1. Sex Death Love War Sex is the source of life and the greatest pleasure known to living beings; yet sex is death. Love is the final redeeming feature of existence, the only proof that mind transcends the body, and hence the best evidence for the immortality of the soul. Yet love is war. The…
SPIRIT-PRIMAL FUSION 15. Spouse Above, Spouse Below Whatever might be said for or against the postmodern version of Madhurya Bhava, it’s definitely a Spirit-primal fusion ~ a fulfillment of our title theme. A sub-theme stated in the Prelude is to identify the source of the power of the marriage bond, and find new ways to…
SPIRIT-PRIMAL FUSION 14. The Story of a Psyche If we look into the depths of Thérèse’ soul ~ for which the Greek word is psyche ~ it may help us to better appreciate the nature of her sanctity, without dishonoring it in the least. The selected passages from The Story of a Soul in the…
SPIRIT-PRIMAL FUSION 13. The Spouse of Virgins Radha in Athens cites a number of historical figures who described experiences similar to her own in devotion to a spiritual Beloved. They include Mirabai, who immortalized her love for Krishna in beautiful poetry; the Sufi Jalalludin Rumi; and St. Thérèse of Lisieux, a Catholic nun. Thérèse lived…
SPIRIT-PRIMAL FUSION 12. Conjugal Union: Body, Soul, and God The West is thronged with postmodern Radhas, but the best I’ve found on the Web is one in Athens. A year ago my mind was blown reading her account titled My Madhurya Rasa Experience. Her site is still up but not this piece; fortunately I saved…
Spirit-Primal Fusion 11. O Brave New Age There’s no doubt that Madhurya Bhava was originally overtly erotic, and even hardcore among tantrists ~ i.e., the most advanced form of the praxis was actual intercourse, with the lusciously long delay before climax during which the couple would climb to the heights of dyadic spiritual experience. It…
SPIRIT-PRIMAL FUSION 10. The Divinely Feminine Avatari Another two hundred years passed, and the Krishna myth was taken up by the talented hand of Jayadeva, who penned the ultimate poem of erotic devotion: the Gita Govinda (Song of the Cowherd). Gone are the metaphysical symbols of bees and lotus, Sun and Moon, as we learn…
SPIRIT-PRIMAL FUSION 9. The Love-Slaves of God In the golden era when Indian civilization was at its height, and Eros was earnestly pursued as a spiritual discipline, many wondrous things took place that in the West would seem exceeding strange. The primal scenario of Pan or the Devil emerging from the forest to seduce the wives…
SPIRIT-PRIMAL FUSION 8. The Origin of the Oldest Profession With India ruled by the Muslims and Christianity prevailing in the West, the entire first half of the second millennium was a long era of sexual repression. A remnant of Shaktis continued their work covertly, with greatly modified temple dancing and other rituals. Many of the…
SPIRIT-PRIMAL FUSION 7. The Priestesses of Love In the palaces and temples of Aryavarta there flourished a network of chapels, theatres, and inner sanctums where people of all but the lowest caste could come and encounter ladies of the most impeccable pedigree. These women were called Shaktis: high priestesses of the erotic arts ~ or…
The Kin of Aries 