Article
Human Positions
Human positions refer to the different physical configurations that the human body can take, including posture, pose, attitude, and bearing. Position is a general term for a configuration of the human body, while posture means an intentionally or habitually assumed position. Pose implies an artistic, aesthetic, athletic, or spiritual intention of the position. These positions are foundational to how posture is expressed and perceived, both in daily life and in erotic writing.
Basic Positions
- Standing: Upright, with weight distributed on both feet. Variations include contrapposto (weight on one leg), arms akimbo, or standing at attention. Standing posture can signal confidence, assertiveness, or anticipation.
- Sitting: Buttocks resting on a surface, with legs and torso in various arrangements. Sitting can be relaxed, formal, or inviting, depending on context and body language.
- Kneeling: One or both knees on the ground, often associated with submission, reverence, or intimacy. Kneeling can be vertical, sitting back on the heels, or with one knee up ("taking a knee").
- Lying: Includes supine (on the back), prone (on the chest), side-lying, and fetal position. Lying positions are often used in erotic writing to convey vulnerability, comfort, or sexual availability.
- Squatting/Crouching: Weight on the feet, knees and hips bent. Squatting can be playful, primal, or practical, and is common in dance, childbirth, and some sexual positions.
- All-fours: Hands and knees on the ground, associated with crawling, submission, or sexual initiation.
Erotic and Cultural Contexts
Different positions can signal intent, mood, or cultural meaning. For example, bowing, curtseying, or prostration are ceremonial or submissive, while dance and yoga positions can be expressive or sensual.
Writing Tips
- Use position to set the scene: standing tall for confidence, kneeling for submission, lying for vulnerability.
- Describe transitions between positions to show mood shifts or anticipation.
- Link to posture, body_language, and sex_positions for more detail.
Example
"She knelt on the bed, thighs parted, her back arched in invitation. The shift from standing to kneeling signalled her surrender, her posture both vulnerable and powerful."
Why this works: The example uses position and posture to convey emotion, intent, and erotic tension.