Bernini’s Portrayal of The Ecstasy of Saint Theresa
The artist Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini created the “Ecstasy of Saint Theresa” for the Cornaro Chapel of Santa Maria della Vittoria in Rome.
If you’d like to know more about the artist or the artwork, here are two related Wikipdedia links:
Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini on Wikipedia
The Ecstasy of Saint Theresa on Wikipedia
I also recommend Simon Schama’s Power of Art DVD (Disc 1) episode on Bernini that can be obtained from Amazon, Netflix, or other movie outlets. Some of the photos in this post are from that episode.
I am an art critic who avoids stretching for interpretations. I look for the plain meaning. I find it hard to view this work of art and to focus only on the religious. Bernini seems far more focused on the sensuality and mortality of the body.
(Click on the images if you wish to view them individually or larger.)
The Golden Arrow.
To a common eye, how can the boy not be perceived as part angel and part cupid? The arrow is pointing toward her center.
He is above her at the moment of her altered emotional state.
To understand an artwork, it’s important to understand its intended context. In this artwork, Bernini, who was equally an architect, also designed the contrasting darker walls, columns, and environment around his white sculpture.
If you want to know the era and type of architecture, it’s Baroque. But the term Baroque, and similar categorizations, do little for me to understand the merits of a specific work of art. It’s like saying a song is in the genre of rock n’ roll. For any real fan of music, that alone tells us very little. It’s a broad category. It does little to help us distinguish gold from fool’s gold.
I try to evaluate artworks both within their time period and beyond their time period. And regardless of the historical wishes of the patrons who commissioned this work, it appears Bernini was intent on portraying ecstasy – regardless if the ecstasy came from spiritual or sexual, Heavenly or Earthly, or tactile or cognitive sources or stimulations.
The sculpture is a congress of the spiritual and the sexual. The sculpture may often confuse those who wish only to see the spiritual. And the sculpture may put a knowing expression on the faces of those who have experienced the sexual, the physical – the rush of tactile, emotional, and coital intoxication.
The sculpture has been placed above a floor where death is clearly below . . .
. . . and light is above.
And between death and light, Bernini may be suggesting there may be moments of ecstasy worth saving and remembering.
© All rights reserved by the respective artists.
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12:50 PM CST
…yes, it is a fact that most early/mid Renaissance artists were held hostage through patronage by the Church; but this did not preclude the artist in abject servitude to the Church State from liberating (albeit by subterfuge) the clearly blatant sensuality we can now affirm in their works.
Bernini was among the first really great master sculptors who strayed beyond the religiosity into the secular mythological themes of his greatest works. Sensuality did not escape his dynamic forms.
Even early Renaissance Masters, like Matthias Grünewald, Hieronymus Bosch, Albrecht Dürer and countless others, could not escape the latent sensual and erotic nature of their works.
For readers who would like to delve deeper into the philosophical and Symbolist implications of the complex interrelationships between art, sensuality and death, the French writer Georges Bataille has some fascinating insights in his seminal book (double entendre intended), “Death and Sensuality” (translated, 1986)
J.B. 8/30/09
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OneMoreOption: Thank you very much for the valuable, poignant recommendation.
Just because her body expressions may look sexual, does make it so. Her body is doing whatever physically possible expressions it can to try and handle being touched by God. I’m not all that religious but I don’t think it’s about her having an orgasm. Perhaps, Bernini’s own personal experience that was even remotely similar was one of a woman having an orgasm, therefore he used that as some sort of reference. But I think her body is too limp to even be sexualized. In the end, I think what he was trying to emulate transcends any carnal climax; something like a Nirvana experience. I know there are a lot of hidden sexual innuendos in religious art, but I don’t think this is one of them. That’s not to say Bernini didn’t like to make sensual art.
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OneMoreOption: Joe, thanks for your comments. The construction of your first declarative sentence is awkward, and I’m guessing you meant to say “doesn’t make it so.” I don’t know whether Bernini intended comparisons to sexual ectasy. But seeing how sculptures can take months or years to create, I’m guessing the existing pose and expressions were exactly what he designed.
