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Type of bind: Paperback
Dewey Decimal Number: 155
EAN num: 9780060930950
ISBN number: 0060930950
Label: Harper Perennial
Manufacturer: Harper Perennial
Quantity: 1
Page Count: 336
Printing Date: August 01, 1999
Publishing house: Harper Perennial
Release Date: August 04, 1999
Sale Popularity Level: 118329
Studio: Harper Perennial
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Editor's Notes and Comments:
Product Description:
In this provocative and highly original work, the bestselling author of Care of the Soul and Soul Mates at last restores sex to its rightful place in the human psyche. Describing sex as an experience of the soul, Thomas Moore here brings out the fully human side of sex--the roles of fantasy, desire, meaning, and morality--and draws on religion, mythology art, literature, and film to show how sex contains the most profound mysteries. While finding the spirituality inherent in sex, Moore also explores how spiritual values can sometimes wound our sexuality. He recommends many ways in which society can tone down its moralism and create a public life that is erotic, one that affirms desire and pleasure. He interprets the media's obsession with sex as a symptom of our failure to weave sex into the whole of life, and spells out an Epicurean lifestyle where the simple pleasures of good food, friends, family, and intimacy with nature give our sexuality a broad and supportive base. Blending rather than opposing spirituality and sexuality, The Soul of Sex offers a fresh, livable way of becoming more deeply sexual and loving in all areas of life.
Amazon.com Review:
As in his previous bestsellers Care of the Soul and Soul Mates, Thomas Moore wants us to think more deeply about the spiritual implications of everyday life. Which is to say that this is serious stuff--anyone looking for sexy beach reading won't find it here. What does interest the popular theologian, therapist, and former Catholic monk are the historical, philosophical, religious, and psychological aspects of sexuality that people tend not to consider. 'We have a habit of talking about sex as merely physical, and yet nothing has more soul,' Moore begins. If only we realized that fact, he then argues, it might relieve us of the guilt we so often feel over our own sex lives. 'The problem may be that we are accustomed to imagining morality from a purely spiritual point of view as a way of limiting rather than enhancing sexuality,' he continues. Yet if we paid more attention to beauty, sensuality, and pleasure, writes Moore, we might actually enhance our spirituality.
There's much more to this wide-ranging meditation, which moves from the history of the word 'orgasm' to the mythic presence of Marilyn Monroe. Those willing to follow Moore's mind as it courses through these subjects will find it a fascinating journey, one that ends by stimulating their own thinking about the relationship between sex and the spirit.
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Rated by buyers 
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Thomas ponders some pretty interesting stuff here, like a history teacher lamenting how things are just not as sexy as they used to be.. though some good points, it lacks the bite of his now out of pub, Dark Eros, but could i suppose be a fitting companion to it. Moore is a lovely author, but seems to suffer in the shadow of his mentor, who had the punch I wish he could put out there. For a good conservative liberal christian view, this is the best i've found on the subject matter in a compassionate way.. I wish he woudl still get dirty though like in Dark.. maybe he's just not a young man anymore
Rated by buyers 
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It reads like a very first draft by someone who gathered a lot of facts, quotes, and points of view (sex as ritual, sex as window to the soul, sex as spirit of life, etc) and never really developed anything to say about it, even though it wanders on and on for about 300 pages.
I got a used copy; some poor soul double underlined in pencil the churchy statement: "Body and spirit marry in the chapel of the soul." Ex-priest Moore carries on: "They marry every minute of every day, in all activities, or they marry not at all. If they don't marry, we do not know sexuality with soul and therefore our sexuality remains incomplete and insufficiently human. We do not find the soul of sex by spiritualizing the body but by coming to appreciate its mysteries and daring to enter its sensuousness."
Oh Baby....
This is on page 26 so it took considerable energy to continue. Fortunately I'm a speed reader. Page 163: "Joyful sex requires that our morality be mature and alive." Huh? There is a lot of pronouncements like this... the text of the book that is not quotes and mythical figure references reads like a paper copy of word-streaming from a verbose mind with assumed authority; he doesn't second-guess himself and in that respect he seems profoundly priestly. I mean if you or I wrote that statement we'd argue it and probably throw it out as nonsense and useless but he just takes self-pronouncements as fact.
