Books

Sacred Sexuality
The Beginner's Guide to Self Hypnosis
Mind Over Weight: The Miraculous New Easy Way to Lose Weight
Trust Me I'm a Doctor: The Guide to Getting the Best from Your Doctor
Running with Walker: A Memoir
Caught in the Middle: Helping Children to Cope with Separaion and Divorce
Understanding Drugs: A Handbook for Parents, Teachers and Other Professionals
Fighting Invisible Tigers: A Stress Management Guide for Teens- 12 Sess Ions on Stress Management and Lifeskills Development: Leader's Guide
The Survival Guide for Parents of Gifted Children
Y2k Personal Survival Guide
Respecting Our Differences: A Guide to Getting Along in a Changing World
When Your Child Has Learning Differences: A Survival Guide for Parents
Healing Cancer: The Top 12 Non-toxic Cancer Treatments to Help You Beat Cancer
The Little Book of Recovery: To Speed Your Return to Health
Cancer Action Plan: Useful, Innovative, Alternative Cancer Therapies
The Complete Guide to Natural Medicines
The Survival Guide for Kids with LD
Readings in Risk
Improving with Age: What Exercise Can Do for You
Notso Fatso
Helping Children Cope with Grief: For Caregivers, Parents, Teachers, Counsellors
Bulimia: Book for Therapist and Client
The Nice Girl's Guide to Good Behaviour
Learning to Say Goodbye: Dealing with Death and Dying
Death and Grief: A Guide for Clergy

The Art of Sexual Ecstasy: The Path of Sacred Sexuality for Western Lovers

Average customer rating:

I Don't Believe It
a complete sacred sex course
Extremely, technically thorough
Interesting, but be honest about whether this is appropos
A wonderful wedding gift.

The Art of Sexual Ecstasy: The Path of Sacred Sexuality for Western Lovers
Margot Anand
Manufacturer: Tarcher
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Similar Items:

Sexual Ecstasy: The Art of Orgasm
The Sexual Ecstasy Workbook
The Art of Sexual Magic
The Art of Everyday Ecstasy
Tantra: The Art of Conscious Loving

Accessories:

philosophy hope in a jar daily moisturizer

ASIN: 0874775817

Customer Reviews:

I Don't Believe It.......2007-01-10

I think this book is made up of a bunch of baloney. I don't believe a word of it. I think that way too much importance is placed on sex, to the point of being obsessed with it. It's about a bunch perverts, in my opinion. The author's interest and obsession with sex is not normal. It appears she thinks of nothing else in life, except sex, and who to have it with.

a complete sacred sex course.......2006-04-27

This book is a complete sacred sex course in itself. With lots of meditations, activities, and exercises, it is particularly suited for couples who want to open up to each other emotionally as well as physically.

Extremely, technically thorough.......2005-09-20

Very detailed oriented manual type of book but very informative as well. I recommend if serious about this subject!

Interesting, but be honest about whether this is appropos.......2001-12-27

This is a very interesting book to read. However, be aware that this is not a typical western sex-ed book. It is written from a 'foreign' background, and that is very apparant. The book is big and there is a lot there, not like many sex-ed books. There are scores of exercises. But honestly ask yourself (and your partner) if you are willing or desirous of trying a truly different method. If it's not something you WANT to try, then you might not end up liking this book at all, and so will just be out the purchase price, with no sexual benefits.

So ask yourself whether you want to try a new type of sexual practice, paradigm, or ontology. If you do, then this is an excellent book. If you don't, then it is too truly foreign for you to enjoy or benefit from.

A wonderful wedding gift........2000-07-10

I've given this book as a shower gift or wedding present many times, and the couples always get me aside and tell me how grateful they were for the book. The Art of Sexual Ecstasy is beautifully and elegantly written that you never have that embarrased feeling when sharing it becuase it reads nearly like peotry. The illustrations are lovely and tasteful, and the spiritual aspects are insighful and rich. I found the book to be personally inspirering as well. Thanks :-)

Urban Tantra: Sacred Sex for the Twenty-first Century

Average customer rating:

Breathe in the Ecstasy
Exquisite
Urban Tantra is a must have for men and women! Rock it!

Urban Tantra: Sacred Sex for the Twenty-first Century
Barbara Carrellas
Manufacturer: Celestial Arts
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Interpersonal Relations | Relationships | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

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Similar Items:

Tantra - Discovering the Power of Pre-Orgasmic Sex
Introduction to Tantra : The Transformation of Desire
Tantra Between the Sheets: The Easy and Fun Guide to Mind-Blowing Sex
Ecstasy Through Tantra (Llewellyns Tantra and Sexual Arts Series)
Tantra: Path of Ecstasy

ASIN: 1587612909

Book Description

In URBAN TANTRA, acclaimed sex educator Barbara Carrellas radically updates Tantric sex practices for modern sexual explorers seeking ecstasy that lingers longer than orgasm. With a juicy mix of erotic how-to and inspired, pleasure-centered spiritual wisdom, Barbara guides readers through a repertoire of easy-to-grasp techniques and positions for solo and partner play, as well as more adventurous practices. Tantric virgins and curious sex positivists alike will discover a world of sensual delights and learn how to take pleasure to new levels of intimacy and spiritual fulfillment.