@ “Joe”
4:45 PM CST
Quote :
…”But I think her body is too limp to even be sexualized.”…
Sorry, but “sexualized” is exactly what it looks like to me; “me” being just one more old man projecting, I suppose…
Quote :
…”I know there are a lot of hidden sexual innuendos in religious art, but I don’t think this is one of them. That’s not to say Bernini didn’t like to make sensual art.”…
He did it all the time; sometimes subtle, other times not so subtle. The example here is not so subtle…
…It would appear you’re having an attack of ambivalence; it seems you are unable to make up your mind, given all the qualifiers.
You really should check out the Bataille book I recommended; his cogent insights on the clear relationships between both death AND sensuality would quickly mitigate your ambivalence.
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omo: James, good to hear from you again.
J.B.
4/11/10
@ “OneMoreOption”
8:25 PM CST
…Been posting at Huff a lot; forming a little cabal of petition signatures…Several of us are not happy with their censoring practices…We’re flaming the fires of dissent…
Fearless Leader
4/11/10
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OneMoreOption: Good for you. Every lit bit is all we can do.
I recently returned from a trip to Rome. I remember standing at the foot of this sculpture in absolute awe. I spent almost a week in Rome, and I had time to see almost every major sculpture this man created. His work is staggering to behold.
The Rape of Persephone will bring you to tears
why’s some people say its very “sexual”???…
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This piece is purely Catholic. The Protestant Reformation and the Albigensian Heresy along with Gnosticism were all about the spiritual realm over the physical. The Puritan movement came out of the Albigensian movement which believe all human sexuality was bad, only the spiritual realm was good. The Catholic belief in Michelangelo and here in Bernini is that the body is a metaphysical symbol and is ‘good’–that physical reality is linked and mirrors spiritual. The ecstasy of teresa of Avila is explored in her writings and is a spiritual experience of deep prayer and union with God. It shows how closely the human experience of sexual love mirrors the spiritual–it is all good.
I just wanted to mention how much I appreciated the above post. When everyone gangs up on the Catholic Church on sexuality, one must remember that within the proper context (marriage) sex is considered one of God’s greatest gifts. The Church has no problem with sex except that it be within a holy union and that man and wife enjoy each other’s bodies to the full. This is not possible if one has multiple partners as it is no longer an exclusive relationship and parts of the ectasy of exclusivity are lost.
PS and I forgot to mention that where husband and wife enjoy physical ectasy. Spritual ectasy is being lauded by Bernini in that God visits those who seek him spiritually whether they are married or celibate nuns. Prayer is a very gorgeous experience and very loving–I don’t know why more people don’t try it.
@ “Janet”
5:15 PM CST
Quote :
…”The Church has no problem with sex except that it be within a holy union and that man and wife enjoy each other’s bodies to the full. This is not possible if one has multiple partners as it is no longer an exclusive relationship and parts of the ectasy of exclusivity are lost.”…
“Holy union” ? “Ectasy (SIC) of exclusivity ?
Unbelievable. Sad and pathetic.
Still the old ridiculous patriarchal cant being shoved down our throats. It is both absurd and delusional to persist in this fairytale propaganda that attempts to dictate what should constitute “holy” and how we must put constraints on our natural desires.
Quote :
…”Prayer is a very gorgeous experience and very loving–I don’t know why more people don’t try it.”…
Well, you need to know “why more people don’t try it”. Badly. It’s because they choose to remain sane. Relatively speaking, of course. When you grow up, you learn there is no Santa Claus. Maybe fun when you were a kid; tragic if you’re an adult and still believe the myths and lies you were told when you were a kid.
You’re an adult now. (Well, I guess you’re an adult). Deal with it.
We now live in the 21st century. Time for the “Roman Catholic Church”, and ALL the other phoney and delusional “religious” hocus pocus voodoo orthodoxies to go away…real permanent like; and time for you, Janet, to get real, get a life and join us evil heretics in the 21st century…
It’ll be far less suffocating; a whole new world for you, full of joys and a personal singular enlightenment you have clearly denied yourself, or have been denied.
J.B.
6/17/10
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OneMoreOption:
You’ll notice I held my tongue, but I thought the odds were you would respond.
