The Divine Androgyne According To Purusha

Last updated
The Divine Androgyne According To Purusha: Adventures In Cosmic Erotic Ecstasy and Androgyne Bodyconsciousness
The Divine Androgyne According to Purusha.jpeg
Author Purusha Larkin
Cover artistRobert Uyvari
LanguageEnglish
PublisherSanctuary Publications
Publication date
1981
Publication placeUnited States
Media type Hardcover
Pages200

The Divine Androgyne According To Purusha: Adventures In Cosmic Erotic Ecstasy and Androgyne Bodyconsciousness is a 1981 book by Purusha Larkin.

Contents

Summary

The book advocates for liberation from sexual repression through the release of physical inhibitions and celebration of physical pleasure, as well as the fusion of sexual ecstasy and religious spirituality. [1] Themes explored in the book include androgyny, tantric sex, body modification, genital piercing, and fisting. [1] In an April 1983 interview, Larkin described the book as teaching males to merge masculinity and femininity, hence his self-styling as a "divine androgyne". [2]

Reception

The book received a mixed reception. Mark Thompson characterized the book as "a deeply felt, spiritually evolved statement on the potentialities of eros and bliss," but indicated that many other critics derided the book as egotistical. [2] The San Francisco Sentinel referred to the book as "a combination of gay sex manual, coffee table conversation piece, and meditational guide to the universe," noting that "Larkin states his arguments clearly and intelligently," but critiquing "his failure to explain how his average reader can find time or energy to pursue sexual ecstasy with the dogged devotion prescribed in The Divine Androgyne." [1] Larkin's emphasis on fisting as a form of cosmic pleasure was further stymied by the spread of HIV/AIDS in the United States, which prompted caution against anal intercourse. [3]

According to the Tom of Finland Foundation, the book introduced a "distinctive form of Gay spirituality." [4] In 2024, the foundation hosted an exhibition by artist-in-residence Sam Ashby that explored "queer spirituality and utopian sexualities through the figure of Purusha." [4] [5] Later that year, the exhibit traveled to the San Mei Gallery in London. [5]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Saylor, Steven (1982-04-29). "A Search for Ecstasy" (PDF). The Sentinel . Vol. 9, no. 12. San Francisco. p. 11. Retrieved 2025-05-18– via University of California, Berkeley.
  2. 1 2 Thompson, Mark (1992). "Erotic Ecstasy: An Interview with Purusha the Androgyne". Leatherfolk: Radical Sex, People, Politics, and Practice. Alyson Books. pp. 284–293. ISBN   978-1881943204.
  3. ↑ Gordon, Theo (January 2025). "Sam Ashby: Sanctuary". Art Monthly (482): 37–38.
  4. 1 2 "SAM ASHBY "The Divine Androgyne"". Tom of Finland Foundation . 2024-06-26. Retrieved 2025-05-18.
  5. 1 2 "Sam Ashby: Sanctuary". New Exhibitions. Retrieved 2025-05-18.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.