Customer Reviews:

Breathe in the Ecstasy.......2007-06-12

Sex, like most anything else, can be infinitely improved with a little specialized know how. And Barbara Carrellas is just the woman to explain the finer points of how to have fabulous, fiery, erotic, exciting, orgasmic, meaningful, intimate, imaginative, sensual, soothing, serious, silly, satisfying, sacred, and spiritually transformative sex. Don't miss this chance to learn from a master.

Exquisite.......2007-06-10

Have you ever picked up a book on Tantra, started to read it and say "oh no this is too complex I could never do this" I did many years ago and have since not found a book on Tantra or the practices that I could not easily work into my day to day life... well Not anymore! Barbara is a genious and in creating "Urban Tantra" has given us the most 'user friendly' book on Tantra ever written. I have read and begun to put the practices she suggests in her book easily and effortlessly into my day to day life with wonderful results of feeling more ecstatic and alive. If you want to feel more ecstatic and alive buy this book today! Thank you Barbara!

Urban Tantra is a must have for men and women! Rock it!.......2007-05-08

If you have ready some of my reviews you know my favorite books feel like best friends and "Urban Tantra" rates as an excellent "bf" and a must have for anyone, what ever your sexual orientation is! If you want to raise your sexual IQ and ecstasy, do empowering exercises -- one that uses rocking -- which is a favorite, than rock it and read it. Barbara is so open, honest and fun. I loved Annie Sprinkle's "Spectacular Sex" and Annie writes the forward to this book and the women and the books compliment each other well. This book is great for couples and for "singles" because you can do the "home work" alone too which is important and some topics may not be your "thing" but you will get some great breathing excercises, imagining and understanding out of this terrific read!
I recommend this book highly and also doing the exercises for better sexual health, pleasure and empowerment. Like Annie and Nina Hartley, Barbara recommends affirmations and I agree and need to do so much more affirming work. I am caring this book around with me everywhere and I recommend you do too!

Sacred Sex: A Spiritual Celebration of Oneness in Marriage

Average customer rating:

A Good Dose of Belly Laughter -- with Reverence!
Graduate School Endorsed!
Distracted by the humor...
Something desperately needed
Good start or revisiting the spiritual aspect in marriage

Sacred Sex: A Spiritual Celebration of Oneness in Marriage
Tim Alan Gardner , and Scott M. Stanley
Manufacturer: WaterBrook Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Similar Items:

Sacred Marriage
Sacred Influence: What a Man Needs from His Wife to Be the Husband She Wants
Devotions for a Sacred Marriage: A Year of Weekly Devotions for Couples
A Celebration of Sex: A Guide to Enjoying God's Gift of Sexual Intimacy
Sacred Parenting: How Raising Children Shapes Our Souls

ASIN: 1578564611
Release Date: 2002-05-21

Book Description

For years, Christians have been told that sex is God's creation, designed by him as a gift to husbands and wives. Yet few couples actually experience sex as a spiritual, God-ordained experience. Rather than admit their lack of fulfillment, many couples hide their disappointment and confusion, while others attempt to solve the problem through better sexual technique.

Unfortunately, all the advice on improved technique fails to explain the one thing that makes sense of it all. Despite the proliferation of resources to enhance sexual satisfaction, couples continue to struggle in their sexual relationship. In fact, author and licensed counselor Tim Gardner estimates that as few as 2 percent of married couples ever experience a truly exciting, energizing, and soul-touching physical bond. But now, that can change.

A couple's sexual relationship has a far higher purpose than pleasure or procreation. Scripture makes it clear that sex is the one thing on earth that joins two people into one. Now readers can learn how to approach marital sex in a way that brings the fulfillment of true oneness. Sacred Sex shows how they can experience a beautiful, God-ordained life of intimacy that blesses them far beyond the bedroom walls, serves as an act of worship to God, and touches their hearts and souls in ways they never could have imagined.

Customer Reviews:

A Good Dose of Belly Laughter -- with Reverence!.......2007-05-04

Dr. Gardner quotes the great C.S. Lewis as saying, "Nothing is more needed on the whole subject of sex than a good dose of belly laughter." I couldn't agree more. And Gardner provides that without EVER being disrespectful, crude, vulgar, or offensive. It seems to me that the goal of Sacred Sex is to help couples experience the total JOY that God, the Creator or sex, intended for his married children. This book helps couples realize that sex is not primarily about pleasure or procreation, which is the focus of most books on sex. Rather, it is about "oneness;" and true oneness leads to deep and abiding joy.

Gardner also cites the renowned Dr. Howard Hendricks as saying, "We should not be embarrassed to discuss what God was not embarrassed to create." This book will help Believers get over their embarrassment of s-e-x as it brings a healthy amount of humor to a very sacred subject and provides excellent tools for couples to discuss this very sacred act. Readers will greatly benefit from the author's challenge to approach every aspect of their sex lives with the question, "Will this make us more 'one,' or will this drive us apart?"

Sacred Sex is a great balance of Scriptural truth, challenge to change, practical wisdom, reverence for the "Marriage Bed," and God-honoring fun! Couples should buy it, read it together, and Celebrate Oneness in Marriage the way God intended!

