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The Functions of the Orgasms: The Highways to Transcendence
'Fetus ejection reflex', 'milk ejection reflex', 'sperm ejection reflex', 'orgasmogenic cocktail'...These are examples of terms used by Michel Odent in his study of the ecstatic/orgasmic states associated with different episodes of human sexual life. This book about male and female orgasms is an opportunity to convince anyone that humanity is at a turning point. Due to the improved technique of medically assisted conceptions and cesareans, the advances in anesthesiology and pharmacology, and the development of the food industry, women can now conceive a baby, give birth and feed their infant without relying on the release of 'cocktails of love hormones'. Human intelligence and ingenuity have made love hormones redundant. Let us think long-term and let us raise questions in terms of civilization. The future of humanity is at stake.
149 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2008
16 people are currently reading
159 people want to read
About the author
Michel Odent
120 books83 followersFor several decades Michel Odent has been instrumental in influencing the history of childbirth and health research.
As a practitioner he developed the maternity unit at Pithiviers Hospital in France in the 1960s and '70s. He is familiarly known as the obstetrician who introduced the concept of birthing pools and home-like birthing rooms. His approach has been featured in eminent medical journals such as Lancet, and in TV documentaries such as the BBC film Birth Reborn. With six midwives he was in charge of about one thousand births a year and could achieve ideal statistics with low rates of intervention. After his hospital career he practiced home birth.
As a researcher he founded the Primal Health Research Center in London (UK), which focuses upon the long-term consequences of early experiences. An overview of the Primal Health Research data bank ( www.birthworks.org/primalhealth) clearly indicates that health is to a great extent shaped during the primal period (from conception until the first birthday). It also suggests that the way we are born has long-term consequences in terms of sociability, aggressiveness or, otherwise speaking, capacity to love.
Michel Odent has developed a preconceptional program (the "accordion method") in order to minimize the effects of intrauterine and milk pollution by synthetic fat soluble chemicals such as dioxins, PCBs, etc. His other research interests are the non-specific long term effects on health of early multiple vaccinations.
Author of approximately 50 scientific papers, Odent has 11 books published in 21 languages to his name. In his books he developed the art of turning traditional questions around, looking at the question of “how to develop good health” rather than at that of “how to prevent disease”, and at the question of “how the capacity to love develops”, rather than at that of “how to prevent violence”. His books The Scientification of Love and The Farmer and the Obstetrician raise urgent questions about the future of our civilizations. His latest book ('The Caesarean') has been published in April 2004.
As a practitioner he developed the maternity unit at Pithiviers Hospital in France in the 1960s and '70s. He is familiarly known as the obstetrician who introduced the concept of birthing pools and home-like birthing rooms. His approach has been featured in eminent medical journals such as Lancet, and in TV documentaries such as the BBC film Birth Reborn. With six midwives he was in charge of about one thousand births a year and could achieve ideal statistics with low rates of intervention. After his hospital career he practiced home birth.
As a researcher he founded the Primal Health Research Center in London (UK), which focuses upon the long-term consequences of early experiences. An overview of the Primal Health Research data bank ( www.birthworks.org/primalhealth) clearly indicates that health is to a great extent shaped during the primal period (from conception until the first birthday). It also suggests that the way we are born has long-term consequences in terms of sociability, aggressiveness or, otherwise speaking, capacity to love.
Michel Odent has developed a preconceptional program (the "accordion method") in order to minimize the effects of intrauterine and milk pollution by synthetic fat soluble chemicals such as dioxins, PCBs, etc. His other research interests are the non-specific long term effects on health of early multiple vaccinations.
Author of approximately 50 scientific papers, Odent has 11 books published in 21 languages to his name. In his books he developed the art of turning traditional questions around, looking at the question of “how to develop good health” rather than at that of “how to prevent disease”, and at the question of “how the capacity to love develops”, rather than at that of “how to prevent violence”. His books The Scientification of Love and The Farmer and the Obstetrician raise urgent questions about the future of our civilizations. His latest book ('The Caesarean') has been published in April 2004.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
August 9, 2021
Skvelá kniha plná skúseností jedného z najznámejších pôrodníkov na svete. Je najmä o tom, akú úlohu zohráva oxytocín pri pôrode a dojčení, a ako sa z najprirodzenejšej veci na svete, stala v 20.storočí vysoko inštitucionalizovaná záležitosť bez intimity, ktorá sa zo spálne presunula do nemocníc.
February 28, 2019
I loved some themes, and was confused by some others. I don't agree with all the connections that Michel Odent does, or with some of the conclusions that he comes to, but it was interesting to read of his perspective nevertheless.
I took my sweet time reading and digesting the content of this short book because I feel that it is so important nowadays, not only for midwives but for everyone, to re-think the way we talk (and think) of birth, sex, breastfeeding and orgasms. Recommend.
I took my sweet time reading and digesting the content of this short book because I feel that it is so important nowadays, not only for midwives but for everyone, to re-think the way we talk (and think) of birth, sex, breastfeeding and orgasms. Recommend.
November 27, 2019
My main question while reading this book was not so much about its content but rather:
"Dear Michel, why did you write this book? Do we really need another male medical professional writing to women how birth and sex operate?"
Well, apparently we did, and once I did let my prejudice go, I did enjoy this. I feel I gained quite some understanding of the function of hormones during birth while selecting a mate, breastfeeding, as well as learned about sex-related traditions in various cultures.
Odent's main argument is that by intruding the most intimate, and potentially most transcendent experience that most women undergo (birth), men have not only severed the most healthy and natural way of bonding between the mother and the child but in reality, prevented women from accessing highly mystical states.
The following quote reveals the underlying assumption of our disconnection from the earth as being reflective of the way in which births are managed in contemporary culture.
"Studying possible routes to transcendence finally leads us to constantly refer to the factors that make human groups 'successful'. Cohesion is one of them. Another one is the development of a certain form of aggressiveness, since, for thousands of years, history has been to a great extent related to harsh conflicts between human groups. Let us dream of a time when history will be mostly about the symbiotic relationship between Humanity and the Mother Earth..."
The ideas in this book are valuable and clearly presented. It is not a complicated read for anyone, although it entails relatively complex terminology relating to physiology during pregnancy and birth. Three stars, because although I did enjoy the book, I remained a little skeptical about the authors' lack of the first-hand experience.
"Dear Michel, why did you write this book? Do we really need another male medical professional writing to women how birth and sex operate?"
Well, apparently we did, and once I did let my prejudice go, I did enjoy this. I feel I gained quite some understanding of the function of hormones during birth while selecting a mate, breastfeeding, as well as learned about sex-related traditions in various cultures.
Odent's main argument is that by intruding the most intimate, and potentially most transcendent experience that most women undergo (birth), men have not only severed the most healthy and natural way of bonding between the mother and the child but in reality, prevented women from accessing highly mystical states.
The following quote reveals the underlying assumption of our disconnection from the earth as being reflective of the way in which births are managed in contemporary culture.
"Studying possible routes to transcendence finally leads us to constantly refer to the factors that make human groups 'successful'. Cohesion is one of them. Another one is the development of a certain form of aggressiveness, since, for thousands of years, history has been to a great extent related to harsh conflicts between human groups. Let us dream of a time when history will be mostly about the symbiotic relationship between Humanity and the Mother Earth..."
The ideas in this book are valuable and clearly presented. It is not a complicated read for anyone, although it entails relatively complex terminology relating to physiology during pregnancy and birth. Three stars, because although I did enjoy the book, I remained a little skeptical about the authors' lack of the first-hand experience.
May 13, 2015
Fascinating look at the role of orgasms.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews