Eros and the Mysteries of Love
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"From this psychic seed spring the incubi which oppress women and the succubi which attack men."29 This is what the Germans called the Alpminne in the Middle Ages. Paracelsus was alluding here in a cryptic language to the ..." "The term "metaphysics" in the title of this book needs to be defined, for it will be used here with two distinct meanings. The first is commonly employed in philosophy, where metaphysics is understood as the search for first principles and fundamental meanings. The metaphysics of sex will therefore be the study of what from an absolute point of view is signified by the sexes and their interaction. There has been little precedence for this kind of research. After mentioning Plato and leaving aside certain hints found in mystical writings of the Renaissance — and also ignoring the theories of Boehme and some heterodox mystics influenced by him, up to and including Franz von Baader — only with Schopenhauer do we find a precursor. After him, we can only cite Weininger and, to a certain extent, Berdyaev and Klages. In the modern era and above all in our own day, studies of the problem of the sexes from anthropological, biological, sociological, eugenic, and psychoanalytic points of view have multiplied endemically; in fact, a neologism, "sexology," has been created to label research of this kind. But none of this has any relation to the metaphysics of sex. In this field, as in every other, our contemporaries have shown no interest in the search for ultimate meanings, or if they have, the search has appeared inconclusive and uninteresting; rather, they have thought to attain more important and serious knowledge by keeping to an empirical and more strictly human level, whenever their attention has not been focused on the pathological by-products of sex." --Eros and the Mysteries of Love |
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Eros and the Mysteries of Love: The Metaphysics of Sex is Julius Evola's work expanding on his ideas about sexuality described in his major work Revolt Against the Modern World, published in 1958 (English translation by Inner Traditions International, 1991).
Contents |
Summary
Evola sets out in this book to investigate the metaphysics of sex. He uses the term “metaphysics” in two ways. First, metaphysics means the “first principles” of a thing. Second, metaphysics means the “science that goes beyond the physical” (from the Introduction).
Sex in the Modern Era
- Evola argues that sexuality in the modern age has become depraved. His primary reference for this conclusion is the state of research on sex. He criticizes biological, sociological, psychological and sexological approaches to understanding sexuality as essentially shallow. Each discipline focuses on only one aspect, a lower aspect, of sexuality. Biologically deterministic arguments about sex -- that sexuality can be explained by the need to reproduce -- come under especially harsh criticism. Evola argues that the need to reproduce is one of the lowest aspects of and is in fact tangential to sexuality. He criticizes sexologists and investigators of sexuality from other disciplines for starting with lower, easier to understand aspects of sexuality (ie: reproduction) and deducing the higher aspects, the first principles, from them. Evola seeks instead to explain sexuality starting from first principles.
The Metaphysics of Sex
- Evola sets out to deduce the first principles of sexuality. His starting point is Plato’s ‘’Symposium’’ and the myth of the hermaphrodite. A myth in which mankind, in its pure form is a “hermaphroditic” form and was only later divided into two sexes, as the result of a fall (the Fall in the Judeo-Christian tradition, for example). Sex, then, is the attempt to reunite man and woman into “one flesh” (‘’Genesis 2:23-2’’). Sexuality, however, is not a “purely” spiritual act. Instead, the sexual act brings the spirit and the body closer together in order to attain unity. Evola, therefore, criticizes theories which overemphasize love and beauty to the extent that the physical side of sexuality is excluded or even found profane. He criticizes the ideal of platonic love in this way. A final myth which Evola explores is that of the birth of Eros to Poros and Penia, which, Evola argues, makes the point that Eros is the product at once of rationality and irrationality, being and emptiness. Thus sex has the ability to make one both (either) full and (or) empty. It is both the unity of man and woman and the driving force behind the never sated impulse to procreate.