Graduate School Endorsed!.......2007-05-04

We recently used Sacred Sex in a human sexuality class in graduate school. Fantastic choice! The overall class consensus was that not only was this book extremely helpful for us individually as we prepare to become professional counselors and wrestle with our own "theology of sex," but it will also be an invaluable resource for those we minister to in the future. This is not a book on "sexual technique" (there is an over abundance of those). Instead, Sacred Sex leads the reader on a unique yet vital journey into "Why God created sex in the first place" and helps them understand (in very practical ways) how to apply those discoveries to their own lives and marriages. We also greatly enjoyed the author's sense of humor. As they say, Sacred Sex is "A Must Read!"

Distracted by the humor..........2007-03-25

If the idea of sacred sex is totally foreign to you, you need this book. I bought one based on the previous reviews (see below) and was looking to improve my overall relationship with my husband of 27 years for Christ's glory. I give my husband, a bible teacher, credit for teaching me on many levels how our marriage is a priceless picture of Jesus and His bride. Regarding this book, the humor was a distraction and undermined an otherwise holy message. Quoting W.C. Fields, Marilyn Monroe, Billy Crystal and the like seemed contrary to the reverence the title suggests. The author was *not* crude or vulgar. I just recommend you read the excerpts Amazon offers on this book before purchasing. If the humor you see there works for you, I came away appreciating: 1) Mrs. Gardner's brief contributions and 2) the author's phrase 'the menu is closed' to those still looking (aka lusting) after marriage. I'm now reading Sacred Marriage. Will get back to you on that one.

Something desperately needed.......2006-09-19

A Christian may think they know about sex, what it entails and its spiritual signficance, but this book delivers a message that most are unaware of. Not only does the author biblically evaluate how the act of sex has such powerful spiritual impacts, but also that the "physical" alone carries deep meaning and purpose. A must read not for just any couple, but any Christian who wants to have a healthy attitude towards sex and sexuality as a whole.

Good start or revisiting the spiritual aspect in marriage.......2006-02-03

Though the this soft covered book is over 200+ pages it is an easy read. You may want to use post-its on certain pages that you will want to reread. The recommendations, and ideas are good if both spouses want to "particpate." It takes two to reach that spiritual oneness. A good gift for newly weds...

The Essential Tantra: A Modern Guide to Sacred Sexuality

Average customer rating:

Read and blow your mind away
Beautiful and Sacred Presentation
Clearly This Books Is About Sex Not Tantra
The Essential Tantra

The Essential Tantra: A Modern Guide to Sacred Sexuality
Kenneth Ray Stubbs , and Kyle Spencer
Manufacturer: Tarcher
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Similar Items:

Women of the Light: The New Sacred Prostitute
Soul Sex: Tantra for Two
Ecstasy Through Tantra (Llewellyns Tantra and Sexual Arts Series)
Red Hot Tantra: Erotic Secrets of Red Tantra for Intimate, Soul-to-Soul Sex and Ecstatic, Enlightened Orgasms
Tantra: The Art of Conscious Loving

Accessories:

RESPeRATE Blood Pressure Lowering Device
Airborne Effervescent Health Formula, Original Orange, 10 Tablets (Pack of 3)

ASIN: 158542014X
Release Date: 2000-01-03

Book Description

With more than 200 vivid illustrations, here is the complete guide to tantric lovemaking.

For the first time, Kenneth Ray Stubbs brings together the books of his beloved "Secret Garden Trilogy"--Tantric Massage, Sensual Ceremony, and Sacred Orgasms--into one complete volume. In this three-in-one book, couples will find the broadest range of creative ideas and resources available in any Tantric guide.

Customer Reviews:

Read and blow your mind away.......2007-05-09

You'll be blown away, and your ideas of sexuality and tantra will be ripped open by the sheer force of love.

Just wait, and read.

Beautiful and Sacred Presentation.......2004-11-26

Kenneth Stubbs has taken the concept of Sacred Sexuality and given it an erotic and poetic presentation. As a teacher of Sacred Sexuality, I highly recommend this book to all my students who truly want to recapture the sacredness of sexual energy in their lifes. Tantra is a philosphy that recognizes sexual energy as life force.

EveLynn, Sacred Haven Atlanta

Clearly This Books Is About Sex Not Tantra.......2002-10-29

Anybody who knows what Tantra is essentially about or teaches will know that this book is not about practising Tantra but enjoying sex in tantric positions.

If you are new to Tantra, you will be misled by this book. But if you aim is just to try out something new and enjoy sex, this book is okay.

The Essential Tantra.......2000-06-06

I have just broken into the world of Tantra and this book was very helpful to further introducing me to it, It has allowed my wife and I to break into a world that we have always known was there yet have been unable to access.

The Sacred Prostitute: Eternal Aspect of the Feminine (Studies in Jungian Psychology By Jungian Analysts, Vol 32)

Average customer rating:

fair and honest appraisal of the sacred prostitute
excellent book
white bread
from ancient history to modern psychotherapy
Interesting, but ultimately disappointing.