@ “OneMoreOption”
8:25 PM CST
…Yes I noticed; and much burden doth ye lay upon my shoulders…I feel Saintly…think I’ll pen a poem…
“…Help not for the slightest benefit,
Lest ye prone to over vent…”
~Sir James
6/17/10
Dearest dear James,
I only logged back on here to look again at the close up of the beautiful sculpture. And much to my surprise — I am being sarcastic here since you can’t hear me — you dear chimed back with the same old tired arguments. We live in an open society with open ideas, why does it bother you some much that many, I repeat, many people subcribe joyfully to the teachings of the bad old nasty RCC. I am a grown up. I love Sex. I am married and my husband and I are both happier than larks that we don’t have to worry about that child silly stuff like whose in bed with who etc. and I always have a lot of fun making exclusive and passionate love to him. So why does that so obviously bother you. I dare say someone else might need to grow up a little…
PS
“The Church is a perpetually defeated thing that always survives her conquerers.” Hilaire Belloc
Get with the program man, Christianity is here to stay and whether your like it or not, it will outlive you — always has and always will.
XO Pax!
PS James I’ll pray for you; I know how wild and unruly you will become when you hear this. Just think of it as my way of having “sex” with the world, babe.
xo Janet
Dearest dear James,
I also only logged on here to look again at the close up of the beautiful sculpture. And also much to my surprise — I am being sarcastic here since you can’t hear me — and you might be stupid – you dear chimed back with the same old tired arguments (Notice I’ve disingenuously used the word “dear” three times already).
James, you may not know this, but we live in an open society with open ideas, why does it bother you some much that many, I repeat, many people subcribe joyfully to the teachings of Satan? I am also a grown up. I love Sex (so much so that I capitalize it). I am also married and my husband and I are both happier than larks that we don’t have to worry about that child silly stuff like whose in bed with who etc. and I always have a lot of fun making exclusive and passionate love to him. So why does that so obviously bother you? I mean, if you disagree with me, then that must mean that what I believe must bother you. That’s the accurate reasoning progression, right?
I dare say someone else might need to grow up a little… (that, being you of course).
PS
“The Church is a perpetually defeated thing that always survives her conquerers.” Hilaire Belloc
If you can’t infer what I’m trying to imply by sharing with you the above quote, it means that if a form of religion survives the attacks against it enough that some people (even if their numbers are diminishing as a percentage of the population with each new generation) continue to believe in and follow a religion, then that religion must be the one and only valid and right religion. Go Satan!
Get with the program James, Satanism is here to stay and whether your like it or not, it will outlive you — always has and always will. Remember, Satan’s biggest and best lie has been to convince those who don’t believe in him that he is dead or doesn’t exist.
PS
James I’ll pray for you; I know how wild and unruly you will become when you hear this. Just think of it as my way of having “sex” with the world, babe.
BTW
Is my language okay? Does the quality of my writing and reasoning reveal me?
~ Ms. Satanist Extraordinarie
@ “Ms Satanist Extraordinaire”
5:25 PM CST
…Uh…OK…I’m taking notes…into righteous ubiquitous S & M are we ??
Me. I’m just a reglar fella work’in at the feed store, stumbl’in along the path of inequity, compounded by expediency.
Quote :
“…same old tired arguments…”
Really ? I don’t hear these “tired old arguments” enough in this land of ignorance and superstition. What ? You would complain to Shaw ? …Twain ? You want mindless woo instead, go to Huffington Post blog…They’re getting more saturated with the clueless-religio-bipolar-gobbledygook on a daily basis; only a handful of us fighting it and we get censored everyday.
Old tired arguments ? I don’t think so.
By the by, one of Jeff Goldblum’s greatest acting displays, “Mr Frost” (1989), a European export…you might like. Check it out.
Quote :
…”Is my language okay? Does the quality of my writing and reasoning reveal me?”…
…She who boasts language more, revealeth less…
Perhaps Huff will give you a badge; would that my friend Jack Butler not steal it…
J.B.
7/10/10
…Uh-oh…the above was supposed to be addressed to both “Janet” and “Ms Satanist”
…Working too hard at the saw mill…uh…feed store…hell…I’ll sort it all out later…J.B.
PS.
Quote :
…”we live in an open society with open ideas”…
You’re right. This is news to me. What “society” are you referring to ?
Show me and I will go there.
J.B.
