Sexual Anorexia Part 2 (You will need to read Part one to track this series with Genesis 1-4)

“…and they were both naked and unashamed.”

The beauty of the Genesis creation account climaxes with intimacy between man and woman. 

God’s garden mandate cast the vision for healthy sexuality. Adam and Eve were the very first Naked and Afraid contestants…ever. Except, they were unafraid of their sexuality and each other. No shame. No fear of sexual intimacy. God commands them to be sexually intimate. He uses the euphemism, “Be fruitful and multiply.” The meaning is sonic.

Enter the hubris of being God. I wonder if the first family’s shortfall had more to do with the addictive mentality of firing God and worshipping themselves than the fruit of the tree?

Scene change. Adam and Eve…hide from God, cover their guilt filled conscience. Dopamine transfers. Shame reinforces fear circuitry. DNA changes. Enter spiritual entropy.

God seeks man and woman, redeems, covers, and gives boundaries including the gift of pain. 

The Eden Garden ends, civilization’s cradle crashes. Thank God for intervention, we would have certainly nuked round two of paradisal perfection into a mushroom cloud.

Then, strange words. Genesis 4.1 “The man knew his wife and she conceived and bore a son.”  The word “knew” is the Hebrew term for intimacy, yada. Yada means to see, to know sexually, emotionally, cognitively, spiritually. Patrick Carnes defines sex in the same manner, he states, “Sex is intimacy; into my partner I see, into me my partner sees…intimacy.”

After man and woman defy, hide, and blow up a perfect world sans laundry or high triglycerides,  God still refers to their sexual life as…intimacy.

Sex is intimacy. The porn industry leads the way to teach sexuality. Porn profits on the degradation of women focusing on orgasm as the ultimate act. No intimacy. No relationship. No honor. No loyalty. Porn projects the hubris of worshiping self.

Recovery from sexual anorexia begins with a healthy view of sexuality. More, sexual anorexia conversations must participate in a transcendent vision of wholeness emotionally, spiritually, cognitively, and physically. 

Let’s begin here. No shame for your fear of sexuality. Let. It. Go.  Start with emotional and spiritual intimacy. Talk. Write with your partner a vision of healthy sexuality for both of you. Is the vision beautiful, mutual, consensual, emotional, spiritual, cognitive?  Is there a place of common ground where you can meet in the middle of the garden? Can you start the healing process with transparency and trust?  Talk and pray…together. Hold hands. Take walks. Trust. Love your partner’s story. Invite your higher power into the most intimate relationship on earth. Sexual intimacy begins with spiritual intimacy.  

“…and they were both naked and unashamed.” Beautiful.