The Sacred Prostitute: Eternal Aspect of the Feminine (Studies in Jungian Psychology By Jungian Analysts, Vol 32)
Nancy Qualls-Corbett
Manufacturer: Inner City Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Developmental Psychology | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

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Similar Items:

Women of the Light: The New Sacred Prostitute
Aphrodite's Daughters : Women's Sexual Stories and the Journey of the Soul
Descent to the Goddess (Studies in Jungian Psychology)
Mysteries of the Dark Moon: The Healing Power of the Dark Goddess
Pregnant Virgin: A Process of Psychological Transformation (Studies in Jungian Psychology By Jungian Analysts)

ASIN: 0919123317

Customer Reviews:

fair and honest appraisal of the sacred prostitute.......2007-03-22

though very jungian, therefore fixated on the archetype, it did really well looking at the place of the sacred prostitute in past cultures, did not place judgement on those cultures or the position itself. the explanations of how we can interact and learn from the sacred prostitute were quite insiteful, and offered explanations on how our psyches use the symbolism in both men and women...very good read.

excellent book.......2007-01-05

It is a great book about us women and what importance we once played in society and about the importance of sexuality so scewed today. The first part is very imformative from the historical perspective. The second part can be little to psychoanalytical for an amateur reader, but it definately has its value and can help in one's own retrospection.

white bread.......2005-06-27

Dubious, at best, anthropology. Ignores African, Asian, Native American cultures, even nordic cultures, in favor of Greco-Roman archetypes. Her concepts of spirituality and sexualtiy are very "white" - very European and ignore class constructs. She gleefully describes a scene where she imagines a man takes a 'sacred prostitute' at a temple long ago, to the sound of a tambourine and the scent of thyme, which consummation draws both parties closer to the goddess. I think it is more important that women learn to "get off" and to understand sex as an appetite, than it is to convince men (and women) to turn sex into acts of worship in honor of some higher or bigger entity. Additionally, her expansive tone and stream of promises of potential bliss, pretty typical for jungian essays, remind me of Victorian manuals on etiquette.

from ancient history to modern psychotherapy.......2002-03-14

Dr. Qualls-Corbett claims that modern people are wounded by our separation of sexuality from spirituality and suggests that the study of the ancient sacred prostitutes and sexually oriented temple priestesses will assist in a conscious "union of opposites," restoring sexuality to its rightful place in spiritual and religious thought. While her alchemical view of sexuality is firmly grounded in Jungian thought, Dr. Qualls-Corbett often uses sources that are somewhat less than reputable for her historical information. In many places where Dr. Qualls-Corbett is more accurate in her history, she often provides rather unorthodox interpretations of historical items, places or writings. When viewed from a Jungian perspective rather than a historical sense, however, Qualls-Corbett's interpretations are mythically sound. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to explore notions of sexuality from a stance that empowers both women and men as well as anyone who is considering developing ritual work in a sexual vein, especially rites of initiatory sexuality.

The book is divided into five major sections:

* "The Goddess and her Virgin: Historical Background" examines evidence of the sacred prostitute in the ancient world. Though the history here is often shaky, this section still contains much of value if one chooses to read critically.

* "The Psychological Significance of Sacred Prostitution" examines the archetypes of the Goddess, the Sacred Prostitute, the Stranger who visits her, and the "Heiros Gamos" or Sacred Marriage.

* "The Sacred Prostitute in Masculine Psychology" examines the male view of woman, anima and sexuality. Dr. Qualls-Corbett discusses the dreams of some of her male clients as well as the relationship between the Jesus character and the Magdalene/priestess character in D.H. Lawrence's "The Man Who Died" in an attempt to demonstrate that the healing power of consciously regarding the sacred prostitute is not limited to women.

* "The Sacred Prostitute in Feminine Psychology" first explores four of Dr. Qualls-Corbett's female clients -- three single women and one married woman -- as they explore their evolving sense of Self and sexuality. Dr. Qualls-Corbett then links these four stories together by relating them to the D.H. Lawrence short story, "The Virgin and the Gypsy," a story of lost innocence and overwhelming sexuality in which the male stranger, the Gypsy, plays the initiatory role to a young virgin in much the same way that the passing stranger would initiate a virgin waiting at the temple in ancient times.

* "Restoration of the Soul" examines the ...madonna paradigm of the feminine and attempts to integrate these two aspects by using Mary Magdalene and the Virgin Mary as personifications thereof. Dr. Qualls-Corbett also discusses the Black Madonnas found throughout Europe, suggesting that the image of the Black Madonna holds a key to the integration of the feminine.

The book concludes with a thorough bibliography and index.

Peppered with beautiful historical images of the Sacred Feminine, from Aphrodite to Sophia, this book is not difficult to read. It is written in a scholarly style but it typically defines any specialized vocabulary, making it accessible to those who have never read anything in Jungian psychology before. "The Sacred Prostitute: Eternal Aspect of the Feminine" is book number 32 in Inner City Books' series of "Studies in Jungian Psychology by Jungian Analysts."

...

Interesting, but ultimately disappointing........2001-10-11

Writing as a sex worker, I found some of the historical picture interesting, and lyrically quite beautiful, but the writer's insistance as seeing sacred or temple prostitution as rewarding, and a positive expression of womanhood, but profane commercial sex as ultimately degrading made me feel ill.

Most of the role of the temple whore, as described, is now taken up by profane sex workers, but she can't seem to get past her cultural blinkers about this issue. It is especially annoying, as the writer is in fact a therapist. It is the job of cousellors and therapists to move beyond value judgements - so overall, I expected more, and in fact, I expected my own experience, and what I offer society, to be valued.

Maybe the next book on this issue will be written by a sex worker, so our perspectives on our 'spiritual heritage' will be honoured.

