Spiritual Sex: Beyond the Physical
by Linda E. Savage, Ph.D.
Consciously practiced, it confers a quality of heightened awareness and expanded consciousness.
Spiritual sex encompasses sexual energy that goes beyond physical sensations of pleasure, genital orgasms, and even the loving connection of sexual communion. Energy generated by sexuality can be transmuted into such experiences as: healing the body-mind-spirit, visualization, divining visions, and balancing the genders through joining with universal energy.
The more cosmic experiences utilizing sexual energy are most likely to occur in ecstatic consciousness states. The ancients believed that ecstatic union with the Source was the ultimate expression of sexuality. Experiences of sexual energy that go far beyond ordinary reality can be terrifying without training in what to expect. Attaining ecstatic states through sexual interaction may evoke disbelief or fear in some because it involves loss of the sense of the physical body.
The concept that we are more than mere physical bodies may be difficult to accept at first. In fact, we are an organized combination of several energy systems around a unifying field. If we could see the subtle energy around us, each of us would look somewhat like a "luminous egg." One does not have to spend years in training to experience spontaneous, spiritual sex, but it may be necessary to be receptive to the possibility of connecting higher states of awareness with peak sexual experiences. Many people who become interested in spiritual sex have had initial spontaneous ecstatic experiences.
Spiritual sex is unlike the traditional process of genital stimulation and the release of tension through orgasm. When it is consciously practiced, there is a quality of "mindfulness," which is heightened awareness and expanded consciousness. Descriptions of cosmic experiences of orgasm are similar to "near-death" stories recounted by many people. They are also similar to descriptions of ecstatic, religious transformations described in writings by revered historical figures. The common themes in near-death encounters, religious transformations and cosmic orgasms are descriptions of extraordinary light, luminous colors, loss of the sense of a physical body, and merging with energy. There are also common descriptions of seeing the past and future, traveling across time and space, or overwhelming feelings of pure love.
The following example is reported by a 60-year-old woman who had been having spontaneous, cosmic orgasms since childhood. Megan had known a male friend for several years, and they shared an interest in spiritual healing. On this occasion they interacted sexually for the first and only time. She said, "The whole night was a powerful feeling of dancing in the energy. I did not know where he began and I left off. It was beyond genital sex. The full-body orgasms I experienced moved through both of us and swirled around us, appearing as a rainbow of molecular lights." Her body had been a perfect conductor of the Life Force, energy and she had transmuted this power effortlessly, but her partner's body had been overwhelmed by the surge of power that she had been capable of handling. He felt sick the next day. Megan's partner was clearly operating at a different level of energy from Megan and therefore the experience felt dissonant to him. He chose not to continue to participate in any further sexual relationship, which wounded and confused her.
Megan's story illustrates the spontaneous link between sex and spiritual states and it highlights a dilemma with partner sex. Many other women have had similar experiences with a partner who negatively reacted to the overwhelming intensity of such sexual energy.
Three Levels of Sexual Energy
Megan's experience, as well as that of other women who have moved into spiritual ecstasy, was that her partner could not tolerate her sexual response because it seemed "too intense." You may have had a similar experience. Although it is not always necessary for your partner to be at the same intense level of sexuality, when he is not, it is common for the experience to feel dissonant. It is helpful to understand that three different levels of sexual energy are possible: genital pleasuring, conscious loving, and spiritual union. Each level is sex-positive and life-affirming and has a value in healing. Each type of sexual energy can heal at the physical, relational, or cosmic level. They are not sharply delineated one from the other, but are on a continuum of energy generated and energy received, activating various energy centers in the body. They differ from each other in the purpose and meaning attributed to the sexual interaction.
Genital Pleasuring
Genital pleasuring refers to the energy level generated, not the particular physical activity. The feminine way of genital pleasuring, especially, attends to the sensual process unfolding rather than a race toward orgasm. The energy received through genital pleasuring is manifested in physical sensations of intense pleasure. Orgasm at the level of genital pleasuring is a release of tension. Healing at this level of sexual energy is directed toward physical functions. Orgasm benefits the immune system and also promotes relaxation and a sense of well-being. The purpose is recreation: to play, enjoy the moment, and relax in the pleasures of physical stimulation. It is mutually beneficial, consensual pleasure.
