Audre Lorde, “Uses of the Erotic,” in Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches by Audre Lorde. Freedom, CA: The Crossing Press, 1984, 57-8.
We have been raised to fear the yes within ourselves, our deepest cravings. . . The fear of our desires keeps them suspect and indiscriminately powerful, for to suppress any truth is to give it strength beyond endurance. The fear that we cannot grow beyond whatever distortions we may find within ourselves keeps us docile and loyal and obedient, externally defined, and leads us to accept many facets of our oppression as women.
When we live outside ourselves, and by that I mean on external directives only rather than from our internal knowledge and needs, when we live away from those erotic guides from within ourselves, then our lives are limited by external and alien forms, and we conform to the needs of a structure that is not based on human need, let alone an individual’s. But when we begin to live from within outward, in touch with the power of the erotic within ourselves, and allowing that power to inform and illuminate our actions upon the world around us, then we begin to be responsible to ourselves in the deepest sense.
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How do we get in touch with the yes within ourselves? Audre Lord invites us to live in touch with power of the erotic within ourselves, learning from our deepest desires. She acknowledges that there may be distortions within ourselves so that we may not always wish to follow these desires, but we must stop suppressing them and touch the power emanating from them if we are to live authentically. These desires may call us into full aliveness, a profound yes-ness, that is truly sacred.
Loving God, help me to touch the power within myself and live from it while hearing your voice, guided by you and living in true aliveness. Help me to explore myself and learn about my own power, authority, and intuition; protect me from being overwhelmed, distorted, or misguided by it. Help me to dare to serve you as fully as I am able, taking the risks that are necessary to live a meaningful life.
When we begin to be responsible to ourselves in the deepest sense, I believe, then we become responsible, responsive, to Godess. Living authentically, erotically?, takes connection to our Creator, Who loves and wants to spend time with us unceasingly. That simply amazes me, day after day. Awomen.
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