In Defense of the F-Bomb: A Brief, Irreverent, and Slightly Sacred History of Cussing
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By Shaman Isis
Spiritual Teacher | Consciousness Advocate | Lover of Divine Truth
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Let’s get something straight right out of the gate:
If consciousness is expanding, language should probably stretch its yoga pants too.
I’ve been called many things in my life, such as mystic, disruptor, spiritual provocateur, walking contradiction, but one of my most consistent “complaints” is this:
“You swear… a lot… for a spiritual leader.”
To which I lovingly reply (internally):
Who exactly decided that enlightenment sounds like a Victorian fainting couch?
Because here’s what fascinates me:
Some words are demonized, some are sanitized, and others, often far more violent or oppressive, walk freely through polite society without so much as a raised eyebrow.
So I got curious.
Who decides which words are “bad”?
Why is f$%k public enemy #1 while words rooted in domination, conquest, and control get a free pass?
And how did one tiny, punchy syllable become the most versatile spiritual tool in the English language?
Let’s unpack. (Gently. With humor. And possibly a well-placed f-bomb.)
Who the F$%k Decides What a “Bad Word” Is?
Short answer:
The Church, the Crown, and later, Corporate America.
Longer answer (because we’re grown-ups here):
Early English “cuss words” weren’t originally taboo because they were s(m)exual. They were taboo because they were sacred.
In medieval Europe, the most offensive things you could say involved:
God
Christ
The Holy Trinity
Swearing originally meant swearing an oath.
So when someone exclaimed “By God’s bones!” or “God’s wounds!” they weren’t being crude, they were committing spiritual fraud. That was the real offense.
Sexual words?
Those were mostly… practical.
Which brings us to our star of the show.
The Word F$%k: A Linguistic Shape-Shifter
Despite what your high school health teacher implied, f$%k did not descend from Satan’s mouth fully formed.
The word likely comes from old Germanic and Scandinavian roots:
fokken (Dutch) – to strike or thrust
fukka (Old Norse) – to copulate
ficken (German) – to rub or move back and forth
In other words:
Very physical. Very human. Very not shocking, until power structures got involved.
The real reason fuck became taboo wasn’t because it described sex.
It was because it described sex plainly, without romance, hierarchy, or moral varnish.
And power does not like plain truth.
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Why F$%k Is the Most Powerful Word in English
Linguistically speaking, f$%k is a miracle.
It is:
A noun (what the f$%k)
A verb (don’t f$%k with that)
An adjective (that’s f$%king brilliant)
An adverb (f$%kingly fast)
An interjection (f$%k!)
A spiritual mantra (f$%k it, surrender)
No other English word does this much work with this little effort.
And here’s the kicker:
It’s emotionally honest.
You don’t say f$%k when you’re dissociated.
You say it when something lands, pain, joy, rage, awe, surrender.
Which is why mystics, artists, soldiers, lovers, and people mid-awakening use it instinctively.
The word bypasses the intellect and goes straight to the nervous system.
That’s not vulgar.
That’s somatic truth.
The Real Hypocrisy Around “Bad Language”
Let’s be honest for a moment (because I’m very good at that).
We live in a world where:
Violence is normalized
Exploitation is monetized
Lies are professionalized
War is linguistically sanitized as “conflict”
Greed wears a suit and calls itself success
But f$%k?
That’s where we draw the moral line?
Interesting.
Words aren’t dangerous.
Intent is.
I’ve heard “God bless you” said with venom.
I’ve heard “f$%k” said with compassion, humor, and radical truth.
Language doesn’t corrupt souls.
Souls corrupt language.
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Why I Use Colorful Language (And Why I Also Restrain It)
Here’s the part where I let you in on a secret:
I don’t swear because I’m careless.
I swear because I’m precise.
Sometimes f$%k is the only word that:
Cuts through spiritual bypassing
Shakes people awake
Breaks false reverence
Returns us to our bodies
But here’s the other truth, one I actually live by:
Wisdom isn’t about self-expression at all costs.
It’s about discernment.
Yes, I don’t care what people think of me.
But I deeply care about impact.
Which brings us to…
The Shaman Isis Guide to Conscious Cussing
(Yes, Even I Have Rules)
DO:
Use strong language to puncture illusion, not inflate ego
Read the room, energy matters more than ideology
Swear for emphasis, not filler
Let words serve truth, not attention
Remember that silence can be more disruptive than profanity
Use humor, laughter is a spiritual solvent
DON’T:
Swear to dominate, belittle, or perform toughness
Drop f-bombs in spaces where people are emotionally unsafe
Confuse “being real” with being reckless
Use profanity as a shield against vulnerability
Forget that timing is everything (because it is)
Weaponize language and call it authenticity
Final Thought (Before Someone Clutches Their Pearls)
Consciousness isn’t polite.
Awakening isn’t tidy.
Truth doesn’t always wear linen and speak softly.
Sometimes enlightenment whispers.
Sometimes it laughs.
And sometimes it looks you dead in the eye and says:
“F$%k it. Let go.”
And honestly?
That might be the most sacred instruction of all.
With love, fire, and discernment,
Shaman Isis 🔥✨