Transcendental Aspects of Profane Love
- Drawing on numerous literary and mythological sources, Evola describes the manifestations of the transcendental state described in Part One in what he calls “Profane” love. Profane love is love (and sex) which does not have transcendency or unity as its object. This obviously includes sex for pleasure, but also sex for love. Evola describes how the language of lovers implicitly includes references to the transcendental. In other ways too, modern manifestations of love show their roots in the divine, transcendental metaphysics of sex. Perhaps the most important of these is the way that lovers use references to death during courtship (as well as coitus). For example, saying “I would die without you” or referring to the orgasm as the “little death.” This language refers back to the contradiction in the myth of Poros and Pennia, in which sex is both life and death and therefore hints at the true nature of eros.
Man and Woman
- In this section Evola describes the archetypes of absolute man and woman according to his traditional outlook. Man is represented by the sky, godliness, and form. Woman is represented by the earth and the waters, nature, and matter. Perhaps the two most important analogies are those of form and matter. The male principle is active and abstract, and (especially during copulation) gives form to the concrete and passive matter that is woman. Evola goes into considerable detail describing basic characteristics of the absolute male and absolute female that these paradigms encompass and their effects on relations between the sexes. Evola is careful to point out that all men and all women contain aspects of the absolute woman and man. Contrary to modern theory, however, Evola casts this as the failure of individual men and women to embody their divine character and as a result of the fall. Evola further argues that the “true difference between the natures of man and woman in no way implies a difference of worth” -- in other words that which is divine in woman is profane in man and vice versa, but is, in fact, divine in its proper place.
Transcendent Sexuality
- The second half of the book is devoted to historical examples of the kind of transcendental sexuality Evola describes in the first half. He considers Tantric sexuality, chastity as a means of transforming the sexual drive into higher forms, and pagan orgiastic rites among others. The Table of Contents below provides a good summary of the topics he broaches.
Table of Contents
- Introduction
I. Eros and Sexual Love
- The Evolutionary Prejudice - Love and Sex - Eros and the Instinct for Reproduction - The Myth and Genius of the Species - Eros and the Tendencey toward Pleasure - Sensual Pleasure - The Magnetic Theory of Love - The Degrees of Sexual Development - Physical Sex and Inner Sex - Conditional Nature and Forms of Erotic Attraction
II. The Metaphysics of Sex
- The Myth of the Hermaphrodite - Eros and the Various Degrees of Intoxication with It - The Biological Treatment and the Fall of Eros - Aphrodite Urania; Eros and Beauty - Lust and the Myth of Poros and Penia - Appendix - Homosexuality
III. Phenomena of Transcendency in Profane Love
