SEX AND THE SPIRITUAL SEEKER

Spiritual seekers are often confused about the place of sexuality, in the life of a spiritual person.They ask the following question:Many spiritual schools advocate celibacy as a prerequisite for spiritual development;While other schools advocate sexual fulfillment. Should I suppress my desires,or should I follow them?

The above question is very pertinent in our times.What place does sexuality have in the life of the spiritual seeker,if any? The answer is complex and would depend largely on the temperament of the individual,and the unique circumstances in which she or he find oneself.There are several issues here, that must be addressed.From the Goddess perspective,celibacy is not the way.since the body is not perceived as opposite to spirit, but rather as a part of it;There is no conflict between desire and spiritual evolution.In the Goddess traditions of the world,nature is embraced as a manifestation of spirit,and therefore it must be honored and allowed to express itself.To block it would be akin to blocking the flow of a river. It would turn it into a swamp. Given this fundamental understanding,we still have to consider the complexity of the human condition and realize that under certain circumstances,celibacy can be helpful,or even necessary for spiritual development.

Consider the issues of:compatibility of energies,the balance of energies, the conservation of energy, the misuse and abuse of energy:
Firstly, apples match apples,and bananas match bananas.But apples do not match
bananas...The average person can have sex with anyone,and it would have little or no effect on her/his spiritual development.It would be like matching apples with apples.But not so,when you have energies that have been purified and refined through practicing hard discipline and disce
ment.You wouldn't want to mix them with unrefined energy.It would be like mixing high grade gasoline with low grade gasoline.Not a good idea.
Secondly, since sex is energy consuming,you would want to make sure that you are not just giving energy,but also receiving energy.Otherwise,you would get depleted and could fall off the path.If your energy is high and your partners energy is low,your energy would be compromised and this would be a setback on your path.However,if your partner's sexual energy is compatible with yours,sex would boost your energy.If it is higher than yours,it would raise your energy and contribute to your evolution.
Generally,if you follow your instinct,you would be able to know,when someone's sexual energy is compatible with yours.
Thirdly, there may be times in one's life,when one needs to focus her/his entire personal energies on oneself,and not to share them through sex.In a society where sex is associated with creating a family unit and having children,the only available way to dedicate oneself to a spiritual path,is to join a monastery or to be celibate.

Patriarchy has created a dichotomy between body and spirit.In doing so it generated a great conflict in the human psyche,suppression and suffering.The notion of sex as
sin,is a patriarchal idea.It allows for the control of the masses by authorities.From the perspective of the Goddess traditions and of a more evolved human being,sexual activity is neither moral nor immoral.While it can be misused or perverted,in and of itself, it is just natural. But since sex is a powerful drive, and since the transmission of energy affects one's emotional and mental state,it is important for the seeker who is engaged in sexual activity,to be aware of the ramifications.

P.S.This article is the intellectual property of it's author:Gloria Eagle and she reserves her full copyrights.