PURITY | A CURATION
ARTIFACTS HEALING THE PURITY WOUND
-
A sociocultural movement, primarily within conservative Christian communities, that emphasizes sexual abstinence before marriage and strict adherence to traditional gender roles and behaviors. It often promotes the idea that a person's moral worth, especially a woman’s, is closely tied to their sexual purity.
PURITY
a healing curation | TRANSMUTATION
LECTURE |
TRANSMUTATION
FILM STUDY: AMERICA’S RELIGIOUS-SEXUAL WOUND
STUDY FOCUS: PURITY CULTURE
THEMES: American Christianity, Indoctrinated Shame
-
This is an examination of our nations religious-sexual trauma. I Investigate purity culture as a micro-study of the macro problem.
ABOUT THIS CURATION |
PURITY IS A MICRO-STUDY OF A MACRO PROBLEM—a conditioning of sexual shame at the heart of expansionist Christianity, a perversion of the authentic love of Christ. I believe this divide within ourself that is mirrored as the divide of our nation.
This curation strives to transmute sexual shame into freedom and anger into peace. By reclaiming our sexual agency as the divine spark within, created in the image of God, we heal the fractured self and cultivate a united, empowered nation.
These artifacts are from a body of work produced with Dr. Ryan Clark, my podcast partner for Touch Podcast: Conversations of Spirit and Body. Our collaborative work included a 3-month Youtube campaign called Purity Movie; a purity culture story slam called Purified in collaboration with Embodied, a North Carolina NPR radio show; and a documentary series in development over a number of years.
-
In alchemy, transmutation was the mythical idea of turning base metals like lead into gold. Alchemists believed it could be done through a mysterious process that transformed the fundamental properties of substances.
In a more abstract or philosophical sense, transmutation can also mean a profound change in form, nature, or state of being, like the transformation of one's character or spirit.
EPISTEMOLOGY OF SOMATIC ARTOGRAPHY | Editing this content was healing to my nervous system. I could emote anger and rage safely and creatively through art, and transmute my story into healing and freedom.
TAKE YOUR TIME |
These artifacts carry deep emotional resonance. Through editing, I bring to light the feelings that many purity adherents have experienced in isolation—or may not have felt at all. These clips offer permission to feel anger, rage, frustration, and sadness.
Take your time. Use the pleasure praxis to explore your emotions, and lean into the COHE Mighty Network Community as a safe space to process and move through them.
PURITY | A HEALING CURATION
-
This was an effort to convey the feeling of the kundalini without going into any detail about it. This was produced while we were developing this into a documentary series. I felt like I couldn’t take the footage to where they wanted it. It was forced. I had to wait.
-
Connection to Content
What was my initial understanding or belief about this story or subject, and how did it shape my creative process? (Focus on the thoughts or intellectual connections that inspired the creation.)
Where in my body did I feel the most resonance or tension while creating, and how did those sensations guide my choices?(Highlight the physical responses and how they influenced the work.)
What spiritual or intuitive truths did I connect with during the creation process, and how did they help me convey the essence of the story? (Reflect on the deeper, unseen forces that aligned with the content.)
Connection to Self/Divine
As I review this now, how has my perspective on the story evolved, and what new insights or feelings does it bring up? (Explore how time and experience have reframed the meaning or significance of the work.)
In this moment of creation, how can you feel the subtle guidance or intelligence flowing through you, shaping the narrative, and connecting you to something beyond your individual self? (Explore the possibility of a guidance beyond the subject, beyond self, and beyond conditionings and trauma.)
How can I take the lessons or growth from this experience and apply them to my future work or life? (End with a focus on integrating the experience into tangible action.)
-
Connecting to Content
What thoughts or ideas come tomind as I engage with this story, and how do they connect to my own experiences or beliefs?(Invite the viewer to reflect on intellectual or personal connections.)
What sensations arise in mybodywhile engaging with this content, and how do they shift throughout the experience?(Guide the viewer to notice their physical responses to the story.)