@ “One More Option”
2:50 PM CST
…Hey One More Option, I’m dizzy. Help me out here. Is this “Janet” and “Ms Satan” two or one of two of the clueless same ?… or one MPD ? … or two clueless Bipolar Affective Disorders ?… What the hell ? It’s a damn conspiracy ! Too many frying pans in this room !!…
Quick ! Before a third personality is made manifest and whole within the eternal babbling cyber ether !
J.B.
7/11/10
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OneMoreOption: No, as you probably inferred, I wrote the satirical, responsive comment.
My point in mirroring the language, tone, and reasoning of the previous comment was this: If you take “God” off of your side, and if you take away your culture’s or country’s popular religion, it’s national symbols and other embellishments, and if you replace the familiar and positively-associated terms with the terms used by your perceived adversaries or “opposites,” then do your words and reasoning progressions still carry much persuasion?
If your arguments and writings would sound arrogant, foolish, and illogical if spoken by the people with opposing positions, then you can reasonably infer the same arguments and writings sound foolish coming from you.
I love intelligent arguments. I don’t love unintelligent arguments, and I tend to shine lights on logical fallacies, whether or not they are derived from popularly or unpopularly held beliefs.
@ “OMO”
7:15 PM CST
…Daahhh…shame on you for confusing an old man.
I knew something was afoot when upon second read (scroll up !) I noticed much of the phrases were the same…my dyslexia I suppose blocked me from seeing it to begin with…
Actually, I’ve never been comfortable with the scroll down computer glitch way of reading; it just doesn’t beat having the paper right in front of you so if and when you want to compare and have ready access, you can pick up on these scheming and duplicitous MPD behaviors !!
And get that flashlight out of my eyes !!
J.B.
7/14/10
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OneMoreOption:
@ “Janet”
4:55 PM CST
Quote :
…”We live in an open society with open ideas…”
The Roman Catholic Church lives and rules distinct and apart from that “society with open ideas” you speak to. It always has, and when the RCC lamely attempts to “adapt” to contemporary society, it proves only the more how foolish and superstitious it’s inane rituals and “belief’ systems are, when stood up to the light of reason and sanity. Then it reverts back to it’s normal regressive antics and oppresses it’s followers with retrofit-idiotic papal “edicts”.
If that’s what you call a “surviving” institution, recently rendered clueless and expedient by the weight of it’s own corrupt ignominy, then I suggest you need to narrow your definition of “survival”. (Belloc, BTW, was a raving bipolar antisemitic; using him as a role model to support your broad sweeping declarations may be predictable, but a very poor proxy for debate.)
Quote :
…” why does it bother you some much that many, I repeat, many people subcribe joyfully to the teachings of the bad old nasty RCC.”…
Let’s see. So numbers are supposed to impress me ? The fact that there are millions of foolish people behaving like lemmings…therefore I should follow ? Are you denial ? You think I’m going to waste my time trotting out an endless list of the historical AND contemporary atrocities committed by the Roman Catholic Church…because you choose to live in your fantasy world ?… or follow the crowd ?… I don’t think so.
“Bad old nasty RCC”…well YEAH !! DAAHH !! About as evil as evil gets. Who but yourself are you trying to kid ?
Quote :
…”I am a grown up. I love Sex. I am married and my husband and I are both happier than larks that we don’t have to worry about that child silly stuff like whose in bed with who etc.”…
Quote :
…”child silly stuff”…
Are you on meth ? “Child silly stuff”…??… Are you mocking and denigrating the suffering of thousands (more likely, millions) of children who suffered at the hands of priest pedophiles… ??… not since last Tuesday, but over the centuries ? Just what are you saying ? You defend these damned creepy priests ?
…You’re a “grown up” ? I’ll need a driver’s license first. The simple fact that you are “married” tells me you really don’t like sex all that much. Nor yourself for that matter, since you seem to have to justify your…uh…”joy” within the confines of a dated, regressive institution.
“…and I always have a lot of fun making exclusive and passionate love to him…”
Oh really? Gee, I’m so glad you shared this; notwithstanding the fact that I am not a voyeur and I’m really not impressed with your “sex” life.