Average customer rating:

Did not like this at all
A revelation of lost fundamentals
An Excellent Study With Profound Insight!
Finally - An easy to read guide to the Church's view on sex
Our Bodies--God's Plan

Sex and the Sacred City
Steven Kellmeyer
Manufacturer: Bridegroom Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Theology Of The Body For Beginners
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Accessories:

RESPeRATE Blood Pressure Lowering Device
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ASIN: 0971812810

Book Description

This critically-acclaimed 100-page summary of Pope John Paul II's Theology of the Body takes you on a whirlwind tour of the beautiful Catholic vision of human sexuality. Discover how our sexuality helps us live out the life of God in our own bodies! "Dear Reader, I don't know who you are, what you believe, or what you love, but if you are like all the students who have read Sex and the Sacred City for my courses, I guarantee you one thing: you will find it arresting, personally challenging, and quite possibly life-changing. This is "the big picture" of the meaning of human sexuality - in fact, the biggest and most beautiful picture you have ever seen." - Dr. Peter Kreeft, Professor of Philosophy, Boston College

Customer Reviews:

Did not like this at all.......2007-04-15

I cannot begin to express what this book represents to me. I'm sure it has it's followers and all the best to them. Not my cup of tea at all and not what I expected or I would not have spent my money on. If I could I would have given it a zero. Just my take on it.

A revelation of lost fundamentals.......2005-11-27

Our modern culture, where sexual stimulation is commonplace in entertainment, advertising, and relationships, thoroughly rebukes the natural law of sexuality. Temptations abound. In past times, this book might have only been necessary for a small target audience. Today, many might have instinctive reservations about same-sex marriage, but in a world where marriage is often considered a mere civil contract, how can one truly justify this?

The prevailing culture has a superficial, soap opera-like view of marriage. Celibacy, embryonic human life, and contraception-free intercourse are thought of as anachronisms, even by most Catholics. And who can blame anyone for this? We are all, in some way, formed by this powerful modern culture. If you are looking to battle back from this formation, this book is a good start.

Short in pages but long in theology, the writing is so deep and concise that I found myself re-reading all chapters at least once, many of them twice, before moving on. Kellmeyer does a wonderful job of building the fundamentals necessary to understand this complex teaching, and does so in few pages.

Sex and the Sacred City is essential for young adults, married or single, and especially for parents worried about the culture's impact on their kids. At any age or vocation, the message of how to love is profound. It makes a great confirmation or engagement gift for people interested in reading theology. Don't bother with anyone who isn't like that. They will put it down before the end of the first chapter, if they crack it at all. An audiobook from Christopher West might be more appropriate for them.

This book will not empty your mind of the thoughts and images this culture has formed in you. It will provide a knowledge foundation where you can begin to battle back from within yourself and speak about it to others. Married, single, and religious will all benefit from a deeper understanding of how we relate to God and each other.

An Excellent Study With Profound Insight!.......2004-05-01

Steve Kellmeyer's book "Sex and the Sacred City" was a profound guide through the Trinity, the Sacrements, and God's plan for marriage, human sexuality, family life, and our vocation in life.
Mr. Kellmeyer utilized the ability to make a deep theological belief understandable through a layered approach using anticdotes and common daily occurrences to help the reader clearly understand his points. The insights were very in-depth and thorough and the end of each chapter contained thought-provoking questions and Catechetical and Biblical references.
This would be an excellent tool for a private or group study session, with the Catechism of the Catholic Church and the Bible well used to bring the book together with Church teachings.
His direct-approach with the truth in human sexuality is eye-opening for all in the Catholic Church and should be a mandatory for high school students and pre-marriage couples.
Thank you for establishing a new deeper understanding of our Faith!!

Finally - An easy to read guide to the Church's view on sex.......2004-04-04

Sex and the City - this book is not. However, if you are interested in the Catholic Church's view on human sexuality, this is a MUST read. It will change your perspective on the Church and will make you an INFORMED Catholic the next time someone approaches you at the water cooler about something they have read in the paper concerning the Church's view on human sexuality.

Our Bodies--God's Plan.......2004-03-06

Sex and the Sacred City

If you think that "original sin" means to be born of a sinful act, you've got it wrong, but this book will set you straight. Even if you know your catechism, Sex and the Sacred City will take you on a surprising journey through the mysteries of Divine love, marriage and human sexuality. In this slim volume, Kellmeyer distills Pope John Paul II's "Theology of the Body." He writes with a lucid style, using contemporary analogies, humor and persevering logic to bring to the lay reader the pope's meditations about the human person.

Beginning with an explanation of the Trinity-a "communion of persons, a family whose life is love" (cf. Eph. 3:14-15)-the book skillfully navigates through such mysteries as the meaning of "nature" and "person," God as Pure Existence and God as Perfect Love, how we are "made in His image and likeness" and why we need, therefore, to love. Furthermore, it delineates how this love must be lived out in the body and how conjugal love mirrors God's love for us.

"When we consider Adam and Eve," Kellmeyer writes," when we consider how God has inscribed Himself both upon our very bodies and upon the communion of persons that our bodies make possible, we realize that we must allow that same grace to teach us how to live out in our bodies the power God has given. Having the power is not enough. We have to learn how to use it. We learn this by service."

