Welcome back to “God and Sex” book club part 3.
Mark and Rosalind argue about themes of the book around relationship, love and intimacy.
Mark goes to the root of things as usual, connecting up the separate self to how relationship chaos plays out, and how yoga intervenes.
We discuss the longing for a “soulmate” and whether this idea is useful, reflect on the China teacher training, and a few more controversial subjects relating to intimacy.
Be aware some of these subjects may be connected with painful emotions in ourselves & feel free to reach out any time if you need to.
Key Topics Covered
- The presumption of being a separate self as the root of human suffering
- How religions tend to devalue the body and sexuality
- Ramanuja's teaching that we need yoga to actualise oneness
- Participating in the union of opposites through yoga
- Merging with your experience to understand yourself and life
- Letting go of ideas like "soulmate" that create impossible expectations
- How vulgarity and abuse can also be expressions of denying sex
- Sharing yoga as a way to increase intimacy and improve relationships
Key quotes:
- "The hostility and disturbance in the world arises because people are not loving their life."
- "If the man could learn to love bodily, sexually, then there would be peace."
- "Consciousness perceiving an object is a single movement — there is no separation."
- "Once you've tasted actual intimacy, the common patterns of sex finish."
- "There must be yoga, and there must be the polarity of opposites within and without."
- "The presumption of being a separate self with problems is an illusion."
- "You can't use anybody to make you happy."
Resources
- God and Sex: Now We Get Both by Mark Whitwell
- Yoga of Heart by Mark Whitwell
Timestamps
[00:00:00] Introduction
[00:01:00] The problem of separation as the root of suffering
[00:06:00] Ramanuja's teaching about needing yoga
[00:11:00] How religion devalues the body and sex
[00:16:00] Krishnamacharya's example of yoga and family life
[00:21:00] How modern society still denies sex
[00:26:00] Merging with your experience through yoga
[00:31:00] Letting go of the myth of "soulmates"
[00:36:00] The misery caused by unrealistic expectations
[00:41:00] The problem with techniques and sacred sexuality
[00:46:00] The motivation to share these teachings
[00:51:00] Being cautious about rushing into relationships