- Sex and Human Values- "Everlasting Love," Jealousy, and Sexual Pride - Phenomena of Transcendency in Puberty - Love, the Heart, Dreams, and Death - The Love-Pain-Death Complex - Sensual Pleasure and Suffering: The Masochist-Sadist Complex - Erotic Ecstasy and Mystic Ecstasy - The Experience of Coitus - The Metaphysics of Modesty - The Meaning of the Orgy - Appendix: Marquis de Sade and the "Way of the Left Hand" - Rasputin and the Sect of the Khlysti
IV. Gods and Goddesses, Men and Women
- Mythology, Ontology, and Psychology - The Metaphysical Dyad - Demeter Archetypes and Aphrodite Archetypes, the Virgin, and Ultimate Nakedness - Typical Differentations of Manhood in Myth - Man and Female in Manifestation - On the Daemonic in the Feminine and the Symbolism of the Inverted Coitus - The Phallus and Menstruation - Male and Female Psychology - Woman as Mother and Woman as Lover - Pity, Sexuality, and Cruelty in Woman - The Fascination of Woman and Activity and Passivity in Sexual Love - The Ethics of the Sexes
V. Sacred Ceremonies and Evocations
- Wedlock as "Mystery" in the World of Tradition - Christianity and Sexuality - Sacred Prostitution and Holy Marriages - Incubus and Succubus; Fetishism and Evocatory Processes - Evocation Processes in the Chivalrous Love of the Middle Ages - The Initiatory Experiences of the Worshippers of Love - Appendix; The Meaning of the Sabbat and the Black Mass - The Doctrine of the Hermaphrodite in the Christian Mysticism
VI. Sex in the Realm of Initiations and Magic
- Transmutations and the Commandment of Chastity - The Techniques of Endogenous Transmutation in Kundalini-Yoga and Taoism - Sex in the Kabbala and Eleusinian Mysteries - Tantric Sexual Practices - Tantric Sexual Practices and Their Dangers - Secret Sexual Practices in Chinese Taoism - Arab Sexual Practices and Hermetic Symbology - The Myriam and the "Fire Magic" - The "Light of Sex" and the "Law of Telema" - The Presuppositions of Operative Sexual Magic
- Conclusion
- Notes
- Index
References
- Evola, Julius. ‘’Eros and the Mysteries of Love: The Metaphysics of Sex.” Vermont: Inner Traditions International, 1991. ISBN 0892813156
Index
Activity, and passivity, in sexual
love, 162-169 Adam and Eve, 138-139 Albedo, 2S7 Algolagnia, 87-88 Alpminne, 187 Amoroli-mudra y 237 Ananga Ranga, 194 Afiasuramete, 228 Anasurma, 102, 126 Aphrodite, 129, 133; archetypes,
127-130 Aphrodite Pandemia, 62 Aphrodite Teleia, 175 Aphrodite Urania, 54-57, 62 Apollo, 134 Apsarases, 104
Arab sexual practices, and hermetic symbology, 253-258 Ardvi, 126 Arkkai, 125 Aromal body, 29-30 Aropa,231,236,261,265 Arsamatidi, 18-19 Ars amatoria, 182,235 Artemis, 130 Asana, 223, 270 Astaroth, 209 Astarte, 128, 129 Astral light, and exaltation, 26- 27
Atman, 44, 91, 151 Ayesha, 138 Ayn el-qalb, 78
BahirmukhL 123 Baqa, 255
Barakah, 88, 253-254 Beauty, and eros, 54-57 Bcghards, 179, 229
Belly dance, 95-96 Bhagavad-Gita, 109, 112 Biological finalism, 17 Bisexuals, 65
Black Mass, and Sabbat, 202- 209
Black Opera, 257 Brahma, 108, 110 Brahmacharya, 218 Brothers of the Free Spirit, 46, 179,229,255
Chakra, 268
Chakreshvara, 268
Chandali, 242
Chang-k'i chen-chu y 250
Ch'ang-sheng, 246
Chastity, commandment, and
transmutations, 216-219 Chinese Taoism. See Taoism Chin kuan, 224 Chit-shakti, 122
Christianity, and sexuality, 177- 181
Christian mysticism,
hermaphrodite in, 210-215 Coagula, 256
Coitus: experience of, 90-96;
inverted, symbolism, 140-145 Coup de joudre, 37, 189, 191,
195, 201 Crowley, Aleister, 46, 264-267 Cruelty, in women, 160-162 Cybele, 130