But service does not mean servile. Quoting from the Italian movie, Life is Beautiful, Kellmeyer give an example of the uncle who explains to his nephew, a waiter who bobs up and down excessively, "Think of sunflowers. They bow to the sun. But if you see some that are too bowed down, that means they are dead. You are serving; you are not a servant. Serving is a supreme art. God is the first servant. God serves man but He is not a servant to men."

Using the communal love within the Trinity as a model, Kellmeyer carries us through a study of Creation, The Fall, The Incarnation, The Sacraments, Married Life, Family Life and even Celibacy (an earthy archetype for the spiritual ecstasy everyone will experience in the Beatific Vision). In his rich meditations we discover the sanctification of the family and what it means to use our bodies in God's original holiness.

Kellmeyer provides a reflection in every line of Sex and the Sacred City. It is a book to study at your leisure, savor, read and re-read. At the end of each chapter there are several questions for discussion, Bible verses for contemplation and references to the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

Sacred Pleasure: Sex, Myth, and the Politics of the Body

Average customer rating:

Probably the best history of pleasure
Accentuate the Positive
Well-meaning, I'm sure, but boy, does it have problems
Woman Heal
Partnership as a deep human need

Sacred Pleasure: Sex, Myth, and the Politics of the Body
Riane Eisler
Manufacturer: Vega Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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ASIN: 184333240X

Book Description

Riane Eisler shows us how history has consistently promoted the link between sex and violence--and how we can sever this link and move to a politics of partnership rather than domination in all our relations.

Customer Reviews:

Probably the best history of pleasure.......2004-12-10

In this book Riane Eisler focuses on the issues surrounding joy. Why, she asks, are love and evil, cruelty and pleasure, so confounded in our private and public lives? Her answers involve a journey through the heart of civilization as we know it:

"...it may well be that at least in some instances the Christian condemnation of sexual "licentiousness" was due to the ... all too common association of sex with violence and domination. ... But the Church did not then - any more than it does now - condemn the association of sex with violence... Instead, it condemned sexual pleasure."

Eisler sets out to reconstruct the history of sex and love, starting with the bonobos chimpanzees. She traces the biological evolution of pleasure and the "chemistry of love". Endorphins become a powerful pleasure-reward for social bonding. Sex takes an importance far beyond reproduction. A different Darwinism emerges, stressing the survival of those with the greatest capacity for joy, love and mutual care. In Eisler's critical path, the future belongs not to those with the greatest means of coercion, or even with the best means of production, but to those able to inspire partnership between former competitors.

It may seem odd, but the view that love and joy are central in human development is a dubious and unproven theory. Before it can be taken seriously, it must be backed with "hard" scientific and historical evidence. Eisler therefore supports her observations with a respectable 54 pages of reference notes.

Most of the book comes under the heading, "Where Do We Go From Here?", in which Eisler spins her distinctive moral vision. To her mind, the modern media link of sex with violence:

"...is not (as is often claimed) a product of modern sexual "laxness", but imbedded in ancient dominator traditions - this is not "the sexual revolution". It is the dominator sexual counter-revolution."

She turns to praising real people who are building families of mutuality, politics of compassion, or to use Hazel Henderson's term, "the love economy". Through her Partnership Studies Center, Eisler works with like-minded people around the world. She introduces some of them: the Ecopolis Culture and Health Center in Moscow, a network called Women Living Under Muslim Laws, the Oakland Men's Project, the Mothers of El Salvador, Business for Social Responsibility, the Defense of Children International, the Prague-based East-West Gender Studies Center, or the Partnership Research Group at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences in Beijing (which has produced a book called The Chalice and the Blade in Chinese Culture). As she writes, Eisler's sentences grow longer, with the cadence of someone excited. The sympathetic reader may feel walls crumbling. If the sentences are run on, who cares?

In her last section, Eisler looks to myths and stories for a reconstruction of love. Among the stories she shares is a poem by her partner David Loye, transforming the tale of Adam and Eve into a tender touch after a bad dream.

Accentuate the Positive.......2004-07-24

The premise of this book -- the sacredness of sexual union and the importance of gender equality, is noble indeed and warrants a great deal more attention by society. But I found the author to be far too negative in spite of some excellent comments. It was painful to me, a man, to have to wallow through an extended chronicle of relatively obscure examples of misogyny, used to make a case for change that is probably self-evident to anyone reading this book. Had the author devoted more of her research to the positive to which we may all intrinsically aspire, it would have been a more valuable read. The world can benefit enormously from a deep respect for all creation that transcends the sordid, selfish history upon which she dwells.

