercussions if they slip out while you're doing the dirty. Keep your lips sealed and avoid saying these 10 things during sex, if you know what's good for you.{relatedarticles}

I love you. (Unless you've already said it before)

If you haven't said "I love you" to the person you're in bed with before, don't say it to them now. Yes, we know you're just in the moment and may not mean it, but if you say it to someone you just met, you'll look like a bona fide crazy person. If you say it to someone you've been casually dating for a while, but haven't gotten serious with, you'll surely scare him off with your bold declaration.

Either way, your romp is over; there's just no way to win with this one. So just keep it simple: Moan, breathe, and call him baby.

Hurry up!

Sometimes it's not the best sex of your life, but rushing your bedmate will only make it worse. Telling him to hurry up will let him know you're not having fun, and it will seriously detract from his performance. You don't want it to get worse, do you?{relatedarticles}

The best thing you can do is just let him have his fun, and try to enjoy yourself. Play into it, act like you love it, and when he's finished, kick him to the curb and never ask him back up. It's as simple as that.

Will you marry me?

Whoa, whoa, whoa. Slow down there, girl. It's wonderful if you're having such great sex that you want to lock the guy down for the rest of your life, but this isn't the time or place. Bringing up the "m" word is guaranteed to end your night early and maybe even scare your guy off for good.

If you really want to commit to this guy, show him by being really into him in the bedroom. He'll love the attention, and maybe, just maybe, he'll think about asking you on another date.

My ex used to do it this way: (insert description here).

Bringing up past sexual partners is a sure-fire way to insecurity. Don't make your current bedmate feel like he's not good enough, otherwise you're the one who will feel the consequences. If he doesn't feel sexy, he can't give you the sexy. Got it?{relatedarticles}

If there's something you want him to do, take command and show him, but don't bring up exes or old flames; you're only going to make him jealous and turned off.

The wrong name.

This one's bad. There's no quicker way to end a romp than by calling someone by the wrong name. If you're unsure of your partner's name - don't attempt to say it at all. If you somehow get it right, you're in the clear; however, if you get it wrong (which is pretty likely) you're in the doghouse. It's disrespectful, rude, and shows them you were really just in it for the sex all along. If you're questioning their name in any way: don't say it. And definitely don't guess.

Don't tell my boyfriend.

When a guy hears this, it's a huge cue to slam on the brakes. One, they're violating man code: they shouldn't be with someone else's girl. Two, what if the boyfriend is bigger than him? What if he's a real tough guy with anger issues?

A guy isn't going to get beat up just for a one-night stand. You can bet your bedmate will bolt if he hears this red flag phrase.

Are those real?

If they don't bring it up, you shouldn't either. If you're with someone who's had plastic surgery, they're likely proud of it - and will have no problem showing it off or telling you about it. If you suspect they've had surgery, but they don't mention it, don't bring it up.{relatedarticles}

If you're wrong, it could be offensive and, most likely, mood-killing. So save yourself the trouble and keep your lips sealed. Just enjoy the view.

Thanks.

Nothing makes someone feel used more than saying "thank you" after a romp in the sack. You should both enjoy yourselves and receive mutual satisfaction. Thanks shouldn't be necessary; if they are, someone's doing something wrong.

Unless you're paying your partner for the dirty (which is illegal in most states), just tell them you had fun. Save the thanks for your waiter at dinner.

Let's turn the lights off.

We all like to feel sexy and shown off. Telling someone you want to turn the lights off is like saying, "I just don't want to look at you." It's a one-way ticket to insecurity and hurt feelings for your partner, both of which will put a major damper on your sexy session. Just don't say it.{relatedarticles}

If you're not interested in them, be respectful and tell them; don't make them feel unworthy or unattractive. That won't result in a fun experience for either of you.

I think the condom just broke.

If you want to throw your partner into a full-blown panic attack and completely ruin the mood, then say this line. Nothing is more frightening or heart-stopping to a single man or woman than a pregnancy scare, so unless you're totally sure, don't go there.

By the way, this is never a funny joke.

A lot of etiquette rules go out the window in the bedroom: girls can talk dirty and it's OK to be sweaty around the opposite sex. One thing that doesn't change though: the importance of your words. Whether it's in the heat of the moment or not, your words mean something. If you let something slip that shouldn't have, it could come back to haunt you, ruining your night or even your relationship. So do yourself a favor, and avoid these 10 terrible things to say in the bedroom. Your sex life (and your future partners) will thank you for it.