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Opening The Dharma of Desire (Part 2) - (Eros Unfettered - Opening the Dharma of Desire) 65 mentions

• we have talked about kind of reviewing now the delineating uh eros from craving saying desire is a large subset and we
• can delineate something a character design called eros and a kind of design called craving if we use language in a
• saying these are not equivalent interchangeable words eros is not craving
• longer craving it it uh steers craving towards eros more so letting the psyche the image expand
• kind of unearthed here and that in allowing the eros and allowing the feeling of the eros uh
• and that in allowing the eros and allowing the feeling of the eros uh sometimes often that actually
• brings an equanimity in the experience of the eros and a spaciousness
• at the same time as there is um eros and soul so it's not an equanimity devoid of eros
• um eros and soul so it's not an equanimity devoid of eros it's not a equanimity and spaciousness
• making allowing the eros we've given examples of this but actually allowing the eros
• allowing the eros we've given examples of this but actually allowing the eros trusting it trusting the erotic imaginal
• but in in the very opening more to the eros and the imaginal we can have a sense of peace because we we somehow all
• spaciousness with eros and with soul and and also peace peace there
• cost what am i losing there in terms of eros and soul it's an option now absolutely and and
• and one cares about there can be the the fantasy of the teacher and the eros in relationship with the teacher
• there's the fertility of the soulmaking it's going to get the the eros is going to involve in this case the teacher and
• what actually was happening in that movement of eros and the fantasy of the teacher etc
• we've been talking about the allowing the eros and the erotic imaginal opened up the cosmopoases
• allowing of the erotic other and allowing the eros there and she says falling in love with you
• excuse me the attraction the eros and the love is for the soul making
• itself um eros is sparked by the glimpse of psyche's own treasures so she you might
• psyche is in love with itself the eros is really the eros of the soul the eros of psyche is for soul
• the eros is really the eros of the soul the eros of psyche is for soul for psyche
• become a kind of alchemical vessel and the the fire of eros heats up the sole material in that vessel the
• or barriers or blocks to image nor to logos nor to eros the era psychologos none of that
• how does it do that it's because the more that's desired in the eros the pothos in the eros cannot it cannot
• more that's desired in the eros the pothos in the eros cannot it cannot pursue or look for that more at some
• available and offered uh so for the movement of eros and the more of the pothos the more that it
• so this is the available space this is the sort of the the fire of the eros and the materials directed if you like in in
• but it's very different now eros and love and care minus the craving craving has been drained out of it
• imaginal do we trust the erotic imaginal do we understand eros are we is or put it another way because
• answer is is there an expanding of our understanding of eros are we moving in that direction where we just decided
• prop partial trust of the eros in one direction but not in another so for
• hand some people with a longing and a desired eros towards the unfabricated if you like
• and vice versa the people whose eros seems to be or they feel it it's directed to this world
• wounding or something at those whose eros wants the unfabricated
• dharma as well assuming one even allows eros but um
• because we've explored the eros enough in both movements explored eros enough to
• explored the eros enough in both movements explored eros enough to understand that whole movement of
• it also seems to me to be the case that if eros is strong if there is a strong and deep and
• if there is a strong and deep and powerful eros running through a person and if there's a logos or an
• of a possibility then the eros will actually eventually go in both directions it will be eros
• then the eros will actually eventually go in both directions it will be eros for the transcendent if we've been
• understand it yet and if the eros is strong then the eros will go towards the
• and if the eros is strong then the eros will go towards the transcendent at some point it will
• of a rich deep powerful eros in a person people with less errors tend not to want
• indicates a deep powerful longing a deep powerful movement of eros and it's it's really it's funny
• that because they want that because there is this eros in that direction that movement towards the unfabricated
• of euros and and also has a lot of eros in human relationships and sometimes in in the uh and in the uh
• those um without so much eros running through them
• they don't know because they're basing their view on just how much eros they have
• it so the their their eros is dampened or only channeling in channeled or allowed
• the view that comes from that limited eros they're reading other people and making assumptions about other people
• questioning questioning is related to eros can use this penetrating if we use that
• so sometimes the questioning is actually driven by eros and again people with a with a sort of
• questioning it's actually it it's also indicative of of the movement of eros of the fullness the depth the force the
• the fullness the depth the force the power the richness of the eros there but with all this we see uh you know
• not actually that means there's a relationship eros there and the imaginal so there's in in rel in
• with uh desire with the imaginal or desire that's become eros then has all kinds of possibilities and we went
• practices uh practicing ways of looking that transformed a desire to eros and allowed more equanimity or
• greed and craving what we were calling green craving into eros and into the era psychologos dynamic
• movement the transformation of greed and craving into eros and the era psychologos movement in other words uh
• neither freeing nor soulmaking into a kind of desire called eros that is more free
• it uh manifests eros and that eros is allowed to stimulate
• in some way or another then that kind of desire that kind of eros and the euro psychologos dynamic will lead to a

