Sacred Sexuality. From the Ancient Sumerians to Contemporary Esalen.

The aim of this article is to show that ideas pertaining to sacred sexuality or sacred marriage are as old as Sumerian culture. While mainstream Christianity developed an alternate view on sexuality, the Jewish Kabbalah transmitted similar ideas. In Asia, sacred sexuality has been an integrated dimension of Hinduism and Buddhism. All these spiritual traditions camte together in 18th century London, where we also encounter new influences from the Moravian Church and the Swedish visionary Emanuel Swedenborg. London becam a crucible for all traditions mentioned. The British artist William Blake came in touch with these ideas and he was heavily influenced by them. The article ends with a presentation of the contemporary Esalen institute in California, USA, known for the human potential movement. At Esalen, sacred sexuality belongs to the main themes being discussed.