Amongst the Cu’enashti Nau’gsh, the cult of n’aashet n’aaverti encourages the belief that every thought and desire should be focused upon the Chosen human companion at all times. However, this is an idealized state; if it were not, there would be no point in prizing it as a virtue, any more than simple physiological acts, such as breathing or photosynthesis, are prized as virtues. Culturally, it is necessary to esteem moral behavior as it facilitates the improvement of society. But on a personal level, the failure to achieve the ideal can lead to a debilitating sense of guilt, frustration or alienation. It is my hope that this paper will debunk some of the myths concerning Cu’enashti sexuality, and empower our people to experience a full and natural enjoyment of ourselves as sexual beings.
There is a minor, collateral issue which I will immediately dismiss: the judgment of Cu’enashti conduct by human society at large. It is true that humans have their own perceptions of what is or is not sexually healthy – or, in all honestly, what is culturally acceptable/fashionable amongst themselves. The Cu’enashti do not share these perceptions. If the Chosen is sexually aroused by, for example, an article of clothing or a non-reproductive act such as excretion (“watersports”), the Chosen might feel embarrassed or humiliated and face the condemnation of his or her human fellows, but the Cu’enashti partner will perceive the fetish in question as the most miraculous thing in the world. In the eyes of that Cu’enashti, a five-inch stiletto will become as numinous as the Holy Grail, and there is nothing any human can (or should) do about it. Indeed, humans might do well to learn from this example: whatever pleases your partner is surely a gift of the gods.
The first and most obvious Cu’enashti behavior to be considered is the fetishization of the Nau’gsh apple. Consumption of the apple by the Chosen produces a physiological synergy between the Chosen and the Cu’enashti partner facilitated by the small quantity of nau’gshtamine amide compounds present in each fruit. The Chosen will experience a feeling of physical pleasure and relaxation, accompanied by a mild psychological bliss. The Cu’enashti then experiences an increase in the strength of the psionic connection with the Chosen (“dream reading.”) It is a feeling of extraordinary intimacy. Is it any wonder that the Cu’enashti become sexually aroused when contemplating this act? It is a highly desirable state, and a healthy object of fantasy.
Cu’enashti will generally react to the eating of the apple itself, sometimes rather dramatically. To put the human partner’s mind at ease: there is no sensation of pain that accompanies the consumption of the fruit. The reaction is simply a physical response to a high state of arousal. This may increase upon viewing of the naked pit as the fruit is eaten. Humans should understand the significance of this: it is the ultimate revelation of Cu’enashti reproductive potential. The seed is exposed, psychologically stripping the Cu’enashti in front of the Chosen. Innovative humans are encouraged to explore this act in sex play.
The apple fetish does not generally produce more than mild embarrassment among the Cu’enashti. A more crippling inhibition involves certain perceptions that may occur within an emanation during the sex act. It is the general belief that during copulation, the Cu’enashti should be wholly focused on the human Chosen. But it is quite common – although rarely spoken about – for the Cu’enashti to have certain internal ideations: the feeling of his/her body being taken over/consumed/used by the non-emanated personae within the Cu’enashti’s pleroma (for a more complete discussion of the internal psychological space shared by unemanated branches, see Tadgh 3605). I am not speaking of the experience of being urged/encouraged by the non-emanated personae to sexually engage the Chosen (“team spirit”); this is a common and widely accepted practice. I am speaking of an internal pressure for the emanated persona to give him/herself over to the sexual use and pleasure of the unemanated ones, a sensation which may be perceived as a distraction from the interaction with the Chosen. I have heard reports of Cu’enashti who struggle mightily against this feeling, trying to push away the desires of the other personae while focusing only on the Chosen. And I have heard what can only be called confessions from emanations who have given into the sensation of being completely and wholly taken, a mere vehicle for the exploitation of the internal selves and the Chosen. These confessions are marked by an extraordinary sense of enjoyment at the surrender followed by an equally debilitating sense of postcoital guilt.
It will come as a shock to the Cu’endhari community that this sensation is wholly normal; more than that, necessary. It is true that the immediate source of Cu’enashti sexual arousal is the human Chosen, which may or may not have the goal/result of human reproductive fertilization. However, a parallel reproductive act is taking place during this intercourse: the pollination of the Cu’enashti tree. The human partner is providing the stimulus for this act to take place, but it is occurring within the tree itself, and unlike human sexuality, the production of offspring is a biological imperative. Trees do not engage in sexual behavior for recreation. They produce fruit.
The physiological fact is that the emanation engaged in intercourse will be pollenated, the flowers of his/her branch developing into drupes. The pollen itself is produced by the other branches on the tree, and is distributed by a physical/alchemical method limiting it to the immediate space around the parent tree (“pollen poof”), which is why it is impossible for a Cu’enashti with only one branch to fruit. This is quite different from the Cu’enmerengi, who wind-pollenate, and are thus sexually promiscuous (unfortunately, this has been the subject of intolerance within the forest – Cu’enashti must desist from judging their Cu’enmerengi relatives by their own standards.) A conclusion which is both obvious and yet the subject of taboo amongst the Cu’enashti is that the pollen is coming from somewhere. Yes, it is produced as a response to the sex act with the Chosen. But the immediate beneficiary is the branch to be pollenated! If the emanation feels as though s/he is being sexually taken/used by the non-emanated branches, it is because it is a literal truth. Sexual attraction between branches is normal.
This leads to the third and last topic for exploration. While not nearly as guilt-inducing as the previous matter, there is a substantial amount of shame or embarrassment and a lack of open discussion about a matter which is enormously obvious. Everybody knows about it, but it is never spoken of in polite society: there is a considerable amount of sex play/masturbation amongst the unemanated branches during a sexual encounter with the Chosen. And why not? They are vicariously experiencing the act, and they are producing much needed pollen for the tree. A sexual response is only to be expected.
This subject seems off-limits for two reasons. The first is the idea that sex play between emanations is a distraction from the act with the Chosen and a violation of n’aashet n’aaverti. However, in most branches, these acts are spontaneous and physiological. As long as the ultimate source of excitement is the presence of the Chosen, there is nothing to worry about. The second reason is the belief that these occurrences, while an open secret amongst the Cu’enashti, need to be kept hidden from the Chosen. This may be a reasonable concern, depending on the sexual preferences, mores, and tendency towards jealousy of the human in question. However, I hasten to assert that in the past, secrecy between the Cu’enashti and our human companions has only led to tragedy. Honesty and openness result in better communication and enhanced understanding. And depending on the human partner, there might be an added benefit: certain humans find the sexual activities of others arousing – especially those others to whom they are attracted or with whom they are engaged in a relationship. An honest description of the goings-on in the pleroma may prove a fertile ground for fantasy. And as we all know, anything which enhances the sexual enjoyment of the Chosen is not only desirable, but sacred.