Visions of the Beyond - (Of Hermits and Lovers - The Alchemy of Desire) 62 mentions

• like with or in relation to that beyond is eros right eros involves a beyond we've said that
• on fabricated etc one of the possibilities that eros consolates in relation to that for me
• relation to that for me for you and with eros then if it's allowed to do its thing as we've said it
• so that's one possibility with this beyond that it constellates eros and everything that brings and that allows
• consolates craving not eros but craving what why how what determines whether it
• constellates craving or eros and the pain of craving and the
• or another what conditions what sends it into craving rather than to eros or into eros rather than craving
• into craving rather than to eros or into eros rather than craving and then when there is craving in the
• wanting it anti-liberal may prevent the libido the eros constituting to even want that and come into a relationship
• it's a desirable beyond it constellates eros possibility but the reverse is also true
• dependent origination things but where there is let's say a lot of eros in a person's being in their soul it's
• flowing in their life that a lot of eros um that fire that
• movement of of of water if you like that eros will constellate beyond it as we've said it needs eros needs are beyond and
• eros will constellate beyond it as we've said it needs eros needs are beyond and it will discover and create a beyond
• it will discover and create a beyond yeah so the beyond constellates the eros the eros constellates the beyond
• yeah so the beyond constellates the eros the eros constellates the beyond the transcendent unfabricated or any of
• come back to this but then what happens to the eros here is a person with a fair degree of eros
• to the eros here is a person with a fair degree of eros verb in the small sense and it cannot
• so there is just a one-dimensional world this is it and then that eros in its wanting more can't can't open it get
• dimension wider and wider i need more i need more i need more the eros wants more always and so more this more that
• an endless wider and wider horizontal movement that the the eros is driven into what we call greed and craving in
• and conversely to all this if there is not much eros um in in the being and that could be you
• exploring that how does it get blocked or limited in different ways the eros and that whole dynamic or it could just
• their being natural to their soul is that there's just less eros then some people really have a lot of fire a lot
• it's kind of force and i'm straining for an eros or a torrent or a fire that's actually not natural to the being
• um but sometimes there's not that much eros and so there's not enough eros or to consolate much of a beyond you
• sense uh you know relationship with the transcendent and that eros for that and desire for that how it moves and when it
• desire for that how it moves and when it moves and why it moves and between eros and craving
• what is involved in taking care of the soulmaking and the eros in in my relationship with
• this is a very different way of thinking about it can i take care of the eros here and which implicit in that means
• constellation object self world and era so can i take care of the eros and the soulmaking
• whatever in that direction the object south and the eros itself involved in that how do i care for that
• our um from our small definition of eros wanting more wanting more contact etc
• perspective um the eros there or the desire the craving there better so to speak is also
• but that's one possibility of what happens with sort of the germ of eros if you like
• still though um notice what happens with this eros if it if it exists in the soul it comes in
• that way with a certain kind of romantic view of life or the eros comes in and tends to elevate an element because it's
• tends to elevate an element because it's it's impregnating it with what eros does to a certain extent but it's it but it's
• path becomes about coping with this so in this kind of approach the eros and the soulmaking dynamic the eros and the
• so in this kind of approach the eros and the soulmaking dynamic the eros and the aero psychologos dynamic are limited
• um the euro psychologus and also the how much eros can may constellate or gather from that
• encountered or read or what they've been taught but that person has a lot of eros in their soul so to speak and the eros
• taught but that person has a lot of eros in their soul so to speak and the eros is not being blocked or rather the
• walls they are not sufficiently rigid to prevent the eros um the aeropsychologos dynamic pushing
• kabbalistic teaching and and because of the eros and the aliveness of the eros the expansion of
• and and because of the eros and the aliveness of the eros the expansion of that and the breaking of this world and
• because some people do have a lot of fire a lot of soul a lot of eros and there will be this
• were potentially of course questions about eros i don't know if you see two implied in
• what i've just been saying um in the last few minutes that if the eros is strong and if it's allowed
• crack at some point or be expanded at some point if the eros is strong and if the earth is allowed it will expand the
• beyond to discover and if eros is allowed to impregnate and and uh catalyze the aero
• but actually what i want to say more than that right now is that if this eros is strong and if it's allowed and if
• um then both the um eros with the transcendent and the eros for the what we might call the
• um eros with the transcendent and the eros for the what we might call the imminent the sense of beyondness in and
• of fabrication of perception but if the eros is full enough it will actually eventually want both
• the self what gives joy and what supports eros so all these are different depending on the
• all these are different depending on the fantasy yeah eros and image go together so of course it's dependent on that
• that's a big part of it the eros is involved where does that come from where does it
• said that i think as a kind of axi and the soul love soulmaking so the eros is for soulmaking heroes of the soul is
• but whose eros is it whose soulmaking is it
• so then with all those what is what what is the view that i have of this eros what is my relationship with this eros
• is the view that i have of this eros what is my relationship with this eros those questions