What deeper truths or spiritual questions does this story awaken, and how do they resonate with my life?(Encourage introspection on the soul-level connection.)
Connecting to Self/Divine
What new perspectives or emotions does this story leave me with, and how might they inspire a shiftin my own life? (Prompt reflection on personal transformation or change.)
As you engage with this content, can you sense a higher intelligence or divine presence guiding the story, inviting you to witness a deeper truth beyond the surface? (Explore the possibility of a guidance beyond the subject, beyond the filmmaker, beyond self, and beyond conditionings and trauma.)
How can I take what I’ve learned or felt from this experience and put it into practicein my daily life? (Encourage the viewer to translate the experience into actionable steps.)
Purity Culture and Fallout | MOVING ANGER
Nashville, TN
The montage distills the core of purity culture and its aftermath, rich with powerful moments and raw emotion. One such moment is my real-time discovery of how Scripture on marriage is presented from the pulpit, in stark contrast to the way it’s taught in seminary.
Personally, co-producing this artifact with my podcast partner was a thrill. We were on adventure, traveling across the country and hoping on flights collecting sound-bites, stories, and making new friends along the way.
-
This was an effort to convey the feeling of the kundalini without going into any detail about it. This was produced while we were developing this into a documentary series. I felt like I couldn’t take the footage to where they wanted it. It was forced. I had to wait.
-
Connection to Content
What was my initial understanding or belief about this story or subject, and how did it shape my creative process? (Focus on the thoughts or intellectual connections that inspired the creation.)
Where in my body did I feel the most resonance or tension while creating, and how did those sensations guide my choices?(Highlight the physical responses and how they influenced the work.)
What spiritual or intuitive truths did I connect with during the creation process, and how did they help me convey the essence of the story? (Reflect on the deeper, unseen forces that aligned with the content.)
Connection to Self/Divine
As I review this now, how has my perspective on the story evolved, and what new insights or feelings does it bring up? (Explore how time and experience have reframed the meaning or significance of the work.)
In this moment of creation, how can you feel the subtle guidance or intelligence flowing through you, shaping the narrative, and connecting you to something beyond your individual self? (Explore the possibility of a guidance beyond the subject, beyond self, and beyond conditionings and trauma.)
How can I take the lessons or growth from this experience and apply them to my future work or life? (End with a focus on integrating the experience into tangible action.)
-
Connecting to Content
What thoughts or ideas come tomind as I engage with this story, and how do they connect to my own experiences or beliefs?(Invite the viewer to reflect on intellectual or personal connections.)
What sensations arise in mybodywhile engaging with this content, and how do they shift throughout the experience?(Guide the viewer to notice their physical responses to the story.)
What deeper truths or spiritual questions does this story awaken, and how do they resonate with my life?(Encourage introspection on the soul-level connection.)
Connecting to Self/Divine
What new perspectives or emotions does this story leave me with, and how might they inspire a shiftin my own life? (Prompt reflection on personal transformation or change.)
As you engage with this content, can you sense a higher intelligence or divine presence guiding the story, inviting you to witness a deeper truth beyond the surface? (Explore the possibility of a guidance beyond the subject, beyond the filmmaker, beyond self, and beyond conditionings and trauma.)
How can I take what I’ve learned or felt from this experience and put it into practicein my daily life? (Encourage the viewer to translate the experience into actionable steps.)
Purity Story Slam | STEPPING INTO THE LIGHT
Durham, NC
This is the opening for a Youtube broadcast of PURIFIED: Live Stories of Living Through Purity Culture. This hour-long broadcast is a heartfelt celebration of every individual who has walked the path of purity culture—whether you're here to share your story or simply to listen and reflect. This is a space of love, support, and affirmation—a reminder that you are seen, you are valued, and you are never alone.
Personally, it was also edited for myself. I shared my story on the broadcast of Embodied, separate from any acknowledgment from others who related. Crafting this piece helped me create a similar celebration for myself, for my nervous system.
-
This was an effort to convey the feeling of the kundalini without going into any detail about it. This was produced while we were developing this into a documentary series. I felt like I couldn’t take the footage to where they wanted it. It was forced. I had to wait.
