For all finer natures, sex relations are only satisfying when touched by moral and religious emotion - when they are serious - when they involve the depths - when they inspire to the heights.
When sex feels sacred in the use it gives a divine innocence to the moment, a satisfying sweetness of recollection in the memory.
Sex is only satisfying where it is absolutely free, in a liberty made new and genuine by glad, mutual consent at every moment of its being.
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Sex only satisfies when on both sides there are kindness, innocence, consideration - a love that is goodness in expression, that gives and blesses.
Sex only satisfies the finer natures when it unites souls, not merely copulates bodies for a thrill.
An atmosphere of frivolity, recklessness, mere hedonism and indulgence about sex, invariably reacts in disgust - the conscience instantly stamps this as "sin."
Sex having two offices - to unite souls and propagate bodies - there are for these offices two unions - Karezza-union for the deeper love, orgasmal-union for physical begetting. Do not make the mistake of using the latter for the former.
But sex is also like a food, and sexual contact with vital magnetic exchange at certain not-too-long intervals, varying with different temperaments, conditions and times of life, seems necessary for health and satisfying living and is also a perfectly valid and justifying reason for sexual embraces and caresses, even where there is only innocent need on one side and tender kindness on the other, or where on both sides there is only need and kindness. There is biological reason to suppose that the function of sex to mysteriously feed and rejuvenate is its oldest and perhaps most essential function, antedating its reproductive function a long, long time.
Starting then from the beginning, the functions of sex may be read as three:
First: to feed and rejuvenate by contact-pressure (perhaps by a sort of catalysis) and a mysterious generation, interchange and mutual exchange of subtle processes and forces.
Second: physical reproduction - child-creation.
Third: soul-union, the mystery of love, affection, spiritual-companionship, mental-inspiration.
In all its normal aspects sex is creative and uniting, kind and life-giving in function.
