Sacred Sexuality and Nudity in Ritual
One of the subjects I am frequently asked about is that of nudity. As you may have noticed by now, many of my more shamanic attunements either feature nude surrogates through which the energy flows, require you to be nude to receive the energy, or both. I have also received questions from apprentices concerning our order's views on nudity and sexuality, particularly in ritual, so I wanted to try and answer all of this here.
The first aspect of why nudity in ritual is in important has to do with the nature of energy. Energy flows most freely when it is unrestricted by clothing, jewelry, etc. The only real exceptions to this rule are clothes made from purely natural fibers and ritual jewelry. Natural fibers are the least restrictive clothing type because they, like our own energy, are of the earth. Polyester and nylon, on the other hand, are created things. This is the same reason that talismans are best made from natural materials such as crystal and stone, rather than plastic. Ritual jewelry either serves a specific purpose in focusing the energy, or has already been attuned through work. In fact, the only non-ritual item I wear during Shamanic work is my wedding ring, because it is as much a part of me as the finger it is on. (And because of this, it is in its own way a talisman due to the amount of energy I have channeled while wearing it.) So energy flow is one reason for this.
The second reason is, in my tradition, baring ourselves before ritual is symbolic of stripping away the illusions of the mundane and presenting ourselves to the Mother Goddess the way she made us. We clothe ourselves only in her presence and energy, and in so doing become closer to her essence.
The third reason ties both into the previous two reasons, and segues into sacred sexuality, and that is that those who embrace the path of the Sacred Prostitute (a Daka if you are male, a Dakini if you are female) transmit healing energy simply by being seen nude. So the Dakas and Dakinis of my order will make every effort, when legal, safe, and possible, to be seen nude so as to spread this energy.
Now, as for sacred sexuality, this one becomes a bit touchier. In today's society, it is not uncommon for 'gurus' to take advantage of their station and manipulate their followers. It is also not uncommon for them to make outrageous claims about why their students must have sex with them. However, these individuals are focused on the carnality of sex, rather than it's sacred nature. The truth is, sexual energy pervades every aspect of the Shamanic work, because sexual energy comes from Kundalini, and the majority of our work is done through Kundalini. When we refer to sacred sexuality, we very rarely mean sex itself, but rather the energy of life that flows from Kundalini. So, in a very real sense, every ritual we do can be considered a 'Sex Ritual'. Ultimately, though, even when a ritual does call for sexual intercourse, it is still not about the physical act of sex, but about the spiritual forces at play, and about bringing the God and Goddess down to this world to spread healing.
This subject is very deep, and contains much nuance and many things that are best not spoken of publicly. If you are interested in learning more, fill out the contact form and let us know. If I cannot answer your questions, I will direct you to the appropriate person in my order who can.
