Spirituality and Sexuality are not Mutually Exclusive
Many religious belief systems are fairly obsessed with sexuality. Most promote the belief that sex and sexual thoughts need to be suppressed.
An exception is Tantric Yoga. You can do a web search and find out more about it. I've no experience with Tantric Yoga and little knowledge of it.
I decided not to put pictures on this page. Search engines like pictures. It seemed like a tacky thing to do here, so no pictures.
It is very common for people on a spiritual path to feel guilty about what may be characterized as sexually depraved thoughts and desires. Simply noticing a person in a sexual context is taboo in some belief systems. Sexual thoughts are part of being a normal human.
Religions have created rules to mitigate sexual thoughts and desires. These rules often involve forcing women to cover their bodies and to wear modest or old-fashioned clothing. This seems depraved in itself. Some cultures actually blame women when they are harassed or sexually assaulted. Some theocratic governments actually punish rape victims.
Guilt over sexual thoughts is a classic example of ego-mind attempting to limit spiritual awareness. The more spiritually aware you become the less dependent on ego-mind you will be. It's ironic that religious leaders are so intent on limiting spiritual awareness.
Guilty feelings associated with sexual thoughts strengthen ego-mind.
Witnessing sexual thoughts objectively is more practical. We are spiritual beings at present being human animals. Sexual thoughts are normal and should not be a source of guilt.
It seems that resisting or attempting to repress sexual thoughts only makes them stronger. There are many examples of sex scandals associated with religious organizations and individuals.
Watching sexual thoughts as they pop up and letting them go can be entertaining. In my case they tend to be very persistent but I've not taken them seriously for many years. Noticing sexually attractive people is not a reason to feel guilty. It's being a normal human.
Many years ago I had a series of dreams that involved me receiving teachings from a spiritual master in a monastery which was surrounded by mountains and entirely inaccessible except by flying or levitating into the courtyard. Those were fun dreams.
In one dream the master lectured on spirituality and sex. The lecture involved me experiencing a kind of split consciousness in which I was having sex with a woman in a beautiful curtained bed while simultaneously being aware of being in a different room with the master as he lectured.
The master essentially said that the way to use sex to facilitate spiritual awakening is simply choosing to make it so by being loving and patient. The sex act then becomes profoundly meditative.
Trying to achieve orgasm quickly tends to create aggressive thoughts associated with ego-mind.
I've not much more to say on this matter apart from mentioning that some forms of sexual expression may inhibit spiritual awareness.
Specifically anal sex because it is essentially sado-masochistic. One participant is obviously acting in a sadistic manner while the other is being masochistic.
Sado-masochism has been around for thousands of years. Some claim it has a spiritual component. This seems like an attempt to validate what appears to be sexual depravity.
Sex and aggression are closing linked. We mammals share brain structures that can cause us to behave in inappropriate ways.
I've said it before and I'll say it again, witnessing thoughts objectively is very helpful.