Conscious Loving
This level of sexual energy generates intense, loving feelings for the partner. The "valley orgasm," as it is called in the Tantric tradition, goes beyond the release of tension in genital orgasm. It requires practice in relaxing into sexual feelings and slowing down the build-up of tension in order to prevent sudden dissipation of sexual energy. The energy received is divine love. The heart chakra rather than the genital chakra becomes the focal point. The practice of conscious loving generates energy from the heart. The meaning of this level of sexual energy is connection, reinforcing commitment in a long-term relationship. The healing comes from loving communion, enhancing the bond with the partner. Conscious loving facilitates balancing male-female energy in the relationship that is very effective for maintaining harmony between partners.
Spiritual Union
The energy generated by this level of sexuality is ecstasy. The meaning of Spiritual Union is enhanced awareness, inspiration, and merging with the Life Force. The purpose for sexuality at this level is to unite with the Source. The energy received at this level is inspiration/illumination that can be translated into divine guidance or simply experienced as pure bliss. Cosmic orgasm is a completely different experience because it is multi-dimensional and has an infinite variety of patterns. Genital Pleasuring and Conscious Loving are not separate from this experience but incorporated as an integral part of it. If you choose to practice this with a partner, you will need to communicate clearly with each other about your expectations. It is important to recognize that your experiences of transcendence will be unique from your partner's. However, it is helpful to feel a conscious bond with your partner. You will need to foster the psychological mind-set of healing and mutual empowerment in a setting that honors the other as divine God/Goddess.
The above article is based on the new book, Reclaiming Goddess Sexuality: The Power of the Feminine Way, by Linda Savage, Ph.D Goddess Therapy
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Positively Pregnant
by Dr. Tonya K. Freeman - Minister - Metaphysician
So, you’re positively pregnant? That’s wonderful news, for now you are about to experience what it is to be a grand architect who needs not hammer nor chisel.
Life is being formed within your womb and now is the time to begin teaching and nurturing the seed of life within.
Are you aware that everything that enters into your body, mind and soul during this time goes into your child? You are in the process of creating a blueprint, a foundation for the future. What kind of future do you want for your child, yourself, your family and the world at large?
Yes, the hand that rocks the cradle, rules the world!
Here are some tips that will help your pregnancy to be a much more relaxing ,spiritual and intentional journey.
A journal of your pregnancy is a great place to begin. It's nice to write down the different things that you experience on a daily basis. Your emotions, your feelings, your spiritual insights, the foods you eat, etc. Later, this will serve as a chronicle for your child. Guess what was going on in our lives, while you were growing inside of me. They will appreciate the fact that you kept a record of this most auspicious time.
Take time to listen to some healing music, possibly even some DNA music but definitely music that helps to heal the spirit. African drumming music, for the rhythm of the heart. Native American flute and even some of the New Age musical selections are good to listen to, as well as classical music. There has been an influx of women who actually place headphones on their stomach so that the growing fetus can listen up close and personal. Just make sure it’s not too loud, we wouldn’t want to have a child that’s hard of hearing now would we?
Television, movies, videos and DVD’s are a way for us to entertain ourselves but when the content is violent or filled with horror, this is not a good thing for the psyche. During your pregnancy, please be mindful of this more than ever for by seeing images of murder and mayhem will definitely enter into the mind and spirit of your child and possibly create a being that has no sensitivity from human life.
Take time to explore movies, etc. that are uplifting, inspiring, entertaining in a positive way and informative.
Let me suggest two alternatives that I have become familiar with… Wisdom Media and Oasis TV. Both of these are wonderful sources for your mind, body and spirit. So explore them and enjoy them and give your developing child a better chance in life.
Exercise is always good for the body, mind and spirit, so why not now. Take up a Belly Dancing class. It’s very good for the muscles that you will use during delivery and besides, it will help you to feel very sensual. This type of Sacred Dancing has elements of fertility and birthing that is like no other. It helps women to be very much in touch with their Ancestral Femi9 side and that is a good thing. Yoga for pregnant women is another good way to stay in shape for delivery and it is very relaxing. Walks in the park and/or along the shores of a beach are easy and very meditative. All in all, keep in shape and you will have an easier delivery. Besides it clears the head and rests the spirit.
Reading is fundamental. In other words it is fun for the mind as well as a fund for the mind. Here is where you are planting seeds for an active and informative mind in your child. It is said that by reading certain types of books can produce a child geared towards a certain profession. To add to that, I recommend that you take time to read books that will help to lift the spiritual mind of your child.