Quote:
“…Christianity is here to stay and whether your like it or not, it will outlive you…”
Oh yeah. That’s why the Roman Catholic Church is trying to declare bankruptcy ? (Of course we already know : Moral bankruptcy, yes; financial, no). That’s why priests with some integrity are leaving the flock in droves ? Insanity and superstition will always plaque humanity; Orthodox “Christianity”, as you put it, has morphed into so many forms in order to “survive” that historians can no longer keep up.
You stay in denial. I’ll keep on being a “kid”, thank you.
J.B.
7/11/10
I really don’t know how to say this, but this sculpture by Bernini is a bit disturbing. I may not understand everything but all I know is that earthly desires are being portrayed in this. Maybe because, this is how the artist interpreted what Teresa of Avila wrote in her autobiography, or journal or whatever you call that.
Not all ecstasies are sexual.
I’ve study christian mystical writings of the late middle ages / counter-reformation for several years and can say with conviction that this statue is merely a high water mark in a long tradition of comparing religious and sexual rapture. Angela of Foligno, Catherine of Siena, Julian or Norwich and Teresa of Avila among others all used romantic imagery in an attempt to describe what is essentially ineffable: union of the soul with God. Most of these writers are careful to point out that religious ecstasy is nothing like sexual or romantic love, and they use such descriptions simply because sex/romance is the nearest analogy found in common human experience. Viewed in this light, I don’t find the emotions or arrangement of Belini’s masterpiece particularly shocking, nor overly “sexualized” in the way most previous posters seem to be suggesting.
I was raised catholic but no longer believe in the blind following of religion although I respect those who do. I agree totally with your perception of this work. It is a work of art that tries to explain an experience that can not be visualized. Bernini’s art is very tactile and visually sexually toned. This does not deter me from perceiving it as a human, physical but utmost spiritual depiction of the intent to convey a euphoric spiritual experience. Describe visually the feeling of euphoria one has after breaking through your wall when you are a runner, you can’t. I understand the intent of the piece as would most whom are not prejudiced with their own attitudes.
I was raised in a Christian environment and became a Christian by choice, and I certainly do not believe in the blind following of religion nor do I respect those who do. How does that pertain to Bernini’s “Ecstasy of St. Theresa,” you ask? Uh…
Reading through some of these comments leaves me at a heart-rending loss; the artwork is masterful, but the opinions of those I am reading either does not refer to the art at all, or else they do not offer interpretations of much coherency. Even the author of this blog, while admitting a disinterest in religious interpretations, surprised me a bit in stating that “To understand an artwork, it’s important to understand its intended context,” only to follow that statement with solely a regard for historical and then physical contexts. Religious artwork is one of the many casualties of a secularised society, which seems in many cases, for lack of a vocabulary and belief to associate with it, to prefer ignoring what might strike as “uncomfortable” or out-dated notions of transcendence in art. What Bernini suggests in this piece to me is not an either/or dilemma between sexual or spiritual ecstasy, but as has already been touched on, a united vision of the holistic pleasure of the Divine overwhelming the spirit. Episodes of Dante’s “Purgatorio” and “Paradiso” ring out loudly here. And don’t forget the original text by St. Theresa which backdrops the work. I believe that “text” certainly counts as “context.”
Though I am a student, and though I have far more yet to learn than I have to say — and there are many out there who describe these things much more eloquently than I; Tolkien, for instance–, I felt my response a necessary and (as yet in the posts, though I apologize in advance if this is not the case) an unheard one. Thank you very much for these fine images of the piece; they are what brought me here originally, and I found your mentioning of the positioning between Death and Light particularly insightful.
Cheers,
Nik
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Mark: Thank you for the thoughtful commentary
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i am a literature student dont have much knowledge of art still a learner by looking at this piece i think its place should not be a holy place . God dont tell ppl to just be holy and not social He tells us to live a life moderately . In a church or for me a mosque just do prayers and in ur house and in family enjoy in a way not hurtful for anyone .
The desire to depict the overwhelming nature of religious ecstasy and the ravishment of the soul led Bernini here. You can find parallels in written art–in John Donne, for example. The biblical concept of the body of the Church (that is, the company of all believers) as “bride of Christ” is here taken to its passionate, baroque extreme.
Judging by this thread, I would say that the secular eye and the religious eye are not seeing the same piece of art. Two world views, two versions.
