Dancing after the whirlwind

the long version

Dancing after the Whirlwind explores the devastating effects of denial on a woman's spiritual identity, her understanding of herself and her place in the world. L.J. Tessier explains how sexuality and spirituality came to be seen as opposites in many religions and cultures, and shows us other models that see sexual expression as a significant component of our connection to the sacred. She examines the experience of three groups of women whose sexual desires, memories, and experiences are routinely denied by society: lesbians, survivors of childhood sexual abuse, and HIV-positive women. From these women, we learn of strategies for reclaiming the whirlwind of erotic power and seeing it for what it is - the sacred force through which we most deeply touch one another as human beings.