Since the normal term of pregnancy is nine months, why not read about the sign of the zodiac for each month that you are pregnant? Just think…your child will be more of a humanitarian. Why… because they will consciously be aware of the energies of nine signs of the zodiac. So that means that if you are pregnant from Aries to Sagittarius, and each month of each sign, you take the time to read all there is about that sign, your child will be more compassionate towards others because they will have more of an understanding of what makes up the human nature. They will be wiser.
Of course, you will want to make sure that you eat the proper foods. You want to eat as healthy as possible. Lots of fruits and vegetables and whatever else is good for YOU to eat.
If you are not taking a daily vitamin supplement, you will want to make sure that you add one to your daily regimen. Make sure to check with your nutritionist or health care provider before adding or subtracting anything from your diet.
Need I say, don’t drink alcoholic beverages, don’t smoke and don’t do drugs. You must make every attempt to have the healthiest child possible, to give them a chance to develop to their fullest potential within the womb.
When purchasing clothing or even making your own clothes, it would be good to consider colors as well as comfort. Color therapy is a growing science and a good one I might add. Colors can make one feel joyous, intellectual, sexy or meditative. Here is a little sample of what colors can do for you, blue is calming, green and pink are soothing, violet is peaceful, yellow and orange are energizing and red is stimulating.
Colors are also related to the charkas in the body. Chakras are wheels of energy that course throughout our bodies and in all actuality, they are the colors of the rainbow within our universe. The colors associated with the charkas are red the root chakra, which is located at the base of the spine. Orange is associated with the navel chakra, yellow the solar plexus, green, the heart, blue the throat, indigo, the brow or All Seeing Eye and violet with the crown chakra. It would be a good thing to become more familiar with this form of healing for a healthier mind, body and spirit, for yourself and your child.
Massage is a wonderful and relaxing technique for anyone and especially for the Mother-to-Be. One caution though…make sure that you go to a licensed massage therapist because there is a special way that a pregnant woman must be massaged otherwise there could be complications.
Rub your belly. Talk to your child. Be one with this experience in every way possible and invite other members of your family to participate in the growth of this life that is being formed. Be joyous, and loving. As much as possible be at peace and know that you are helping to make the world a better place by having an intentional pregnancy and most of all remember to be positively pregnant.
For permission to reprint this article, contact us at:truthseeker1950@yahoo.com
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The Yoga of Menopauseby Susun Weed
Menopause is Enlightenment
The energy aspects of menopause are of special interest to me. As a long-time student of yoga, I was struck by the many similarities between menopausal symptoms and the well-known esoteric goal of "awakening of the kundalini." Though the ideas presented in this section may seem strange or difficult to comprehend, they contain powerful messages about menopause which lie at the heart of the Wise Woman approach.
Kundalini is the root of all spiritual experiences. Kundalini is a special kind of energy known in many cultures, including Tibetan, Indian, Sumerian, Chinese, Irish, Aztec, and Greek. Kundalini is said to be hot, fast, powerful, and large. It exists within the earth, within all life, and within each person. Psychoanalyst Carl G. Jung called kundalini anima. Kundalini is usually represented as a serpent coiled at the base of the spine, but women's mystery stories locate it in the uterus - or the area where the uterus was, if a hysterectomy has occurred. During both puberty and menopause, a woman's kundalini is difficult to control and may cause a great number of symptoms.
Engage the energy
We can engage this fiery energy, rather than fear it. Take time for yourself when you find yourself crying, yelling, raging, depressed, out of control. Create your own sacred space, even in a closet, where you can be alone, without responsibilities, where you can be safe to have every one of your feelings. Begin (or deepen your commitment to working with) a journal as a way to care for yourself and your emotions. The Change is an opportunity to value your emotional self and to nourish all of your feelings, from grief to bliss, rage to outrageous.
Universal healing energy can help when your emotions are roaring. Channel it through your hands to your heart or womb; hold yourself.
Nourish and tonify . . .My remedy of choice for women dealing with emotional uproar is motherwort - the calm, fierce-hearted mother who helps you find your center in the wildest of emotional storms. A dose of 5-15 drops taken several times when you're upset will bring calmer feelings quickly. A dose of 10-30 drops taken twice a day for a month can help prevent mood swings.
Taking hormones? These herbs are for you
More and more American women are using herbal remedies to help them with menopausal problems. Those who do take ERT (estrogen replacement) or HRT (hormone replacement) may be surprised to discover that herbal medicine has a lot to offer them as well. Herbs for women on ERT/HRT include those that alleviate side-effects as well as those that counter problems caused by the hormones.