-
Connection to Content
What was my initial understanding or belief about this story or subject, and how did it shape my creative process? (Focus on the thoughts or intellectual connections that inspired the creation.)
Where in my body did I feel the most resonance or tension while creating, and how did those sensations guide my choices?(Highlight the physical responses and how they influenced the work.)
What spiritual or intuitive truths did I connect with during the creation process, and how did they help me convey the essence of the story? (Reflect on the deeper, unseen forces that aligned with the content.)
Connection to Self/Divine
As I review this now, how has my perspective on the story evolved, and what new insights or feelings does it bring up? (Explore how time and experience have reframed the meaning or significance of the work.)
In this moment of creation, how can you feel the subtle guidance or intelligence flowing through you, shaping the narrative, and connecting you to something beyond your individual self? (Explore the possibility of a guidance beyond the subject, beyond self, and beyond conditionings and trauma.)
How can I take the lessons or growth from this experience and apply them to my future work or life? (End with a focus on integrating the experience into tangible action.)
-
Connecting to Content
What thoughts or ideas come tomind as I engage with this story, and how do they connect to my own experiences or beliefs?(Invite the viewer to reflect on intellectual or personal connections.)
What sensations arise in mybodywhile engaging with this content, and how do they shift throughout the experience?(Guide the viewer to notice their physical responses to the story.)
What deeper truths or spiritual questions does this story awaken, and how do they resonate with my life?(Encourage introspection on the soul-level connection.)
Connecting to Self/Divine
What new perspectives or emotions does this story leave me with, and how might they inspire a shiftin my own life? (Prompt reflection on personal transformation or change.)
As you engage with this content, can you sense a higher intelligence or divine presence guiding the story, inviting you to witness a deeper truth beyond the surface? (Explore the possibility of a guidance beyond the subject, beyond the filmmaker, beyond self, and beyond conditionings and trauma.)
How can I take what I’ve learned or felt from this experience and put it into practicein my daily life? (Encourage the viewer to translate the experience into actionable steps.)
Discovering the Purity Fallout |
Hot Springs, NC
Dr. Tina Schermer Sellers, a seasoned therapist with no prior personal or professional ties to purity culture, shares a groundbreaking revelation from her practice. While examining countless case studies that presented symptoms resembling those of physical sexual abuse, she discovered an unsettling truth—there was no abuse. Instead, the common thread was the pervasive and damaging effects of shame. Her account shines a spotlight on the profound impact of purity culture and its insidious connection to deep-seated sexual shame.
-
This was an effort to convey the feeling of the kundalini without going into any detail about it. This was produced while we were developing this into a documentary series. I felt like I couldn’t take the footage to where they wanted it. It was forced. I had to wait.
-
Connection to Content
What was my initial understanding or belief about this story or subject, and how did it shape my creative process? (Focus on the thoughts or intellectual connections that inspired the creation.)
Where in my body did I feel the most resonance or tension while creating, and how did those sensations guide my choices?(Highlight the physical responses and how they influenced the work.)
What spiritual or intuitive truths did I connect with during the creation process, and how did they help me convey the essence of the story? (Reflect on the deeper, unseen forces that aligned with the content.)
Connection to Self/Divine
As I review this now, how has my perspective on the story evolved, and what new insights or feelings does it bring up? (Explore how time and experience have reframed the meaning or significance of the work.)
In this moment of creation, how can you feel the subtle guidance or intelligence flowing through you, shaping the narrative, and connecting you to something beyond your individual self? (Explore the possibility of a guidance beyond the subject, beyond self, and beyond conditionings and trauma.)
How can I take the lessons or growth from this experience and apply them to my future work or life? (End with a focus on integrating the experience into tangible action.)
-
Connecting to Content
What thoughts or ideas come tomind as I engage with this story, and how do they connect to my own experiences or beliefs?(Invite the viewer to reflect on intellectual or personal connections.)
