Reviving a Sense of the
Sacred
| WEDNESDAY, AUGUST
16, 2006
Reviving a Sense of the Sacred
This is a letter sent in by a reader, which I asked his permission
to share as is. Thank you Brendan! -Victoria
The act of ejaculating on a person's face was once undoubtedly
considered sacred in past religions, being an obvious symbol of
fertility. I can see Babylonian high priests performing something
similar for Astarte when commanded, if not an outright public sex
act. Records of ancient fertility rites from all over the world
highlight just how far back we 'modern' folk have regressed in our
sexual attitudes. Pompeii has many, many erotic frescoes and murals
that the general public is spared from, and these included both
straight and homosexual acts of all kinds.
Lamps in the shape of penises have been found in the ruins, and
figurines of naked well-endowed goddesses and gods were in nearly
every home. It would seem the Pompeians/Romans were far more open
about sex than anyone admitted for about 2000 years. Blame Christianity,
I guess. Even Wicca today has the "Great Rite," and that
rite has the High Priestess and her consort having ritual sex as
representing the summoning of power, fertility and all that is good...
(it is generally only symbolically performed today, and rarely at
that, to the best of my knowledge - it is considered a very powerful
ritual).
Given the timelessness of the act, reviving a sense of the sacred
(which to me is positive, loving, and nurturing) is what we need
today. Sacred love, sacred act: treat it and enjoy it as such. I
would further define sacred not just as spiritual, but as respectful
and open too, a sharing of the highest love. My youthful perception
was always that while fellatio feels great as a man, it was ultimately
degrading to the woman (it was the late 70's...).
My perceptions have changed of course, but porn continues to reinforce
this negativity in my view. Too often it looks as if both the man
and woman involved have no tenderness or love (now there's an original
thought: porn without life...) and it is simply an appendage roughly
shoved into a orifice. At that level it is painful to watch, much
less fantasize about. The image of force over love is what is perceived,
and that is wrong.
To me, your art actually goes a long ways to taking the edge off
of porn, as my imagination can easily fill in any blanks. I have
always found true erotic art more stimulating than photographs every
time. After all, what is not seen can be the most alluring part
of any imagery. Some of the most beautiful faces I have ever seen
were those of Arabic women wearing the abbayah: only the eyes show,
and, oh what eyes!
Brendan, from Tuscon
Comments:
Bruce said...
I think Brendan is, indeed, right: Blame Christianity. But for another
reason. The lines drawn in Christianity's holy things protect the
good.
People don't make trivial things like lawn clippings or pebbles
special and with special protections, because they aren't rare and
precious. But we do about our art treasures and our infant children.
Sex is like that. So it's reasonable to bracket off sex in some
way. We only need to decide where--not if--to draw the line.
The real deal comes in with the fertility. We don't have to manipulate
nature, or encourage Mother Earth to bear fruit--God is the one
who causes the rain to fall and sheep to bear lambs. And is the
one who places the widows in homes and cares for orphans.
According to the Jews and Christians (inc. me), then, our God is
the one who brings our abundance. And God tells us to draw an either-or
view toward Astarte, and the dehumanizing things.
Which is why I'm pro-Victoria and pro-nude art of the classic kind:
Brandon's right about V's wonderful, humane spirit. It's good to
celebrate the good of our body and our sex, and yes, even our sexual
feelings, which are gifts from God and signposts pointing to Him.
Brendan said...
Bruce - I really appreciate your thoughts. I didn't seek to condemn
anyones' faith, but to point out paradoxes in our world, and I see
that you do agree with me on several points.
My intent was not to slam anyone's beliefs as the source of all
sexual ills. I just feel that most bad Western attitudes (towards
sex) started with Christianity, and since the earliest days of civilization
and the worldwide spread of monotheistic religions we have increasingly
sublimated what should be the natural and open expression of our
sexual lives. As a current example, the Catholic Church's attitudes
towards women, contraception issues, the (male only) priesthood,
and sex for reproduction only has stultified it as far as I am concerned.
Those issues cannot be ignored in the modern world anymore, but
I'm not sure anyone in Rome is really listening... The early church
also suborned many pre-Christian holidays and festivals with their
own: the Roman fertility festival of Lupercalia (think bunnies and
eggs) was supplanted by both Easter and Valentine's Day, with Easter
being turned into an acknowledgment and celebration of the Resurrection
of Christ. Both were and are positive occasions for people to enjoy.
Not to mention that most North Americans are already more uptight
about sex than just about anybody else on the planet, for which
I blame those pesky Puritans!
If everyone of faith had your beliefs, I think we would be a happier
and better adjusted society than we are. Thanks again, and thanks
to Victoria for this forum.
Anonymous said...
When I despair, I remember that all through history the ways of
truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants... and for
a time they can seem invincible, but in the end they always fall.
Think of it, always.
Gandhi
Bruce said...
Love to all. Hugs too. Thanks Brendon, for your remarks, again.
My comments above were written in a kinda upbeat frame of mind.
Somehow the lightness doesn't make it through cyberspace.
I know without a doubt that church folks have hurt a lot of people,
but there's enough hurt to go around. My people (of the Book) get
blamed and shamed a lot, sometimes unjustly. I go back and forth
between taking the heat in silence and trying to say something appropriate.
V and our friends who show up here are all so generous, I hate to
even mention anything, except to maybe gently redirect a mistake
here and there. (I've got other places to argue.)
Thank you Victoria, for your work and sharing your heart.
Bruce said...
And yes...their eyes. Be still my heart.
Victoria said...
Thank you for leaving such loving comments about such difficult
subjects in this space. It feels like there is a candle lit here,
for respect.
Thanks for not letting the fear that surrounds sex and spirituality
blow it out.
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