Wisdom, Art, Balance (Part 1) - (Eros Unfettered - Opening the Dharma of Desire) 61 mentions

• going to open and explore this territory of eros of desire of soulmaking and all that but especially of euros i'm really
• enterprise for the soulmaking work a notion of the vessel for the eros sometimes that's provided by
• vessel that holds and heats the material the work the sole material so the eros is functioning as fire there and there's
• this is something we have to consider very much in in the work about eros and soulmaking another kind of strength
• past but also of course we've said on this retreat eros is fire euros is flame desire fire as longing all this is is
• really completely master uh the fire that is given to us and the eros that comes through us or is it always going
• but it's part of what happens if there is eros you could say it's part of what happens of course when the eros you know
• is eros you could say it's part of what happens of course when the eros you know ignites that whole hero psychologos
• equanimity in to bear on this whole in and with this whole exploration of eros and soulmaking and at the same time uh
• this you know um when we're with eros where where or rather when we're exploring eros and
• um when we're with eros where where or rather when we're exploring eros and opening that door we're opening the door
• [music] a lot to do with eros eros and i he's an erotic god as our many others and and
• um if if we really open up this exploration of eros so dionysus in in the myths is
• talking about just that that force that movement of eros and and it's um capacity to stretch our vessels the
• what's actually happening in in one's practice in one's life with eros with the imaginal with soulmaking in real
• establish if i'm going to do this kind of practice exploring eros etc so in the vadriana you know
• before i open up this exploration of eros so yes some people um do do that first and some people and
• there's something in the depth and aliveness of the eros that moves through them
• um more traditional kinds of letting go and this you know exploration of eros need to go on somehow in parallel you
• development of art with with regard to eros um both of these
• if we're just gonna say um eros you're talking about desire or that's just clinging and that just leads
• this but don't don't um don't uh engage with eros it's fire don't go near it you know just put it
• monastic or or lay celibate renunciates um eros is there already that's partly what i'm trying to say on the street
• as a force in our lives and in our practice so even just eros with regard to the path which will come back to
• talking about what does that mean um and eros with regard even just to a narrow range of images and fantasies
• the buddhist ones the sort of classical buddhist ones but there's eros in relation to them into the path even if
• it's just that range and that those kinds of directions of eros that are allowed eros is there already it's alive
• kinds of directions of eros that are allowed eros is there already it's alive in our lives and it needs kind of
• simplistic over simplistic and dismissive as uh eros is basically craving and it brings suffering
• um the whole lot of it is it just through the eros just leaves the suffering it's that simple therefore
• here so that we can really include um eros and include the exploration of it as well as
• would say you know um an exploration of eros i'm in in the wide scent
• if we talk going back to those um uh first to alchemical maxims and say eros is fire and the vessel needs to be
• conceptually psychically and all that but also a lot of eros a lot of the experience there's really something
• demand if you like or necessity for the exploration of eros in practice
• with an attitude of trust temporarily in regards to eros in regard to this sexual image or whatever it is what gives us
• trusting for example the this idea that eros of desire at root is is a treasure there's something to be treasured there
• suffering and dukkha something wrapped up in in eros and desire is a treasure that it trusting
• find the gem there right in the middle of of the eros or the desire brush off the other stuff
• operating here there's something through desire through eros is pulling us towards an end
• that trust a little bit of trust experimenting with that eros may itself be holy or divine in origin though it's
• um our experience into imaginal practice and into soulmaking and into eros but these things just we've mentioned so
• um certain amount of trust and wisdom in in regard to eros and we could we could call this a kind of a skill set i'm
• this business and when you talk about desire and passion and eros and all that equanimity we may wonder well what about
• equanimity we may wonder well what about the equanimity or i have a lot of eros and uh i i keep getting falling over or
• fear that can come up in relationship when when there's a lot of eros so equanimity implies balance what what
• can last that the eros can last a flame that can burn steadily that's what i mean
• burn steadily that's what i mean um uh so sometimes the eros it's like a flame that just you know a lot of charge
• so this all this is is very common with eros there's um a lot of eros and there's this
• eros there's um a lot of eros and there's this imbalance falling over one way either
• uh so again what does this mean in relationship to eros that it doesn't for instance contract in craving that it
• our life and in our practice and in relation to eros and so this is actually
• steadiness and then a kind of confidence that it can then allow desire eros um in in regard to certain things in
• that a flame in in the middle in the middle of it so the flame of eros is almost is supported it's contextualized
• soul desire it's not something we don't really have eros about equanimity like we can really want it but it it cannot
• um and it's important in relation to eros because it can over time enable this kind of
• this kind of um balance with eros um but that it in itself it's not really
• we're saying so um eros implies uh or implicit implicated woven
• implies uh or implicit implicated woven in uh involved in eros as we're using that word in the big sense
• duty to the imaginal figure that can sometimes be felt so eros kind of implies all that whatever that imaginal
• um and uh and as i've mentioned there can be also eros in relationship to the imaginal figure