Well-meaning, I'm sure, but boy, does it have problems.......2003-11-18

I looked forward to reading this book for a long time. I am deeply interested in connections between sex and spirituality, and I am also in agreement with Eisler about the problems that patriarchal society has created in both of these areas and especially the place where we try to integrate them.
I was deeply, deeply disappointed by this book. I believe that many of Eisler's theories are correct, but she simply doesn't cite evidence that supports them. The structure of the book seems to work like this:
1) Present theory. (Example - children are frequently abused in patriarchal society.)
2) Give a piece of evidence that might be related. (For the theory given above, Eisler writes that several Victorian doctors wrote in their journals that many children of parents with venereal disease also have venereal disease.)
3) Re-state theory. (Patriarchy is terrible for children!)
The trouble is, frequently the evidence does not say what she claims it says, and even when it does, it's only a tiny piece of a very large puzzle that we can't see. In the example above, for instance - venereal disease is often passed from mother to child during the birth process. Also, lower hygiene standards in the Victorian era means that it was very easy to pass all sorts of diseases. Touch your genitals while passing urine, touch your child's hand, your child touches their genitals and voila! We now have disease transmission. And, even if this piece of evidence had said what Eisler claimed it said, that's two doctors talking about the patients that they saw in their lifetimes - that doesn't allow for the specific demographic of patients they saw, geographical differences, differences over time, or pretty much anything else. It's close-up photography - what we see may reflect what's going on in the big picture, but it may not, and there's no way of knowing.
This is just one example - I could cite twenty more, and I'm not a serious student of history. That makes me very concerned - I worry that for every error I noticed in this book there could be five more that I just didn't have the background to recognize.
I was also deeply frustrated by Eisler's PC attitude towards sex. Sex is essential and wonderful, she writes, but pornography and BDSM are inherently tied to "dominator culture." If we live in a dominator culture, which I believe we do, isn't everything going to bear its taint? If negativity about sex is a significant part of what sustains dominator culture, which Eisler did convince me of, shouldn't we be doing all we can to validate diverse forms of sexual expression? She winds up giving a very mixed message. "Sex is great, but only if it's the right kind of sex!" That's not actually going to get us anywhere, that's the message we've been getting from our culture all along. "Sex is okay, but only if the husband is in the dominant position... sex is okay, but only if you're married... sex is okay, but only if you're straight..." Haven't we heard this before?
It's really a shame that the book isn't better written - there's so little material written on this topic that to have even one piece be sub-standard has a serious adverse effect on the available body of work.

Woman Heal.......2001-12-29

A very interesting and enlightening book for anyone seeking to understand World Sexuality and Sexuality in our own lives.
Modern times show us everything from burka's to genuine hard-core pornagraphy that in American is a multi-billion dollar a year industry.
How does one make sense of all this?? KNOWLEDGE
Eisler's book is a good place to start. As with "The Chalice and The Blade", there are a lot of proven historical facts. Makes one take a closer look.... especially in regards to what we consdier "sacred".
5000 years of historical information will make one rethink their own personal values.

Partnership as a deep human need.......1999-12-25

It is patently stupid to imply that the human urge towards partnership cannot possibly be real because "we haven't gotten there after 25 million years." We WERE there once. We can be there again. We're sentient creatures, after all, and uniquely gifted with the ability to act on our sentience. Never mind politics or bruised egos; it's about time the species grew up and quit committing species suicide. This book gives us one instrument for that purpose.

Phallos: Sacred Image of the Masculine (Studies in Jungian Psychology By Jungian Analysis, No 27)

Average customer rating:

Follies Phallic
an uncommon view lucidly expressed
A readable intro into the "archetypal masculine."
First things first
What a silly book.

Phallos: Sacred Image of the Masculine (Studies in Jungian Psychology By Jungian Analysis, No 27)
Eugene Monick
Manufacturer: Inner City Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Philosophy | Nonfiction | Subjects | Books

Developmental Psychology | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

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Castration and Male Rage: The Phallic Wound (Studies in Jungian Psychology By Jungian Analysts)
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The Sacred Prostitute: Eternal Aspect of the Feminine (Studies in Jungian Psychology By Jungian Analysts, Vol 32)

ASIN: 0919123260

Customer Reviews:

Follies Phallic.......2004-09-29

It was a bit tough ploughing through this book ten or so years ago as it seems a little ponderous and self conscious but I'm glad I did. In retrospect I can't think of another book that raised my consciousness quite the way this one did. As a female victim of childhood molestation, I have tried to understand sexuality from the male perspective and it was helpful to read a frank but intelligent and spiritual book by a man about men without intercession and without courtship to the feminine in the audience. I often recommend this book to women who are genuinely interested in a better understanding of men and not just interested in getting them to put the toilet seat down. If you're one of these more enlightened sister types, give the book a try. It's one of a kind in my experience. I also appreciate the Jungian approach to all matters in life and this book is part of a series of books, most of which I have read with interest and appreciation.

an uncommon view lucidly expressed.......2000-09-13

This is a great book for one's 'men's issues' or Jungian bookshelf. Of particular interest to me was the author's elucidation of the archetypal unconscious having 'phallos' qualities intrinsically. Both Freud and Jung articulated the feminine quality of the unconscious, with heroic ego differentiation representing a masculine step (initially)away from it. Yet, metaphorically, why would the unconscious be exclusively feminine? Why would the heroic ideal be exclusively masculine? As our culture's gender roles become more flexible Monick's interpretations will become increasingly useful to analysts and other therapists. This book also contains great photos of depictions of the phallos in art.

A readable intro into the "archetypal masculine.".......1999-10-14

A useful addition to your "men's issues" bookshelf. Especially good for readers not familiar with the new movement to affirm the sacredness of masculinity. -- Craig Chalquist, M.S., creator of the Thineownself self-exploration site.

First things first.......1999-06-27

First Mother then Phallos then the union of the two, all performed WITHIN, has nothing to do with human beings, which is to say LOVE is not human = EROS.

What a silly book........1999-05-06

It's like a lot of Jungiana, a lot of assertions and vapid conclusions. What makes this one worse than most is the pretentiousness of its language and tone. I do not have the impression that the author really has enough depth in comparative religions, anthropology, or even psychology to pull this off, and too bad, because the subject has potential.