Daemonic, in feminine, 140-145 Dakiniy 230
Dakshinachara, 111, 112 Dancing, and ecstasy, 90 Death, and love, heart, and dreams, 77-80
Decretism, 269 Deianeira, 243
Demeter, archetypes, 125-127
Dcvadasi, 182
Devotio, 129
Digambara, 134
Dignitas matrimonii, 173
Dohakosha, 239
Dolores, 161
Dominicans of Saint Catherine,
Convent at Prato, 180 Dragon, and tiger, 248-249 Dreams: and love, heart, and
death, 77-80; orgasm in, 20 Duhrah, 124
Durga, 128, 129, 130, 164-165, 230
Dvandvatita, 228
Ecstasy, erotic and mystic, 89-90 Elcusinian mysteries, 79; sex in,
225-228 Eliade, 104
Elisabeth of Genton, 89
Eros: and beauty, 54-57; biological treatment and fall of, 49-54; and instinct of reproduction, 12-15; intoxication with, 46-49; and tendency toward pleasure, 18- 19
Erotic attraction, and
conditional nature, 35-41 Erotic ecstasy, and mystic, 89-90 Ethics, of sexes, 169-171 Eulis Brotherhood, 268 Eunuchs, 35; sexual desire in, 20 Evocation: in chivalrous love of
Middle Ages, 191-195; and
fetishism, 186-191 Exaltation, and astral light, 26-
27
Excessus, 221
Excessus mentis, 200, 241
Fana, 255
Fang-chong-cfie-fa, 247-248 Fang-pi-shu, 79 Fat'hu-l-qalbylZ Female and male: in
manifestation, 135-140;
psychology, 150-156 Feminine, daemonic in, 140-145 Fetishism, and evocation, 186-
191
Finalism, biological, 17 Fire magic, and Myriam, 258- 261
Frank, Jokob, 46, 226 Fravashi, 129
Ganga, 127 Geltungstrieb, 72
Genius, 173-174; myth of, 15-19 Grihadevala, 174 Guna, 238
H athayogapradipika , 2 34 Hathor, 79, 85
Heart, love, dreams, and death,
77-80 Hebe, 133,243 Hebephrenia, 74, 76, 242 Heracles, 133-134, 243 Hermaphrodite: in Christian
mysticism, 210-215; myth of,
42-46
Hermetic Brotherhood of
Luxor, 268 Hermetic symbology, and Arab
sexual practices, 253-258 Heruka, 134
Hieros gamos , 79 , 175, 183
Holy Ghost, 124-125 Homosexuality, 62-66 Hormone intoxication, 21 Hsing, 224 Havareno, 124
Ianua Coeli, 262 IChing, 121,248 Iconic memory, 202-203 1 da ,220, 238' Incest, 143, 257
Incubus, and succubus, 186-191 Initiates' mania, 47 Inner sex, and physical sex, 32- 35
Intoxication: with eros, 46-49; hormone, 21
Ishtar, 128, 129
Jealously, everlasting love, and sexual pride, 70-73
Kabbala, sex in, 225-228 Kahna, 234
Kali, 122, 128, 129, 130 Kali Yuga, 229 Kama, 134, 233 Kama-marga, 230 Kamarupini, 123 Kamasutra, 92, 144-145, 183 Kamini, 156, 165 Khechari-mudra, 234 Khlysti, 79, 180-181; and
Rasputin, 112-114 Krishna, 116,237, 240 Krishna kumari, 129 Kuei, 224 Kula, 229
Kundahni, 95, 220-221, 236, 242-243, 245
Kundalini-yoga, endogenous transmutation in, 219-225
Lakshmi, 186 Lalana, 238
Lata-sadhana, 111, 145, 233 Lata-veshtitaka, 145, 233 Lectus genialis, 173 Lesbians, 63
Light: astral, and exaltation, 26- 27; and law of Telema, 261- 267
Lingam, 146, 184,221
Love: chivalrous, and evocation, 191-195; everlasting, and jealousy and sexual pride, 70- 73; and heart, dreams, and death, 77-80; magnetic theory, 22-27; mania, 47; and sex, 10-12; sexual, activity and passivity in, 162-169
Love-pain-death complex, 80-83
Lust, and myth of Poros and Penia, 57-62
Mag, 259
Magnetic theorv, of love, 22-27 Mahasukha, 241, 244, 254 Mahasukha-kaya, 241 Maitumas, festival of Waters, 104
Male and female: in
manifestation, 135-140;
psychology, 150-156 Malleus maleficarum, 163 Mana, 117, 126, 149, 150,238 Mandala, 183
Manhood, differentiations in