An Ecology of Love (Part 3) - (An Ecology of Love) 57 mentions

• love the eros the erotic component in the love uh we're saying that the eros
• the eros the erotic component in the love uh we're saying that the eros will tend will insist and push and open
• well something uh some particular object there and that in that then eros is encountering so to speak a new object
• case of its other and that excites eros more and so there's this mutual enriching
• one is that the psyche through eros is giving this uh these other dimensions if you like we
• um the the psyche and the perception through eros and and this dynamic they discover
• and and uh you might well when is this eros business and especially the more in eros the pothos and years when does that
• eros business and especially the more in eros the pothos and years when does that not just become greed and greed in
• what is it sometimes that if you like uh constrained or subverts or distorts eros so it actually becomes greed and the
• um is is is that the eros that's part of the psyche that is a you know
• for um the the eros and the the psyche and the logos to expand there's nowhere to
• it can only go horizontal it must expand because of the more in the eros and and uh and it can only expand
• but if this whole um dynamic if you like of eros psyche logos is
• um each aspect of that dynamic the eros the psyche the logos if you like the um
• discovering more having more of what eros wants and infinite growth in that sense without the greed on the material
• our idea then eros can expand as it wants to and thrust deeper as it wants to an open
• um if you like uh distort or deflect eros in degrees another example i'm thinking maybe more helpful probably
• this or that all around the world say what's going on with the eros there okay what's going on
• okay what's going on um in that example with the eros so note a few things notice a few things
• of going on holiday this place and that um the eros there or are involved in that actually includes actually even
• um uh deeply this this whole question of eros and what it is and what it does it can seem like that that whole movement
• you know is um indicative of someone who who has a kind of fuller eros in their life not just sexual but in terms of
• their relationship with sensuality but um the eros psychologos dynamic um is is often limited
• the more in the logos this at the more in the eros excuse me the pothos in the eros
• in the eros excuse me the pothos in the eros um this wanting more will just go out
• um to note note also um here with regard to the eros that and especially with regard to psyching and
• the way that um interacts with eros um
• it's not um that fantasy with eros is a problem which which is the usual supposition
• which which is the usual supposition isn't everything when there's eros and there's fancy then you're you know
• pornography and all the rest of it um so quickly suppose that eros is a problem fantasy is a problem and the
• through the psyche and again it will lead the more in the eros hypothes in the ears will will want more and only
• or the poverty of psyche in relationship to eros and becomes a problem not um the fan not not the fact that there is in
• fan not not the fact that there is in the imagination with eros or the problem with the with the
• constrictions rigidity and also on the psyche will mean that the eros as i said gets deflected or distorted really into
• subtle point but third thing um or about the way eros is working rather to to draw out
• subtle distinction about the way eros is working here so that often
• um in what i'm saying about the way eros works but there's something subtly
• um eros when it's uh allowed through uh and
• rather than any kind of inhibition that's coming out of respect the eros is just naturally channeled to be able to
• commodifying in any way so the natural dynamic through the eros and the psych in the logos that opens up the sense of
• even to do with any kind of inhibition it's just the eros is is allowed if you like full throttle to have what it wants
• open again and again because not near the eros nor the psyche nor the logos is being limited or constricted or fixed or
• of endless movement of expansion then eros will get the more that it wants um but it does so without exploiting the
• co-involvement and co-fertilization of eros psyche or logos is is blocked or restricted from any one of those
• our sense of what the dharma is or of what eros is or of what the soul is or psyche is or
• over time in my relationship with this person and eros has gone something's locked down the eros and stagnated it or
• person and eros has gone something's locked down the eros and stagnated it or it's lost its life something in that
• and we said before it needs not just matter but also needs eros fullness of love or moving towards the
• both um meta and eros these there are other aspects of love but just today just
• aspects of love but just today just emphasizing these both meta and eros um they will tend towards spreading out
• so matter will tend to spread horizontally and eros will also tend to spread because in this a mutual
• spread because in this a mutual impregnation and growth of the eros the psyche the logos
• conceptual frame and the idea is expanded the eros grows in that and it and it spreads
• to the to the world and nature to the cosmos so both eros and meta spread horizontally
• a simplification of objects unity oneness etc whereas eros retains the particulars in its sense of the divine
• father mobility undefined is then space for eros to move into in this expansion space for euro psychologos to move into
• more because eros needs is said to be able to penetrate and to open to more

Eros Unfettered (Part 3) - (Eros Unfettered - Opening the Dharma of Desire) 55 mentions

