Hedone, Goddess of Sensual Pleasure - A Passionfruit Valentine's Campaign

RECLAIMING THE NARRATIVE OF HEDONE AS A PATH TO ECSTASY

Lover of pleasure, goddess of ecstasy, Hedone invites you to explore your shamelessly decadent, fully voluptuous self. Dive into a realm where sensual self-indulgence is the only goal, arousal is the highest principle, and pleasure reigns supreme. 

As the only daughter of the god Eros and goddess Psyche, Hedone demonstrates that the way to pleasure is via the union of love and soul, in a world of deep, carnal hedonism.

With a shot of his arrow, Eros would draw romantic partners to one another, compelled by desire and sexual attraction. But, when Eros met the mortal princess Psyche, the embodiment of soul, breath and life and more beautiful than his mother Aphrodite, he was struck by his own arrow and fell deeply in love.

Their union of desire and soul birthed their daughter Hedone, who was the personification of pleasure; a perfect harmony of the magnetic sexual attraction that Eros inspired, blended with Psyche's deep connection to nature and self.

Greek mythology's profound understanding of sensuality being the movement of the soul during pleasure informs our February campaign.

The patriarchy has never approved of an openly sexual woman. Poster boy for the patriarchy, Aristotle, labelled her "a malady upon mankind". Other leading philosophers accused Hedone of being a dangerous force and a source of corruption. Stoics believed her to be a wellspring of wickedness, anathema to the virtues of logic and rationale that they so admired. Basically, slut shaming 101 in 350BC.

Critics of hedonism have long sought to attach morality to pleasure and, perversely, to assume that hedonistic pleasure is purely physical in its origins. Pleasure for pleasure's sake was not considered 'virtuous' and there lies the source of shame for so many of us who disallow pleasure to be the compass through which we navigate life.

Before these killjoy, party-pooping, white-boy philosophers came along, hedonism wasn't a negative. On the contrary, Hedone brought joy and delight to one's life. This negative view toward pleasure by the leading minds of the ancient world has continued to influence our perception of hedonism today.

hedonism 

noun

1. the pursuit of pleasure; sensual self-indulgence.

Ancient writers, religious scholars and philosophers have certainly denied us sensual pleasure, shamed our desires and created a culture that values logic over feeling; perhaps even idealised the absence of pain over actually feeling alive.

What we can learn from Hedone is the intrinsic value of bringing sensuality, infused with love (Eros) and soul (Psyche), into our lives. Choosing pleasure as a priority and a birthright is her message. Sensuality is human. It is inherent within us and can be accessed at any time. If we have a body we are sensual beings, Hedone does not discriminate.

Embracing sensuality, resisting the patriarchy, reclaiming pleasure and infusing it with love and soul is our message this Valentine's season. Be your own deity of ecstasy and revel in your sexual power.