Average customer rating:

Divine Ecstacy

Living Sacred Intimacy
David Deida
Manufacturer: Plexus
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

General | Sex | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

Spiritual | Self-Help | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

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Accessories:

RESPeRATE Blood Pressure Lowering Device
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ASIN: 1889762237

Customer Reviews:

Divine Ecstacy.......2003-02-21

If you have read any of David Deida's books, you will be familiar with some of the concepts he presents in this set of two compact discs. However, I found it enjoyable to hear the author's voice and experience the energy of the author's presence in a "speaking engagement" setting.

He has such a beautiful way of interacting with the audience. He is spontaneous, uninhibited and he at times speaks in a lyrical way. At times he seems to dance with words and emotions as if he has always known them intimately.

This was recorded in Sept, 2000. It is a complete introduction to David Deida's work in spirituality, sexuality and intimacy. When he says "open to God" I think he means reaching the highest point of sexual fulfillment. I think to speak to God directly is the best way to find God, however this aspect of sacred intimacy is definitely intriguing.

It is actually quite amazing how he takes very intimate issues and makes them seem so uncomplicated and fulfilling. Not only does he reveal the qualities of masculine and feminine energy, he also explains the masculine and feminine purpose. A lot of his work seems to center around human sexuality, which he actually sees in a much bigger picture. He explains the entire arc of sexual polarity and shows how we each have the ability to encourage masculine or feminine energy within our beings.

What David Deida presents is perhaps more advanced than what many relationship experts are saying and he talks about a "3rd stage human." What he is saying is that men and women can only be fulfilled if they tap into their "main" energy. After listening to this CD, you will understand your partner better.

I like how he explained that the ultimate masculine bliss is "doing nothing." But his bliss is also "challenging the edge." The ultimate feminine bliss is "keeping busy." Which probably will help you understand why your partner either likes to entertain or just sit and watch TV.

He also explains why the masculine heart yearns to discover his deepest life purpose and why the deepest desire of the feminine heart is an aching or yearning to be filled.

What struck me as rather profound was when he said that Woman's liberation was really a liberation of the masculine energy.

At times I was so deeply impressed with David Deida's understanding of the female thought process. He really does know exactly what women want to hear or feel. I think woman want men to know this information and to see them for who they are, not in the way society has dictated men must see us.

Oh, I just loved when he explained how woman would rather have a man plan out a surprise for them and men would rather have a woman say she would do anything the man wanted. That is so true. However, if a woman is more aggressive and a man is more laid back, it might be true the other way around. So, it is essential to figure out which "energy" pervades your being.

Are you ready to merge with pleasure or be ravished by the moment? David Deida encourages you to tap into a sacred knowledge so you can attract and please the intimate partner who will be the most likely to complement your core sexual essence.

Also look for:

Naked Buddhism
The Way of the Superior Man
Dear Lover
Finding God Through Sex

~TheRebeccaReview.com

Sexual Healing: Transforming the Sacred Wound

Average customer rating:

Healing the sexual being
focused on the body, socially naive

Sexual Healing: Transforming the Sacred Wound
Peter A. Levine
Manufacturer: Sounds True
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: 1591790395

Book Description

By conservative estimates, at least one in four people have suffered sexual trauma during childhood, and many more as adults. On Sexual Healing, Peter Levine - a pioneer in the healing of emotional trauma - offers crucial new information and self-guided exercises for those seeking help. Not a "talking cure" but a powerful new way to release unresolved distress frozen from within the body, Sexual Healing offers a proven series of gentle techniques to help reclaim the sacred inner space of our bodies.

Customer Reviews:

Healing the sexual being.......2007-04-01

Peters work has been an amazing resource for my journey of healing. The exercises or practices in this CD are very effective, very clear and easy to follow. I have used them throughout a year's time since I first listened.It has helped immensely with various experiences of pain, anxiety, uncomfortable situations, trouble sleeping and creating an environment through the felt sense of safety and comfort. It instills the confidence that I can take care of myself, which makes me feel empowered and healthy.

focused on the body, socially naive.......2003-03-03

Like his first work, which goes into much more detail, this audioCD focuses on body processes. One is encouraged to stay with the body and trust the flow of energies and creating safe spaces. The excercises are simple but powerful. They are general body excercises, not specific to localized sexual trauma. Far more excercises on this audioCD than anecdotes. Sometimes I felt the excercises are a kind of filler. Don't know how that applies to the book. Keep that in mind as you make a choice around getting this. The model he gives around developing sexuality is strictly heterosexual within an intact nuclear family. I find this shocking and inexcusable in this day and age, and even dangerous given the large number young gay kids who are even more vulnerable to the cycles of neglect and abuse in developing their boundaries. Of course, a main trauma anecdote is grandfather to grandson. The client/grandson uncovers the trapped energy and is able to work through his initial fears. Presumably, he has fully recoverd because his the newly released sexual energy is fully transfered back onto his wife. If you are going to create a heterosexual model of child's sexual development, can't you at least stick to heterosexuality in your anecdotes. Obviously, there are huge blind spots here. Makes my blood boil, speaking of body processes. Thankfully, this audioCD is really not about how sexual trauma relates to sexual development or current social and cultural dynamics. I give it four stars because it succeeds in it's main purpose, which is to give simple and effective "neutral" tools for working with the body.

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