Life is often approached one-dimensionally. And this often leaves us settling for simply how things appear on the surface. But while this face value might hold truth, there are often deeper layers that reveal a truer reality as well. And this certainly tends to be the case with our sexual fantasies.
In our modern age, very little is left to the imagination. We tend to be very suspicious of anything that cannot be adequately explained scientifically, or spelled out with detailed legal rationale. And these are not bad things, as they help to clarify our understanding while also giving us a common language to interpret the world.
But science and legal facts can only take us so far, and we miss many rich meanings when we settle for such surface understandings in life. And this is especially true when it comes to our sexual fantasies.
On the surface, we naturally explore the who, what, when, and where of our fantasies. And this might also include our immediate thoughts, emotions, and the bodily sensations we experience. We might even analyze our past wounds to understand how they shaped our erotic imagination.
To be sure, all these can provide great insights into our fantasies. And for many this is sufficient to discover a measure of peace and freedom.
However, a deeper layer includes considering how the fantasy is gesturing towards God’s truth, goodness, and beauty. And here the factual characters, images, and scenes in our fantasy are less important than what they represent.
For example, fantasies about a particular man or woman might have nothing to do with the literal person in the image, and rather the masculine, feminine, or relational ideas they reflect. And the action in the scene might point to different forms of giving, receiving, and being united with the holy ideas of God. Likewise, the overall mood might provide glimpses of divine joy and the very celebration of life.
In the end, it’s possible to interpret our fantasies just at face value. Sometimes, there’s no deeper meaning to be found. But, other times, we must look deeper and peel back the layers to discover the deeper truths that lie beyond our usual one-dimensional understanding.
Photo by chester wade on Unsplash
