Spiritual Women Have Great Sex

So you think being religious is un sexy? No more laying back and thinking  of England, allowing your sex mad male to have his way to fulfil your religious duty and populate the planet.

At least that is what the headlines are suggesting that review the work of Jessica Burris, a researcher at the University of Kentucky.

Woman who describes themselves as “spiritual” tend to have more partners and more unprotected sex, she said.

“Believing one is intimately tied to other human beings and that interconnectedness and harmony are indispensable may lead one to believe sexual intimacy possesses a divine or transcendent quality in itself,” wrote Ms Burris. “In fact, ascribing sacred qualities to sex has been positively associated with positive affective reactions to sex, frequency of sex, and number of sexual partners among university students.”

Before you think that the article suggests that mother Theresa was a closet sex addict the researchers define religiousness and spirituality as distinct.

“I think people have been well aware of the role that religious and spiritual matters play in everyday life for a very long time,” said Ms Burris. “But in the research literature, the unique qualities of spirituality — apart from religiousness — are not usually considered.”

Previous research has “explored the sexual practices of young adults in various ways including onset of sexual activity, number of sexual partners, frequency of sex, participation in group sex, use of alcohol or other drugs preceding sexual activity, sex without contraception or a condom, sex with a prostitute, and consensual sex without knowing the disease status of one’s partner” said Burris

The study of 353 undergraduates, 61% female, asked about their alcohol use, impulsivity, religiousness, spirituality, and sexual practices.

According to the study spirituality was the strongest predictor for the number of sex partners, the frequency of sex, and sex without a condom. For men spirituality associated with decreased sexual frequency.

“It is possible female young adults yearn for greater connectedness with other humans,” writes Burris.

Researchers used the Spiritual Transcendence Scale (STS) that considers the qualities of connectedness, universality, and prayer fulfillment. Of these three qualities, connectedness was the biggest influence in spiritual sexuality and leads to more sex with more partners.

Should that be a surprise?  Burrell wrote that spirituality views life from a transcendent perspective that seeks to see the universe as connected and holistic Previous  research has linked positively ascribing  sacred qualities to sex with positive reactions to sex, frequency of sex, and number of sexual partners among university students.

“Believing one is intimately tied to other human beings and that interconnectedness and harmony are indispensable may lead one to believe sexual intimacy possesses a divine or transcendent quality in itself” wrote Burris.

Research often portray religion as a from mode of social control noting that most religious faiths either prohibit or discourage extramarital sex.

Burris suggests that the connectedness “measures commitments to and feelings of harmony with others, is less akin to religiousness than the universality or prayer fulfillment.”

As expected people who strictly follow their religions play around less. The research suggested that religion plays a protective social role. However, Burrel quotes 2002 research that suggested that Christians were “open to a more holistic orientation toward integrating all dimensions of human experience,” including sexual and spiritual pursuits, possibly  motivated by an urge to feel connected.

“Phenomenological analyses suggest during moments of perceived sexual and spiritual connection, practicing Christians experience intense union, physical arousal, amazement, euphoria, and transcendence” wrote Burrel, whose report sample was majority Christian.. “It may be the case, therefore, that increased sexual activity is reinforced precisely because the pursuit of connectedness”

Or is it that people who are more open to experiment are more likely to describe themselves as spiritual?

Burris report suggests that spirituality is more significant as a ‘predictive utility’ of sexuality conscientiousness, extraversion, and openness. The relationship is too strong to be explained away by other factors.

Interestingly, the July 2008 and  Dec. 3 issues of The Journal of Sexual Medicine, reported sexually unsatisfied women who practiced the Eastern meditation and yoga reported increased  levels of arousal, desire, and better orgasms.

Men may not view spirituality as sexual because they biologically don’t associate sex and emotional intimacy suggested Burris. However, TJSM suggested yoga treated premature ejaculation in men.

Should religion, spirituality and sexuality conflict?

It is certainly true that some fanatics have portrayed sex as dirty. Perhaps they should read the Song of Songs. This erotic Biblical love song inspired Jewish, Christian and Islamic mysticism. Ccelibate monk Bernard of Clairvaux wrote four sermons on the opening passage alone.

The underlying spiritual motif seems hidden by power hungry, often nationalistic leaders misrepresent their belief.

In 1955, no one thought anything of leading Egyptian journalist Amina al-Sa’id interviewing Indira Gandhi wearing a sleeveless, almost off-the-shoulder flowered dress. Now it would be near heresy for some. Modesty can be beautiful, even seductively alluring between lovers. Now modesty has become an expression of nationalistic identity draped in religion.

The Zohar, the most important text in Jewish Kabbalistic mysticism, teaches that sexual union on the Sabbath is particularly auspicious at a time man is closer to God. Think the beautiful writing of Rumi, who dexcribed the love of God as like a woman slowly revealing herself for her lovers delight. Then there is the underpinning theology of tantra, now more confused in a more Westernized garb.

Religion and spirituality should be expressions of the same fundamental truth. Sex is beautiful. It is a way to experience a divine and beautiful union of souls, each seeking completion in the other.