myth, 132-135 Manias, favorable, 47 Mara, 241
Marriages, holy, and sacred
prostitution, 181-186 Masochist-sadist complex, 83-89 Maya-shakti, 122-123, 162 Memory, iconic, 202-203 Menstruation, and phallus, 145-
150
Metaphysical dyad, 117-125 Ming y 224
Modesty, metaphysics of, 96- 102
Mors justiy 266 Mors osculi, 196
Mudra, 182, 231, 237, 239, 241, 270
Myriam, and fire magic, 258-261 Mysterium conjwictionis, 131 Mysterium transformationist 183 Mystic ecstasy, and erotic, 89-90 Mysticism, Christian,
hermaphrodite in, 210-215 Mythology, ontology, and
psychology, 115-117
Naglowska, Maria de, 261-263 Nahash, 132
Nakedness, ultimate, and
virgin, 130-132 Naturalism, 12-13 Nature, conditional, and erotic
attraction, 35-41 Nessus' cloak, 243-244 Nigredo, 257 Nivritti-marga, 110-111 Novalis,80,81,84,93,94, 110 Nubkah, 124 Nut, 143-144 Nyasa, 231 Nyctelia, 79
Ojas,218,219, 220
Ontology, mythology, and
psychology, 115-117 Opera, 256 Opus alchemic urn , 257 Opus transformations, 258 Ordo Tcmpli Orientis (OTO),
265,266 Orestes, 134
Orgy, 48; meaning of, 102-105 Ortlibians, 229 Osculum sub cauda, 207 0$ sacrum, 208 Ovid, 69
Padma, 184, 242 Panchatattva, 11 1 Parakiya, 232 Parvati, 134 Parzifal, 46
Passivity, and activity, in sexual
love, 162-169 Pazzi, Maria Maddalena dei, 89 Pederasty, 62-63,65 Penia and Poros, myth of, 57-62 Phallus, and menstruation, 145-
150
Physical sex, and inner sex, 32-
35 Pin, 26
Pingala, 220, 238
Pity, in women, 160-162
Pleasure: eros and tendency and
toward, 18-19; sensual, 19-22;
and suffering, 83-89 Poetic mania, 47 Poros and Penia, myth of, 57-62 Porta ermetica, 259 Posism, 269 Prajna, 241,242 Prakriti, 121-122, 123, 131, 144,
175, 230
Pravritti-marga, 110-111, 135 Prophetic mania, 47 Prostitution, sacred, and holy
marriages, 181-186 Psychology-: male and female,
150-156; mythology,
ontology, and, 115-117 Pubertv, transcendency in, 73-
77
Purusha, 121-122, 175 Purushamatra sambandhibhik,
141 Pyr, 259
Radha, 116,237, 240 Rajas, 220, 236, 237, 238-239, 240
Randolph, Pascal Beverly, 268-
272 Raptus, 91 Rasana, 238 Rasavadana, 49
Rasputin, and sect of Khlysti,
112-114 Rebis, 256, 257 Red Opera, 200, 257 Reproduction, instinct, and
eros, 12-15 Rubedo, 257 Rumi, 90
Sabbat, and Black Mass, 202-
209 Sacrum, 126
Sade, Marquis dc, and Way of
the Left Hand, 105-112 Sadharani, 233
Sadism, 105-112; and
masochism, 83-89 Sahaja, 242, 245 Sahaja-sukha, 237, 263
Samadhi, 241 Samanjasa, 233 Samanya rati, 232 Samarasa, 87, 236, 239 Samartha, 233 Samsara, 141, 241 Samskara, 36, 37, 174 Sattva, 220
Scotus Eriugena, 139-140, 267 Second wedding, rite of, 262 Sekhmet, 129-130 Sensual pleasure, 19-22; and
suffering, 83-89 Sex: evolutionary prejudice, 9-
10; and human values, 67-70;
in Kabbala and Eleusinian
mysteries, 225-228; light of,
261-267; and love, 10-12;
physical and inner, 32-35; in
world today, 6-8 Sexes, ethics, of, 169-171 Sexual development, degree of,
27-32
Sexuality: and Christianity, 177- 181; in woman, 160-162
Sexual love, activity and passivity in, 162-169
Sexual magic, operative, 267- 272
Sexual practices: Arab, and hermetic symbology, 253-258; secret, in Chinese Taoism, 245-253; Tantric, 228-234; Tantric, and dangers, 234-245
Sexual pride, everlasting love, and jealousy, 70-73
Shakti, 116, 122, 123, 136, 144, 221,229, 230,237, 241,242
Sheikh of the Mountain, 229
Shekhinah, 124, 137,258
Shing-mu, 128
Shiva, 108, 111, 116, 122, 123.
