The Friction, collage in “The Masculine Series” by Licia Berry 2010, copyright Licia Berry 2010

In the age-old story of humanity trying to understand itself in the context of larger Creation, we have come up with many ways to explain away our bodies and defile our desires and transcend our base animal nature.  We can “rise above” our feelings and we can “channel sexual urges” to fuel our spiritual growth and we can tell ourselves that none of it is real anyway.

I fell into that trap for a little while…well, at least the “we can transcend our feelings” trap.  I think the reason I was vulnerable to that little lie was because my feelings were painful and the idea that I could just “jump over” them or “transmute” than was highly attractive to my wounded sense of self.  Of course, over some years, I have learned we can no more get away from our feelings than we can our bodies or our minds…until we croak.

So, it’s led to me back to my body, back to my feelings and into the arms of my larger Heart, my spirit…..who loves ALL of me, who relishes the body and the feelings and the joy and the pain and the sexuality and the breeze on my face….All of which I wouldn’t be experiencing if it weren’t for being here in this physical soup we call life.

And thank you, other aspects of the Oneness, masculine and feminine and all degrees in between….Rubbing up against each other is the way we learn and grow and know we are alive.

And for those who have fallen under the spell of pop spirituality (especially here in America) that chides, “But that’s buying into dualism”, I say unto you:

We are spirits, we are bodies, we are ALL of it, and we are meant to explore and experience ALL of it. Praise the Oneness, and praise the dualism that helps us know the Oneness through contrast. Friction is the bomb, and you can’t have friction unless you have more than one.