The secular viewer is constrained to be reductive and perceive only sex. To use a proverb with a few sexual connotations of its own, “When you’re a hammer, all the world’s a nail.”
Meanwhile the religious viewer sees the sensuality of this bride of Christ, yes, but in the form of an utter abandon of the human body “slain in the spirit.”
Bernini was not a secular man but a Christian, and here he presents divine joy in a way utterly right for the way St. Theresa described her mystic union with God. “The Ecstasy of St. Theresa” shines with his genius for bringing passionate life to stone and a thrilling ability to create dramatic architectural design as setting for his sculptural works.
A hallmark error of our era is to diminish the glories of the past in an effort to make them better “fit” our modern times and modern sensibilities. Not only is there a lack of sympathy for religious experience and transformation, but there is a determined and even self-righteous lack of imagination, which has already begun to close off the great works of past time from many secular viewers.
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OneMoreOption: I hear you and thank you for expressing your opinions.
I think you presume too much that cannot be supported by evidence. And that wouldn’t be an awful thing if you did not condescend so much to the “secular,” as if “secular” was by default second-class or inferior to “religious.”
When evaluating any work of art, whether it was created with religious intents or not, it’s valuable to also critique the work on universal and non-religious or non-denominational levels.
The work of art at issue soars on many fronts, religious and otherwise. So, to discriminate or disparage the non-religious responses to or aspects of an artwork is both unnecessary and devaluing.
Further, Baroque artists, as artists in many eras, expressed religious feellings through association to the most palatable human feelings people of their era could relate to – just as artists do today.
It is misleading and simpleton to view Bernini’s “Ectasy” above and think that educated and wealthy people of that era were not also aware of universal concepts of the fear of mortality, grief of loss, common Greek & Roman mythologies, eros, cupid’s arrow, light vs. dark, death vs. life, and more.
Judging by the comments of this thread, I’d suggest people are seeing more than you would like them to consider. They are seeing the same piece of art. And as with all great artworks, they’re doing well to not all walk away from it seeing the same thing.
The “secular” view, whoever that is, is neither “restrained” nor “reductive.” That is very condescending, presumptious, and wrong of you to claim. I’d like to see you in a public room say such a thing to the “secular” people you’re critiquing. There is nothing inferior or narrower about the secular perspectives. Rather, the secular views tend to consider more and be more inclusive to alternate and multiple interpretations.
Further, when you characterize the previous interpretations in the post’s text and visitors’ comments as “perceive only sex,” it suggests you didn’t read the post’s text or comments or you have poor reading and comprehension skills. That is a complete mischaracterization of the thread’s discussion, suggesting you read the blog’s title, looked at the pictures, made some knee-jerk presumptions (that religious people unfortunatley too often do), and didn’t take time to read any significant portion of the thread.
Who knows the mental gymnastics you used to jump to your hammer and nail proverb? What was that about? The proverb couldn’t be more inapplicable to the actual open-ended discussions and debates.
You seem to want to deprive the artwork of sexual and worldly human considerations. For all we know, Bernini’s intent may have been the opposite of yours. In his world, where puritanical and non-sexual forces were likely frequently strong, maybe he intended this artwork to be a public and irrefutable reminder of the depth of our emotions and connections, religious or otherwise.
It is not true that, as you say, a “hallmark error of our era is to diminish the glories of the past in an effort to make them better “fit” our modern times and modern sensibilities.” Such explorations do not lack sympathy for religious experience or their feelings of transformation. Rather, such explorations can be fully sympathetic, imaginative, inclusive, and additive.
One More Option
I logged on to this site to have a close look at the Santa Teresa statue. It is extraordinary and a wondrous sight. I don’t object to anyone suggesting that the Saint’s extasy might be interpreted in a sexual way but… we must be careful. Suggesting single, celebate nuns are subliminally interested in sex is very patronising. Earlier today, I was watching a clip of Glenn Gould conducting and playing Bach’s Cantata 54, waving his left arm,eyes closed, head thrown slightly back, and it occured to me that he also, like St Teresa, was an extatic. Just substitute Glenn for St Teresa and JS Bach for the angel in Bernini’s work and you have the same sort of arrows, piercing the heart and lifting the soul right out of the body. Was Glenn having an orgasm, who cares? He was experiencing and gifting us with what must be described as a truly other-worldly moment.Those of us who DO believe in God, might call it a divine moment.