And he puts an awful lot of stock in goddesses for a former priest. Page 185: "Men and women without a sex partner can be profoundly sexual, taking as their guiding spirit the great goddess Athena, one of the rare virgin goddesss, who is responsible for strong, imaginative, comprehensive culture building - who weaves culture and life into a brilliant tapestry." Really? See what I mean? Where does he get this stuff and if he gets it somewhere, why repeat it? It's kind of silly and profoundly unmodern and, I think, useless.
When I came to the section "Roads and Phallus of Hermes," page 246, where he's talking about the sexiness of a good road (yes, a highway with curves) I quit. Now I know he's messin' with me.
There is, however, an unexpectedly good book on sex and superconsciousness, "Sex Matters," by Osho. Before I read these two books, I expected different viewpoints but similar quality. Could not have been wronger. Osho's book is a winner; this one is a dud.
Rated by buyers -
Ironically I found this book to be soul destroying in some of it's attempts to put the soul back into sex.
First it has a chapter describing the soul of the phallus and vagina where it describes the mysteries of the vaginal canal and womb as the entrance of pleasure for the penis, which to me was a pretty soulless and western patriarchal male description of the spirit behind a woman's sex organs. Sort of annoying in a book with the purpose of putting back the soul of sex and severely alienating too!
I think this is some of why we've lost our spirituality in the West, we see anything that is still, silent or dark as something made to be filled by the Freudian "Penis-child" Moore mentions in his book.
If it's quiet we fill it up with noise, if it's dark we light it, if it's still we pour activity into it. If it's empty it must need filling.
A well, a cave are not empty spaces that we need to fill, nor is the darkness of night. They are full all on their own, they are the ultimate reminders of the mystery that is the divine as David Steindle-Rast mentions in his book of hours.
Perhaps in light of this is would be more beneficial and soulful to look at the so called empty space of the vagina and womb in this light. Not as something to be filled, but as something that are complete on their own. Something we can learn to appreciate in the same way we can darkness, stillness, and silence. They aren't a place for you to visit or tuck into anymore than the phallus is a location or place you can visit.
My other problems are the constant reference to psycho analysis, a science born of a man very few would find pro-woman, or woman positive, where people talk endlessly about their problems and yet rarely seem to move beyond them, quite the opposite of the quiet, mysterious healing power of nature and the soul. Last I found the use of Marilyn Monroe as a symbol of Eros and the Goddess of Love as suspect. Using a Movie star, and one that seems to arouse alot of pity in people for her sad life, which ended in suicide doesn't seem to be in line with living soulfully in the spirit of pleasure and joy of Eros. Using your sexuality for Fame, the most soulless of ambitions? Being used by a system, sleeping with men for power not for spiritual or sacrad exchange, that's who we want to look at for an example of eros in life? Not this soul. I think we all know soulful, sensual people or pets in our lives, why do we need to look at an empty and soulless image created by hollywood as inspiration?
Alot of people seem to like the book, so if these things don't bother you then this book might have much to offer you, and certainly I don't begrudge anyone the much needed help of finding the soul of sex in everyday life, from whatever source. I am pleased that at least we're looking for newer, healthier ways of living and living with sex. That's progress!
Some other books to look at... Riane Eislers Sacred Pleasure, John O Donohue's Anam Cara, The Listening Heart by David Steindl-Rast.
Rated by buyers 
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If you liked Moore's earlier works (especially 'Soul Mates'), or you are entirely new to his writing..there is something of wisdom and insight for everyone in this magical volume. As is true of Moore's other, related books, they invite you to a smorgasboard of ideas, knowledge and observations. You can pick and choose, take or leave, as you like. Whilst some of his chapters are slightly 'academic', there are many aspects to his interpretations that have perfect relevance to, and resonance with our own, everyday experiences. 'Intimacy within intimacies'-this book is like the candle we hold to the dark window, as we wonder how we might feel less alone in this world. It is a guide only. However, worth the journey and the read. Even if, a little indulgence does certainly go a long way.
Rated by buyers -
I really like Thomas Moore's books but this one was definitely not one of his best. I found it very boring and it was kinda one of those books that just made no sense at all. I found it hard to continue to read the whole book even tho I did....
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