Book Reviews  --  Body Health  --  Sacred Sexuality

Author: Margot Anand

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

Book Review 24.10.2009

(c) 2009 by Heidrun Beer

 

A passionately written, very gentle but also very thorough "How To" manual, very spiritual, very holistic, very much into the removal of taboos and cultural suppression.

There is a lot of philosophy and history in it, explaining and complementing the drills. Many anatomically correct, detailed and complete illustrations.

The first part of the book could be used instead of going to a workshop (I have learned that there is ugly rip-off going on in some of these places - especially of men, who are first promised a fixed place and then suddenly find themselves on a waiting list - after paying, of course.)

A lot of attention is given to sexual healing and the removal of "armor" in the genitals with specialized massage techniques. Could be used in therapy, or by couples who care enough to thoroughly look at such things with and for their partner.

After the more basic training steps there are some final chapters where sexual encounters are used as a special form of energy work - to transform sexual energy into life energy and move it up through all the chakras into the head. This is described as the ultimate bliss and ecstasy.

From today's viewpoint I must say that I would prefer to do energy work on my own (Robert Bruce has a book on it), and focus on my lover when I have one. The idea of "using" a lover to "manufacture" ecstatic levels of bliss seems strange to me - I always thought lovemaking was a give and take between two people, expressing love and adoration - not mainly aimed at oneself.

Also there would be so much to memorize that it seems impossible to relax and be spontaneous at the same time, which the book also recommends...?

But that is of course all theory. I would have to try it to have a real opinion. With someone whose company I really enjoy, it might be fun - right now it looks more like a lot of hard work :-))

Sorry that I can't bring any quotes - the book is in German.