134, 146, 221,230,237, 242 Shiva-shakti, 122 Shukra, 236 Siddha, 111,243 Siddha-vira> 233 Sivananda Sarasvati, 218 Skoptzi, 113 Sky-Earth dyad, 120 Sophia, 125, 137,211, 212 Subha$hiia-samgrapha> 234 Succubus, and incubus, 186-191 Suffering, and sensual pleasure,
83-89 Sukha, 236 Sulfur, 256 Su-niu, dung, 250 Sura, 132
Sushumna, 221,222 Svadhanna, 1 1 1 Svalnyi grech, 113 Svarupa, 231 Svechchhaehari, 1 1 1 Sybolism, in inverted coitus, 140-145
Sybology, hermetic, and Arab
sexual practices, 253-258 Symbolon, 31
Tai-chi, 135, 224
Tantric sexual practices, 228-
234; and dangers, 234-245 Taoism: Chinese: secret sexual
practices in, 245-253;
endogenous transmutation in,
219-225 Fasts, 255 Tejas, 239, 252 Telema,lawof, 261-267 Telete, 47-48 Templars, 193
Theotokos, 258
Tiger, and dragon, 248-249
Tiroclerism, 270
Todestrieb, 84
Transmutations: and
commandment of chastity, 216-219; endogenous, in kundalini-yoga and Taoism, 219-225
Tsing, 23, 24
Tsri, 23
Upanishads,91,249 Upaya, 242 Urdhvaretas, 218 Ursulines Convent at Loudun, 187
Vajna, 174 Vajra, 242, 244, 269 Vajrayana, 229, 234, 238, 241 Valkyrie, 129
Values, human, and sex, 67-70 Varna, 111 Vamachara, 109, 111 Vampirism, psychic, 249 Varunani, 131 Vasana, 36 Veshya kumarika, 232 Viparita-maithuna, 122, 144- 145, 168
Virgin: defloration, 88-89; and ultimate nakedness, 130-132
Virya, 141, 146, 168, 219, 222, 225,234, 238,271
Vishesha rati, 231
Vishnu, 108, 110-111
Volancie, 269
Vrishadhirudhaka, 233
Waters, 103-104, 119, 126-128
Way of the Left Hand, 46, 109, 111-112, 136, 228; and Marquis de Sadc, 105-112
Way of the Right Hand, 111,112
Wedding, second, rite of, 262
Wedlock, as mystery in world of tradition, 173-177
White Opera, 257
Witchcraft, 162-163
Woman: fascination of, 162; in manifestation, 135-140; as mother and as lover, 156-160; pity, sexuality, and cruelty in, 160-162; psychology of, 150- 156
Worshippers of love, 193-195;
initiatory experiences, 195-
202 Wu> 163
Yakshini, 230
Yang andjm, 23, 29, 30, 31, 40, 49, 120-121, 136, 224, 246, 248-249, 252
Yin-tao, 247
Yogini, 230,231,236
Yam, 184
Yonishthana, 242
Yoshamagnin dhyayita, 174
Zivugah kadishah, 124 Zohar, 186