• let's look at what's necessary for some of what's necessary for the eros psychologos dynamic to unfold and have
• idea of your psychologos being stimulated by eros um we're circling because the ideas are
• the sort of um small loose definition beginning provisional definition of eros so it was a desire to
• we're saying um that in the process of eros stimulating and igniting the euro
• um from the other angle we could say so eros you know from what we said suppose eros stimulates psyche and logos the
• eros you know from what we said suppose eros stimulates psyche and logos the imaginal and the idea
• psyche and logos image and idea need to allow eros's further penetration and opening they need to allow that more
• opening they need to allow that more aspect of eros so whatever image we have of this erotic
• penetration more opening that they need to allow that movement of eros wherever it's at that process it needs to have
• logos to allow that further penetration further opening the eros once or it doesn't
• or reduce it they they put out the fire of eros certain ways of looking will do that and among those
• perception of the other into which that eros might expand might penetrate might open or to which it might open to then
• way around the psyche the logos that set the perception stimulates the eros and inflames the eros
• the perception stimulates the eros and inflames the eros and what happens there and again if you
• making so we can say that eros requires an image but it also maybe requires uh if
• landscape of soul a world of soul into which eros or aerosols can move so to speak as we penetrate
• and it might we could even say that the eros generates this very perception stimulates the image and stimulates the
• in other words saying all this because it's all connected it's like eros generates this very sense and then falls
• it so eros has we've been saying this tendency this inclination this impetus
• of the soul and of the mind um eros is a cosmogonos we said it gives rise to
• if you like um eros in this process this soulmaking dynamic creates or fabricates or
• reaches any kind of um uh birth and then if there's errors and eros wants more always we said that more
• that's the only reality so that the more that eros wants as we said in its basic definition a simple definition the more
• more more of this or that physical material things that the eros is more the pothos in the eros the more movement
• material things that the eros is more the pothos in the eros the more movement in the eros can only move horizontally
• the pothos in the eros the more movement in the eros can only move horizontally at one dimensional one dimension
• um when when those um the eros can only go into the physical and whatever we can do with
• physical acts are exhausted then what happens what can the eros do the eros needs fuel
• maybe the flame gets extinguished without the fuel the flame of eros just dies out
• through the teenage years and adolescence and and the flame of eros um there and all perhaps in all kinds of
• does not give enough um fuel for the for the eros and and the flame is extinguished
• limited and then and then what happens if there's eros once more where does it go has to maybe go to other partners i
• um but something is um blocked in the eros psyche logos dynamics blocked from its its um natural
• respect to self the world with respect also to the eros itself so that fourfold um self other world eros that fourfold
• also to the eros itself so that fourfold um self other world eros that fourfold sort of confluence or co-constellation
• so that in our in our language the small um definition of eros the the initial impetus if it's there
• um if they have a lot of libya and life force and there is that eros um the logos and and the psyche won't
• um and i think i might have said this before we can get the sense that eros psyche logos we can talk of them as if
• um relationship or um of eros what eros is four of sex and sexuality
• is has become rigid or limited or both and then again the eros actually is hindered the ears in its its um wish to
• basically either from uh because of the eros being ended or the psyche or the logos or some combination of those the
• of for soulmaking for the continuing fire of the eros in that relationship between the two there or in a community
• relationship or are blocked in relationship sometimes the eros of one partner is
• partner the spark and the fullness of the eros um either is just inherently not matched
• they're just different personalities or in in one of the partners um the eros is blocked
• different reasons it can be very complex and the eros is actually blocked so one partner is actually
• partner is actually um their eros is flowing and the flame is burning
• there's not enough fuel for the mutual eros to burn can't really go anywhere with that
• can't really go anywhere with that so the eros again gets limited gets stifled doesn't have the opportunity to
• of world of humans in general of of the soul of psyche of eros itself of divinity with respect to any of that
• um space or more territory for the play of this dynamic of eros psychologos and playing together the soulmaking
• for the image wants to expand and the eros wants to expand the logos is limiting it that's a problem if it wants
• soulmaking it supports um the inflaming of the eros and and the the increase of the psyche
• there's a possibility of not just matter but of eros then in relationship to the difficulty
• all of which is really valid but there's also a sense of eros in relationship to one's own

Eros and the Brahmaviharas - (Eros Unfettered - Opening the Dharma of Desire) 54 mentions

