The Hetaera-Hierodule-Naditu-Devadasi were/are women dedicated to serving the goddess of love in her temples, providing Sacred Intimate, transpersonal, sexual healing service that merges spirituality with sex in sacred ceremony.

In ancient times there were “Love Temples” devoted to the goddess of Love where temple priestesses—Sacred Intimates or "prostitutes" provided a vital service to the holistic health of the community.

Far from profane prostitution’s appeal to base 'reproductive' sexual desires and release of tension, the ceremonies performed by the temple priestesses connected spirit with sex through ritual and intention. A man didn’t go to the temple to purchase sex, he went to request a ceremony that was significant to his life circumstances -which he paid for. That ceremony included sex acts, with spiritual intention, and in the 'container' of ceremony devoted to the goddess.

Most of the ancient Sacred Intimates were women, priestesses, who were supported by a priesthood who assisted in the initiation, training, caring for, guiding and protecting priestess adepts at the temple.

The book “The Sacred Prostitute: Eternal Aspect of the Feminine” by Nancy Qualls-Corbett, describes the sacred prostitute’s raison d’etre (pg. 40):   “…was to worship the goddess in love-making, thereby bringing the goddess’ love into the human sphere.” —read more.