Sexual ritual

Lore & Background

Sexual rituals fall into two categories: culture-created and natural behaviour, the human animal having developed sex rituals from evolutionary instincts for reproduction, which are then integrated into society, and elaborated to include aspects such as marriage rites, dances, etc. Sometimes sexual rituals are highly formalized and/or part of religious activity, as in the cases of hieros gamos, the hierodule, and Ordo Templi Orientis (O.T.O.). Rites of passage include 'rites of separation from the asexual world... followed by rites of incorporation into the world of sexuality', which may be formal or semi-formal—'for some students, going to college is partly a sexual ritual, like the ceremonial dances of the whooping crane'. Freud was particularly interested in ethnological accounts of 'the "ceremonial" (purely formal, ritual, or official) coitus, which takes place' in connection with 'the taboo of virginity'.

Reader's Guide

Sexual rituals are significant as they bridge biological instincts and cultural elaboration, serving functions from reproduction to social bonding. Freud noted that in marriage ceremonies, 'people other than the bridegroom... were granted full sexual access to the bride', viewing the wedding as orgy as a historical reality. Sociologists see sexual intercourse as 'interaction ritual' that creates and recreates social ties, while Erving Goffman noted 'the considerable informational delicacy of this form of interaction'. In perversion, sexual rituals may emerge as a necessary part of sexual activity, and within relationships, 'a sexual habit that becomes routine or stylised... can lead to a sexual ritual'. In Buddhist art, yab-yum symbolizes the union of wisdom and compassion, and Tantric Buddhism included 'the ritual sex act (Maithuna)'. Private worship of sex organs as fertility symbols persists, with Alan Watts noting that 'when you are in love with someone, you do indeed see them as a divine being'. The legacy of sexual rituals lies in their enduring presence across cultures, from sacred ceremonies to personal compulsions, reflecting humanity's attempt to imbue sexuality with meaning.

Did You Know?

• Sexual rituals fall into two categories: culture-created and natural behaviour.
• Freud was interested in the 'ceremonial' coitus connected to the taboo of virginity.
• In Buddhist art, yab-yum represents the primordial union of wisdom and compassion.
• Alan Watts stated that when in love, one sees the other as a divine being.