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OneMoreOption: Thank you for taking the time to write such thoughtful commentary.
Orgasm is not the only sexual response. Transcendence may or may not accompany orgasm or may have nothing to do with “sex” per se. There is great linkage between man’s sexuality and spirituality, possibly a function of our biology yet to be discovered.
Art
Hello. If God is Good, or Goodness, I’ve always felt that feeling good, and orgasm, was next to Godliness.
Thank you for your blog. Would like to point out though, that the correct spelling of Saint Teresa of Avila’s name is without the H. St. Theresa of the Little Flowers in France is the one with the H. Thanks again : )
ps: beautiful work, btw, both Bernini and your analysis!
Thank you T. I have researched sex and sexual love for a number of years now. Regardless of who is writing, be it Eisler, Marija Gimbutas, or any of them, I am amazed at their lack of knowledge of basic sexual biology! It seems we all comment from our own limited perspective and experience. I now believe and old saying is really an axiom: “Man has the capacity to screw up an anvil with a rubber mallet.”
Has anyone looked at Teresa’s own words from her famous “Life”? ” and at the iron tip there appeared to be a point of fire. This he plunged into my heart several times so that it penetrated to my entrails. . . . The pain was so severe that it made me utter several moans. The sweetness caused by this intense pain is so extreme that one cannot possibly wish it to cease . . . .This is not a physical, but a spiritual pain, though the body has some share in it–even a considerable share.” Even she is not able to deny the physical as part of the spiritual, even as she tries.
I had a dream where I experienced the emotional state that can only be described as eternal bliss. I was in a place that was like a beautiful meadow, surrounded by majestic mountains. I was trying to determine where I was, and came to the conclusion that it must be heaven. I was so happy. I turned my face upward, feeling a deep and holy connection with The Almighty, and simply uttered, “I’m yielded”. After I said that, I felt this immediate overwhelming sense of pure joy and peace. It felt so good, I repeated, “I’m yielded”. Again, I felt an amazing surge of absolute perfect harmony and union with God. I didn’t want it to stop, so I kept repeating, “I’m yielded, I’m yielded, I’m yielded!” Wave after wave of love and comfort and goodness and purity kept sweeping over my being. I realized that heaven is where those who are fully yielded to God’s will, find their fulfillment and reward. After I had that dream, I came across this picture of a famous statue of Theresa of Avila. It is world-renowned as and entitled “The Ecstasy of Theresa”. The statue depicts Theresa in a passive state, in a pose that is characteristic of a woman wrapped in the most intimate loving embrace of her husband. As a nun, she would have been married to Christ. This sculpture epitomizes the fulfillment known only to those who are fully yielded to Christ. Many people resist God’s will. They imagine that He is demanding and impossible to please. They refuse to yield their will to His, under the misguided delusion that our lives would somehow be diminished if we were to give ourselves over to His control. Nothing could be further from the truth. Those who willingly yield to the Lord’s will find themselves experiencing the most satisfying and complete love, joy and peace imaginable. I am still learning this myself. It requires faith. It is not easy for humans to trust. We have all experienced betrayal and disappointment in our relations with others. It may seem even harder to trust God, whose ways are so mysterious. But as I abandon my own preconceived ideas and grandiose plans, for His humble plan of salvation, I truly experience a peace that passes all understanding. Theresa of Avila lived for God, as His hands and feet. Doing His bidding, trusting always, that her Savior had her best interests in mind, and would not disregard her willingness to honor Him in humble obedience.
I thought her toes (as described in Angels and Demons) were very much curled…I was wrong…
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Why do satanists, atheists and other non-believers keep harping on catholics and other christians? Why don’t they just keep to their own business and leave the catholics and other christians to their own business too? There’s plenty of space for all people of all persuasions, No amount of harping and caricature by the former will change the stand of the latter, and no amount of evangelizing or proseletizing by the latter will convince the former. So why not just exist in relative tolerance of each other? All people die. Catholics and other christians will go to their rest with the hope of rising again., They are entitled to their own belief. Let them be. Satanists, atheists and other non-believers will go to their rest happy in their belief that there is no God, and that they will be very, very dead for all time since they do not believe in rising again. Let them be. Each to his own devices. That simple, really.
