Sensual Faith
The Art of Coming Home to Your Body
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- $4.99
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- $4.99
Publisher Description
An invitation for women to discover a healthier approach to spirituality and sexuality that centers pleasure rather than shame, from body- and sex-positive preacher and author Lyvonne Briggs
“Home is not an address. Home is where you feel safe. And your body is aching to be your home.”
How you view your body and your sexuality is informed and strengthened by spiritual practices, but how many of us can say that religion has drawn us closer to our bodies? That’s because worship spaces that are intended to be spiritual safe houses have not historically been welcoming to our bodies, forcing us to leave our flesh at the door. This ideological amputation is at best a disservice and at worst a sin. The remedy? Radical self-hospitality.
In Sensual Faith, Lyvonne Briggs charts a path for us to practice spiritual wellness that aligns and harmonizes our bodies with pleasure and sexuality. By centering the rich traditions of ancient West African spirituality, Sensual Faith offers a radically inclusive model of companioning one’s self. Filled with wellness rituals, journal prompts, affirmations, and practices, Sensual Faith shows us how to celebrate our bodies as our very homes.
“Pleasure is your birthright,” writes Briggs, so whether it’s accepting your flesh, nurturing your intuition, learning the language of consent, or sumptuous self-care, let radical self-hospitality guide you to healthy sexuality.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Pastor Briggs debuts with a powerful affirmation of body acceptance for Black women. Though "colonized religion," has "made us feel like our bodies are... mere apparatuses that we need to subdue," loving one's body, she posits, is intrinsic to loving God. Drawing on a womanist perspective, Briggs outlines a blueprint for Black women to surmount religious shame and love their bodies. Central to her program is recognizing that capitalism does harm by positioning the body as an instrument of productivity, as do outdated forms of Christianity that view female sexuality as "evil." It's also important to realize that one's physical urges are "divinely designed," and, as such, Briggs emphasizes the importance of healthy sexual relationships and devotes a chapter to setting up masturbation as a "gift from God." And while topics like miscarriage and abortion are frequently brushed aside in church environments, Briggs advises readers to address them head on and seek communal support. Throughout, the author dispenses tried-and-true wisdom that encourages readers to listen to their bodies and honor their physical agency (for example, by setting healthy boundaries). More a philosophical reframing than a guide, this offering takes an upbeat approach to bodily acceptance, and Briggs's pastoral perspective lends depth to its theological underpinnings. Black women looking to love themselves while loving God will find much to gain.