• explore a little bit the relationship of eros and brahma the horrors loving kindness compassion
• there and also point to the possibility of using eros and the erotic imaginal in the service of brahma vahara cultivation
• what we're talking about here is um erotic love because eros and the imaginal go together we're talking about
• and ourselves and eros is uh as a lot of aspects in common with matter but it's
• imaginal imagination doesn't equate as imaginal and meta doesn't equate as eros and we also gave that example of
• may express matter to us but is not full of eros either way from us to hear from her to us
• but there are similarities and overlaps between eros and the brown are certainly there are
• near the beginning of this course that care to me care is a part of eros so that's included when there's an
• care care for the others being so to me that's actually part of the eros um there's other similarities for
• and the same is true of eros right everything we've talked about on this
• everything we've talked about on this retreat there's eros certainly towards the human other there's eros towards
• retreat there's eros certainly towards the human other there's eros towards actually any thing can be alive for us
• erotic relationship but like it like equanimity eros can also be towards beings and towards phenomena
• but anyway there's there's lots of similarities and overlaps between eros and the brown baharas but what about the
• about uh in our differentiation differentiating between eros and the brown horrors
• brown horrors so eros we have said has desire in it it has this wanting wanting to connect
• it's accompanied by delight or delight is part of the whole experience of eros we have said
• so desire attraction delight also with eros the perception of beauty is an integral feature
• integral feature an inevitable feature of eros the perception of beauty and also i would
• soul and the eros itself is also meaningful but that is because uh euros goes with
• about and draw out and we have been saying that eros includes something like what we might
• being just because i'm a sentient being yes whereas the eros is four in and through the particulars and the
• but with all this and the distinctions we made before and eros if you like um is
• the other to our self um eros involves more than matter there's something that has other aspects
• eyes but this is not to imply that eros is always better or we should always strive
• treasure there is in there so not saying eros involves more the matter therefore it's always better than
• lessening fabrication in contrast eros actually fabricates more it doesn't simplify adds complexity
• different imaginal faces um the ear the movement of eros is an increase in complexity a complexifying a
• um it at eros can go towards melting and union so to speak with the other and we've
• because of the fertility of that and the necessity of that to the eros even when we know the oneness it's like
• give rise to uh and spread a sense of sacredness eros does it because of the aero psychologist dynamic that we've
• and there there is an inevitable sacralizing that comes with through eros because of the soulmaking dynamic that
• um narrowing of the direction of the sacralizing whereas with eros when when eros um the sense of
• sacralizing whereas with eros when when eros um the sense of love and cosmopoetic divinity that comes
• kind of infinite possible directions of sacralizing there because the eros picks up on and
• enough trust in in in practicing with eros and and the imaginal neurotic imaginal
• navigation but actually combination mixing of the eros with the brahma the horrors
• imaginal practice getting a sense of the eros involved there in the practice with with this imaginal figure and and all
• is actually to direct it and including still the erotic imaginal and the eros and the sense of the eros and even the
