In order to understand the concept of sacred sexuality and nature divine let us first discuss the concept of being sacred. A dictionary definition offers the idea of being, "made or declared holy, dedicated or devoted exclusively to a use, purpose, or person worthy of reverence or respect." The word itself comes from the Latin, sacra, meaning "sacred, holy, consecrated," in other words something held in very high esteem in a spiritual or religious sense.

Those cultures that have understood and practiced sacred sexuality recognized the divine nature of every living and non-living thing that encompassed their world. Nature divine, according to this concept is inherent within us all, whether plant, animal, or the Earth. No one or no thing needs to be proven worthy in order to be considered sacred and thus to possess nature divine. The divine nature of everything created around us is part of the interconnected web of our environment. This environment nurtures and supports us and we in turn should do the same.
 
In the pre-Christian times sacred sexuality and the concept of nature divine being found within all living things, without having to prove worth but simply by virtue of existence, often led to sexuality being at the core of many a religious ritual. It wasn't until the Christian doctrines were introduced that the view of sexual relations began to change dramatically. The divine nature of sexuality seen as a sacred, venerative function changed into a power/ownership-of-the children function. Western Judeo-Christian, authoritarian male dominated societies are indoctrinated with the beliefs that nature divine can only be found through a god figure and that emotions, the body, pleasure and our most basic instincts -such as sexual activity - should be relegated to inactivity. Deriving pleasure from such acts has been deemed a sin by many of the patriarchal religions.

The term sacred sexuality while applicable to any sexual tradition is most stereotypically applied to those traditions that stem from groups who do not see nature divine as being found only within the accepted god figures of their particular spiritual or religious belief system. While there are many who understand and practice sacred spirituality who believe in the duality of male/female, god/goddess, yin/yan and the list could go on, there are those that have managed to realize that even within the confines of the Christian religion realizing the divine nature of the sexual act can equate with it being a sacred act. Humans have a need to feel good and that is facilitated through the union of sex and spirit and thus union with the nature divine can be achieved.

The concept of sacred sexuality is not something our society is generally familiar with particularly if a member of one of the many factions of the Judeo-Christian faith. Those who are will be familiar with term Tantra. Tantric love is perhaps the oldest known practiced art of sacred sexuality today. Tantra teaches that you can't experience personal and spiritual liberation while restricting any part of your being. Further solidify the concept that understanding and realizing the nature divine within the self is an integral part of sacred sexuality. The divine nature of every human being cannot be separated, according to this doctrine, from the body the participant as is deemed appropriate in other spiritual teachings.

There is a doctrine of wholeness not separateness, of things being so, not of having to earn through a set up of rules geared towards the domination of one over another. All must be seen as equal in order to reach the heights of sacred sexuality.