We are intricate, complex Beings with beautiful needs, desires and wants. We are Whole-istic and full in our Selves - our Bodies are always moving towards Wholeness. We have basic existential needs of belonging & meaning {why religion, cults & sports are so tantalizing} and we have flowing dynamism between our body, mind & spirit {or soul, depending on the tradition}.
Those needs are important & I’ll explore them soon {I promise} but this is about our needs of authenticity.
Our needs of authenticity best expressed as our own sacred, inner trinity. This trinity has been explored in many traditions: in ancient Egypt, the three gods Amun, Re and Ptah are subsumed into the Amun, Greek lore positions Zeus, Adonis & Poseidon as the Divine Trinity, in Irish mythology, Anu, Enlil & Ea rule the sky, earth & waters respectively, the Hindu lore of Brahma, Shiva & Vishnu are the creator, destroyer, preserver of the earth to allow rebirth, Christian mythos in the Trinity of God, Jesus & the Holy Spirit, each holding their own Divine power.
These external divinities are archetypes of our own inner world. These trinities are metaphors for our own psyche.
As Rumi says, ‘do not feel lonely, you have a whole universe within you’.
We have our own Trinity, within our holy Bodies; an internal experience of the mythologically explored Trinity. Our inner trinity is comprised of spirituality, sexuality & creativity {I’m sure there are other possibilities but this is my favourite conceptualization}. Each is equally important, equally powerful and has unique impacts if unbalanced. Each aspect of the inner trinity is comprised of two Beings joining together as One; in the same way the Sky and Earth made the Sea, how the Yin and Yang create Harmony.
There are two polarities bringing together to create a third space, full of sacred alchemical fire.
That fire requires tending.
If we ignore this inner fire, the flame can be extinguished, experienced as feeling deadened to the world or without tending, this inner fire can become destructive and out of control, like when we react in ways that violate our boundaries and the boundaries of others.
Our inner Trinity of spirituality, sexuality and creativity are the pillars of a fulfilled, authentic Life. Each aspect of the trinity requires a deposit of energy but also brings energy; it is a gift that is given for honouring that piece of ourselves that we feel more energized afterward. Each inspire and affect the other in the potential to create or destroy, when balanced and unbalanced, respectively.
Spirituality is not about religion or set of beliefs but an interconnected experience of oneness. It is connection. Sexuality is not about a specific act but a sensual, conscious union between self or others. It is senses. Creativity is not about artistic prowess but a release of self expression. It is new life.
What births each Being of the inner trinity is the internal life force energy of libido, the inspired energy of Flow. Each requires a labour to birth the integrated result, an external representation of our inner Experience. If we dismiss or dishonour one of these core aspects of our humanity, we become fragmented.
We cannot fragment this Trinity to identify only spiritual, only sexual, only creative (albeit the first two occur more often than the third). We are not and should not be spiritual all the time. We are not and should not be sexual all the time. We are always spiritual and sexual beings but to tap into that energy relentlessly will burn you out.
We need to allow and honour the natural cycles of life.
There are times you may be more connected to your spirituality, some you may feel alienated. Neither is good nor bad. It just is. There are times that we may be more connected to our sexuality, some where you feel disinterested. Neither is good nor bad. It just is. Creativity doesn’t always look like creation, creativity sometimes looks like grant applications, like taking courses, like having a nap. Neither is good nor bad. It just is.
Like farmers honouring the natural cycles of harvest and seeding, we too must honour the natural cycles of our Life Force energy.
Our bodies are always striving towards wholeness so this fragmentation will cause the fragmented aspect to arise through sublimation. Our Body revolts the fragmentation through exhaustion, anger, psychosomatic pains, fatigue, and everything in between.
What is kept in the shadow has power until it is brought into the light. We cannot simply will one of these aspects into non-existence, we cannot ignore the tenants of our humanity.
Ignoring a Self aspect does not make it disappear, it merely dissociates it from our awareness. In our healing journey, we must be consciously attune to our innate needs, desires and wants in each part of our Selves, in order to live our most authentic life.
Over the next 3 weeks, we’ll be exploring each of these Trinities - starting of course, with sexuality.