| 26 September 2010
There is an aspect of women’s sexuality that in ancient times was called the sacred obscene, not in the way we use the word today, but meaning sexually wise in a witty sort of way. There were once Goddess cults devoted to irreverent female sexuality. They were not derogatory but concerned with portraying parts of the unconscious that remain, yet today, mysterious and largely unchartered.
The very idea of sexuality as sacred, and more specifically, obscenity as an aspect of sacred sexuality, is vital to the wildish nature. There were Goddesses of obscenity in ancient women’s culture—s-called for their innocent yet wily lewdness. However, language, in English at least, makes it very difficult to understand the “obscene Goddess” in any other way than vulgar. Here is what the word obscene and some other related words mean. From these meaning I think you can see why this aspect of old Goddess worship was pushed underground.
I would like you to consider these three dictionary definitions and develop your own conclusions:
Dirt: Middle English, drit, probably from Iceland—excrement. It has been extended to include filth; generally soil, dust, etc. and obscenity of any kind, especially language.
Dirty word: an obscene word, also currently used for something that has become socially or politically unpopular or suspect, often through unmerited criticism and denigration or from being out of line with current trends.
Obscene: from old Hebrew, Ob, meaning a wizard, sorceress.
extract from WOMEN WHO RUN WITH THE WOLVES by Clarissa Pinkola Estés p.335
A Jungian analyst and storyteller of many years, Dr Estés draws on a huge range of myths and stories to teach us how we can reclaim and rejoice in our true feminine power… and if you haven’t ever read this one, do yourself a favour!