What sensations arise in mybodywhile engaging with this content, and how do they shift throughout the experience?(Guide the viewer to notice their physical responses to the story.)
What deeper truths or spiritual questions does this story awaken, and how do they resonate with my life?(Encourage introspection on the soul-level connection.)
Connecting to Self/Divine
What new perspectives or emotions does this story leave me with, and how might they inspire a shiftin my own life? (Prompt reflection on personal transformation or change.)
As you engage with this content, can you sense a higher intelligence or divine presence guiding the story, inviting you to witness a deeper truth beyond the surface? (Explore the possibility of a guidance beyond the subject, beyond the filmmaker, beyond self, and beyond conditionings and trauma.)
How can I take what I’ve learned or felt from this experience and put it into practicein my daily life? (Encourage the viewer to translate the experience into actionable steps.)
Difference Between Shame and Guilt |
Hot Springs, NC
Dr. Tina Schermer Sellers, a seasoned therapist with no prior personal or professional ties to purity culture, shares a groundbreaking revelation from her practice. While examining countless case studies that presented symptoms resembling those of physical sexual abuse, she discovered an unsettling truth—there was no abuse. Instead, the common thread was the pervasive and damaging effects of shame. Her account shines a spotlight on the profound impact of purity culture and its insidious connection to deep-seated sexual shame.
-
This was an effort to convey the feeling of the kundalini without going into any detail about it. This was produced while we were developing this into a documentary series. I felt like I couldn’t take the footage to where they wanted it. It was forced. I had to wait.
-
Connection to Content
What was my initial understanding or belief about this story or subject, and how did it shape my creative process? (Focus on the thoughts or intellectual connections that inspired the creation.)
Where in my body did I feel the most resonance or tension while creating, and how did those sensations guide my choices?(Highlight the physical responses and how they influenced the work.)
What spiritual or intuitive truths did I connect with during the creation process, and how did they help me convey the essence of the story? (Reflect on the deeper, unseen forces that aligned with the content.)
Connection to Self/Divine
As I review this now, how has my perspective on the story evolved, and what new insights or feelings does it bring up? (Explore how time and experience have reframed the meaning or significance of the work.)
In this moment of creation, how can you feel the subtle guidance or intelligence flowing through you, shaping the narrative, and connecting you to something beyond your individual self? (Explore the possibility of a guidance beyond the subject, beyond self, and beyond conditionings and trauma.)
How can I take the lessons or growth from this experience and apply them to my future work or life? (End with a focus on integrating the experience into tangible action.)
-
Connecting to Content
What thoughts or ideas come tomind as I engage with this story, and how do they connect to my own experiences or beliefs?(Invite the viewer to reflect on intellectual or personal connections.)
What sensations arise in mybodywhile engaging with this content, and how do they shift throughout the experience?(Guide the viewer to notice their physical responses to the story.)
What deeper truths or spiritual questions does this story awaken, and how do they resonate with my life?(Encourage introspection on the soul-level connection.)
Connecting to Self/Divine
What new perspectives or emotions does this story leave me with, and how might they inspire a shiftin my own life? (Prompt reflection on personal transformation or change.)
As you engage with this content, can you sense a higher intelligence or divine presence guiding the story, inviting you to witness a deeper truth beyond the surface? (Explore the possibility of a guidance beyond the subject, beyond the filmmaker, beyond self, and beyond conditionings and trauma.)
How can I take what I’ve learned or felt from this experience and put it into practicein my daily life? (Encourage the viewer to translate the experience into actionable steps.)
The Purity Concert Experience |
Hot Springs, NC
Dr. Tina Schermer Sellers, a seasoned therapist with no prior personal or professional ties to purity culture, shares a groundbreaking revelation from her practice. While examining countless case studies that presented symptoms resembling those of physical sexual abuse, she discovered an unsettling truth—there was no abuse. Instead, the common thread was the pervasive and damaging effects of shame. Her account shines a spotlight on the profound impact of purity culture and its insidious connection to deep-seated sexual shame.