Herbal Helpers Counter Side-Effects
Water retention is the symptom most often cited for dissatisfaction with hormone replacement. Herbal tinctures and tea, such as dandelion or cleavers, and ordinary foods can not only relieve the distress, they will go to the root of the problem and help prevent recurrences.
Dandelion root tincture (Taraxacum officinale) strengthens the liver and helps it process out the excess hormones you are taking. When the liver works well, the kidneys work better, and tissues no longer bloat. A dose is 10-20 drops in several ounces of water or juice 2--3 three times a day. If you have any digestion problems, take your dandelion before meals; otherwise, anytime is fine. You can safely take dandelion daily for months or years if you need or want to.
Cleavers herb tincture (Galium molluga) tells the lymphatic tissues to get moving. Relief from edema is usually rapid when 20-30 drops are taken in several ounces of water or juice. Repeat up to six times at hourly intervals if needed. Cleavers is especially helpful for easing swollen, sore breasts.
Foods that relieve water retention include (in order of effectiveness): asparagus, nettles, corn (and corn silk tea), grapes, cucumbers, watermelon (and watermelon seed tea), parsley, celery, black tea, and green tea.
Herbal Allies to Prevent Problems Caused by Taking Hormones
Breast cancer risk is increased 20% in women who use ERT for five or more years. Use of HRT for five or more years increases breast cancer risk by 40%. Each five years of continued use increases the risk. In addition, women who take ERT are far more likely to get uterine or endometrial cancers. All women on hormones increase their risks of lung and ovarian cancer, too. Nourishing herbs such as red clover, and foods such as beans and yogurt, offer easy ways to stay cancer- free.
Red clover blossoms (Trifolium pratense), when dried and brewed into a strong infusion (one ounce herb steeped an a quart of boiling water for at least four hours) prevent cancer by providing phytoestrogens that counter the cancer-promoting effects of oral hormones. Usual dose is 2-4 cups a day. The infusion tastes like black tea and can be flavored with mint if you like.
Yogurt helps build powerful immunity. Women who eat a quart of yogurt a week have 700% less cancer than women who eat no yogurt.
Dry eyes afflict more than 9% of women using ERT and over 7% of those on HRT. Risk increases by 70% for every year of continued use. And the longer a woman uses hormones, the greater her risk. Herbs such as oatstraw, chamomile, and chickweed can help relieve and prevent this problem.
Oatstraw infusion (Avena sativa) cools and moistens your eyes from the inside out, builds strong bones too. Use one ounce of dried herb in a quart jar; fill to the top with boiling water and cap tightly. Let steep four or more hours. Dose is 2-4 cups a day. Refrigerate after straining.
Stroke and heart attack are actually increased by use of ERT/HRT, though modern medicine has long proclaimed the opposite. Every major double-blind study done to date has created a larger and larger gap between ERT/HRT's supposed ability to help cardiovascular health and its actual results. Protect your heart with nourishing and tonifying herbs and foods such as motherwort, hawthorn, and cherries.
East Indian yogis spend lifetimes learning to activate, or wake up, their kundalini. This is also called "achieving enlightenment." When they succeed, a surge of super-heated energy goes up the spine, throughout the nerves, dilating blood vessels, and fueling itself with hormones. As kundalini continues to travel up the spine, it changes the functioning of the endocrine, cardiovascular, and nervous systems. Not just in yogis, but in any woman who allows herself to become aware of it. Menopause is a kind of enlightenment. Hot flashes may be seen as kundalini training sessions. To ease the challenges and difficulties we can use herbal allies. They comfort, restore and ground the fiery energy.
During menstruation, and during the menopausal years, say my Native teachers, the "veil between the worlds" is thin and easily parted. Our abilities and senses are heightened and we are open to guidance, inspiration, and illumination. We use the powerful plant allies. We give ourselves quiet time alone to honor the journey. Then we may open to the enlightening fire of menopause.
copyright 2002 Susun Weed
For permission to reprint this article, contact us at: susunweed@hvc.rr.com
Susun Weed - PO Box 64, Woodstock, NY 12498 (fax) 1-845-246-8081
Visit Susun Weed at:
http://www.susunweed.com and http://www.ashtreepublishing.com
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Words of Wisdom
Every new truth begins in a shocking heresy.
- Margaret Deland -
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