Monday, March 11, 2013
@ “idiboi edtajan”
Quote :
“Why don’t they just keep to their own business and leave the catholics and other christians to their own business too?”
…Your bubble-baiting rationale, describing a flat-Earth-mono-dimensional world, could plausibly pass muster among the deaf, dumb and blind living in such a fantasy dimension, but back here on Terra Firma, neither you, I, nor anyone else is living in your imaginary vacuum.
We live, struggle and play in what is called a society.
A living, breathing, diverse culture of plausibly sentient beings who, in their brighter moments, may wish to think on their own and not have centuries’ old superstitious, demented orthodox dogma shoveled on their plate on a daily basis.
You savvy ? Of course you don’t…Or you’re pretending not to…
And there is nothing …uh…”simple” about it, unless you’re a simpleton, or the victim of an automobile mishap…
Or suffering Organic Brain Syndrome from alcohol abuse.
Or brain tumor.
Or brain lesion.
…And if I had children, and if I found out my son or daughter was sexually abused by some psycho priest, you could bet your last sweet apples someone would hear…uh…from me…personally…up-front-and-real-close-the-way-they-like-it…whose “business” is whose “business”.
It would be settled very quickly…
…Now.
You can choose to isolate yourself.
As an adult.
I have no problem with that. Not at all.
As an adult, you can choose to believe in any fairytale…God, Santa Claus, Tooth-Fairy, Bunny-Goddess…whatever…But you have absolutely no right to spoon-feed, force or impose your mania-backed fantasies/delusions/belief systems, or any propaganda, onto your children, or anyone else’s children.
That is another form of abuse. Nothing less.
Your children have a right to choose.
All children do.
And they have a right to choose WITHOUT duress or threat (veiled or otherwise) of pain or suffering by dint of some fantasy, made-up “Hell”, or whatever happens to be bubbling in your noisy mind, on any particular bad day you may be having.
Kahlil Gibran :
“Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.
You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow,
which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them,
but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.
You are the bows from which your children
as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite,
and He bends you with His might
that His arrows may go swift and far.
Let your bending in the archer’s hand be for gladness;
For even as He loves the arrow that flies,
so He loves also the bow that is stable.”
And in deference to your twice-told :
Broad sweep.
Juvenile.
Proselytizing.
Psycho-cant…
…About “satanists, atheists and other non-believers”…
Gibran was none of the above.
A clear demonstration of just how small and narrow is the universe in which you apparently want to live.
Quote :
“No amount of harping and caricature by the former will change the stand of the latter, and no amount of evangelizing or proseletizing (sic) by the latter will convince the former. So why not just exist in relative tolerance of each other?”
Right. Let the stupid remain stupid.
Not a problem.
Except…
When their around children.
Or when the stupid are a danger to others.
…A religious zealot will NOT tolerate the lack of attention he/she seeks.
They go out of their way to impose laws on others, and have been doing so for centuries.
Their time is near an end now, and they’re in panic mode, made manifest by their obsessive legal impositions to get every state to spew out their religio-gobbledygook in public schools and textbooks.
Get to the children first.
The motto of the RCC.
The motto of all zealots and religious orthodoxy.
This is the obsessive and abusive mode of operation they employ, including and especially the RCC.
Get to the children first.
And they won’t leave people alone.
Ever.
“So why not just exist in relative tolerance of each other?”
What kind of fantasy world do you suggest where this…uh…”relative tolerance” could exist when there are multitudes of American clueless fanatics running around like thought police, brainwashing and abusing children with impunity ?
Quote :
“All people die.”
Brilliant.
It just so happens that we are in the process of remedying that, much to your disappointment, no doubt.
Quote :
“Each to his own devices.”
Another brilliant bird dropping.
And in this warped fantasy of yours, by extension, let’s have all the pedophiles and serial killers and rapists released from prison, and leave them “to their own devices”.
And leave the RCC to it’s own corrupt devices. Right.
Either grow up.
Or get back on your medication.
And let future generations of children breathe and grow with their own ideas and their own choices.
Not yours.
J.B.