-
This was an effort to convey the feeling of the kundalini without going into any detail about it. This was produced while we were developing this into a documentary series. I felt like I couldn’t take the footage to where they wanted it. It was forced. I had to wait.
-
Connection to Content
What was my initial understanding or belief about this story or subject, and how did it shape my creative process? (Focus on the thoughts or intellectual connections that inspired the creation.)
Where in my body did I feel the most resonance or tension while creating, and how did those sensations guide my choices?(Highlight the physical responses and how they influenced the work.)
What spiritual or intuitive truths did I connect with during the creation process, and how did they help me convey the essence of the story? (Reflect on the deeper, unseen forces that aligned with the content.)
Connection to Self/Divine
As I review this now, how has my perspective on the story evolved, and what new insights or feelings does it bring up? (Explore how time and experience have reframed the meaning or significance of the work.)
In this moment of creation, how can you feel the subtle guidance or intelligence flowing through you, shaping the narrative, and connecting you to something beyond your individual self? (Explore the possibility of a guidance beyond the subject, beyond self, and beyond conditionings and trauma.)
How can I take the lessons or growth from this experience and apply them to my future work or life? (End with a focus on integrating the experience into tangible action.)
-
Connecting to Content
What thoughts or ideas come tomind as I engage with this story, and how do they connect to my own experiences or beliefs?(Invite the viewer to reflect on intellectual or personal connections.)
What sensations arise in mybodywhile engaging with this content, and how do they shift throughout the experience?(Guide the viewer to notice their physical responses to the story.)
What deeper truths or spiritual questions does this story awaken, and how do they resonate with my life?(Encourage introspection on the soul-level connection.)
Connecting to Self/Divine
What new perspectives or emotions does this story leave me with, and how might they inspire a shiftin my own life? (Prompt reflection on personal transformation or change.)
As you engage with this content, can you sense a higher intelligence or divine presence guiding the story, inviting you to witness a deeper truth beyond the surface? (Explore the possibility of a guidance beyond the subject, beyond the filmmaker, beyond self, and beyond conditionings and trauma.)
How can I take what I’ve learned or felt from this experience and put it into practicein my daily life? (Encourage the viewer to translate the experience into actionable steps.)
Shut-Down |
Hot Springs, NC
Dr. Tina Schermer Sellers, a seasoned therapist with no prior personal or professional ties to purity culture, shares a groundbreaking revelation from her practice. While examining countless case studies that presented symptoms resembling those of physical sexual abuse, she discovered an unsettling truth—there was no abuse. Instead, the common thread was the pervasive and damaging effects of shame. Her account shines a spotlight on the profound impact of purity culture and its insidious connection to deep-seated sexual shame.
-
This was an effort to convey the feeling of the kundalini without going into any detail about it. This was produced while we were developing this into a documentary series. I felt like I couldn’t take the footage to where they wanted it. It was forced. I had to wait.
-
Connection to Content
What was my initial understanding or belief about this story or subject, and how did it shape my creative process? (Focus on the thoughts or intellectual connections that inspired the creation.)
Where in my body did I feel the most resonance or tension while creating, and how did those sensations guide my choices?(Highlight the physical responses and how they influenced the work.)
What spiritual or intuitive truths did I connect with during the creation process, and how did they help me convey the essence of the story? (Reflect on the deeper, unseen forces that aligned with the content.)
Connection to Self/Divine
As I review this now, how has my perspective on the story evolved, and what new insights or feelings does it bring up? (Explore how time and experience have reframed the meaning or significance of the work.)
In this moment of creation, how can you feel the subtle guidance or intelligence flowing through you, shaping the narrative, and connecting you to something beyond your individual self? (Explore the possibility of a guidance beyond the subject, beyond self, and beyond conditionings and trauma.)
How can I take the lessons or growth from this experience and apply them to my future work or life? (End with a focus on integrating the experience into tangible action.)
-
Connecting to Content
What thoughts or ideas come tomind as I engage with this story, and how do they connect to my own experiences or beliefs?(Invite the viewer to reflect on intellectual or personal connections.)
What sensations arise in mybodywhile engaging with this content, and how do they shift throughout the experience?(Guide the viewer to notice their physical responses to the story.)
What deeper truths or spiritual questions does this story awaken, and how do they resonate with my life?(Encourage introspection on the soul-level connection.)
Connecting to Self/Divine
What new perspectives or emotions does this story leave me with, and how might they inspire a shiftin my own life? (Prompt reflection on personal transformation or change.)
As you engage with this content, can you sense a higher intelligence or divine presence guiding the story, inviting you to witness a deeper truth beyond the surface? (Explore the possibility of a guidance beyond the subject, beyond the filmmaker, beyond self, and beyond conditionings and trauma.)
How can I take what I’ve learned or felt from this experience and put it into practicein my daily life? (Encourage the viewer to translate the experience into actionable steps.)
Shut-Down |
Hot Springs, NC
Dr. Tina Schermer Sellers, a seasoned therapist with no prior personal or professional ties to purity culture, shares a groundbreaking revelation from her practice. While examining countless case studies that presented symptoms resembling those of physical sexual abuse, she discovered an unsettling truth—there was no abuse. Instead, the common thread was the pervasive and damaging effects of shame. Her account shines a spotlight on the profound impact of purity culture and its insidious connection to deep-seated sexual shame.
-
This was an effort to convey the feeling of the kundalini without going into any detail about it. This was produced while we were developing this into a documentary series. I felt like I couldn’t take the footage to where they wanted it. It was forced. I had to wait.
-
Connection to Content
What was my initial understanding or belief about this story or subject, and how did it shape my creative process? (Focus on the thoughts or intellectual connections that inspired the creation.)
Where in my body did I feel the most resonance or tension while creating, and how did those sensations guide my choices?(Highlight the physical responses and how they influenced the work.)
What spiritual or intuitive truths did I connect with during the creation process, and how did they help me convey the essence of the story? (Reflect on the deeper, unseen forces that aligned with the content.)
Connection to Self/Divine
As I review this now, how has my perspective on the story evolved, and what new insights or feelings does it bring up? (Explore how time and experience have reframed the meaning or significance of the work.)
In this moment of creation, how can you feel the subtle guidance or intelligence flowing through you, shaping the narrative, and connecting you to something beyond your individual self? (Explore the possibility of a guidance beyond the subject, beyond self, and beyond conditionings and trauma.)
How can I take the lessons or growth from this experience and apply them to my future work or life? (End with a focus on integrating the experience into tangible action.)
-
Connecting to Content
What thoughts or ideas come tomind as I engage with this story, and how do they connect to my own experiences or beliefs?(Invite the viewer to reflect on intellectual or personal connections.)
What sensations arise in mybodywhile engaging with this content, and how do they shift throughout the experience?(Guide the viewer to notice their physical responses to the story.)
What deeper truths or spiritual questions does this story awaken, and how do they resonate with my life?(Encourage introspection on the soul-level connection.)
Connecting to Self/Divine
What new perspectives or emotions does this story leave me with, and how might they inspire a shiftin my own life? (Prompt reflection on personal transformation or change.)
As you engage with this content, can you sense a higher intelligence or divine presence guiding the story, inviting you to witness a deeper truth beyond the surface? (Explore the possibility of a guidance beyond the subject, beyond the filmmaker, beyond self, and beyond conditionings and trauma.)
How can I take what I’ve learned or felt from this experience and put it into practicein my daily life? (Encourage the viewer to translate the experience into actionable steps.)
Shut-Down |
Hot Springs, NC
Dr. Tina Schermer Sellers, a seasoned therapist with no prior personal or professional ties to purity culture, shares a groundbreaking revelation from her practice. While examining countless case studies that presented symptoms resembling those of physical sexual abuse, she discovered an unsettling truth—there was no abuse. Instead, the common thread was the pervasive and damaging effects of shame. Her account shines a spotlight on the profound impact of purity culture and its insidious connection to deep-seated sexual shame.