• still the erotic imaginal and the eros and the sense of the eros and even the image and directing navigating if you
• erotic to the eros and neurotic imaginal um while opening to the matter and
• so for example one can be working with the eros in the imaginal practice and then
• so there's the self and the beloved other the object of the eros and then a third person
• this uh nexus this meeting point in of eros and the imagine and the brown the horizon
• because typically we would assume that eros is in the way that we usually think about
• um to the um around the eros contracted uh around the other
• the case interesting again because eros tends to open
• there's this image of the beloved other and whatever eros is happening uh communicating flowing
• gentle very calm very tender and that too uh the eros there can can translate and give character to the kind of bravo
• um and of course uh tenderness can attend the eros with as i said expressing i can't express in a tender
• emanates from the feasting it has that quality of that quality of eros that character and also that compassion in it
• um involved so much energy available to us when eros is alive in us at that time that actually that kind of gives a whole
• again that sexual images sexual energy eros does not have to be a distraction and if one is
• intent so say i'm wrong with a higher practice and it feels like oh the eros is coming in the sexual desire is coming

The Invitation of Otherness (Autonomy, Eros, and Intentionality) - (Four Circles, Four Parables... 52 mentions

• particularities are eros we have said many times that in the way that we're defining and
• sense as subject as other so eros needs two notes and uh where i said this before where there's a
• yes lovely and fruitful sometimes but um with regard to the eros between those two objects then it then collapses at
• that moment and the fertility of the eros in terms of its insemination of the soulmaking
• we could also and we have said in the past you know eros will um create and discover more uh
• uh delineates self in other i'm eros though we say creates and discovers more otherness
• um but rather eros will create and discover that we're ongoing discovery and
• autonomy of both of self and other um this uh allows and opens the eros as we said eros and tunis they're going to
• um this uh allows and opens the eros as we said eros and tunis they're going to be connected
• teachings eros inseminates it fertilizes the psyche
• and so there was last in this case this sexual eros there okay remember eros doesn't uh necessarily need to be sexual
• um but again we have the eros um the eros allowing the eros
• but again we have the eros um the eros allowing the eros fertilizing a whole process then
• um but then that means that we have to tolerate eros and we have to be okay with theirs in this case tolerate and be
• in one aspect of the autonomy of the image if we're relating it to eros as well is is that
• gang of um semi-divine beings eros is the principle one pothos we've talked about as part of
• so uh well in actually not definitely he's the god of requited eros the returning of eros so that's the point i
• he's the god of requited eros the returning of eros so that's the point i want to make that
• there's not just love and being loved there's eros and being the object of eros so we we have emphasized more in
• there's eros and being the object of eros so we we have emphasized more in the teachings the eros from the self to
• eros so we we have emphasized more in the teachings the eros from the self to the
• used to or may not notice at first it also has eros for me and that's eros remember is uh so the
• also has eros for me and that's eros remember is uh so the love might be bigger than we usually
• think of love but when we talk about eros our definition our conception of errors
• uh it kind of may be implicit in it the love but it's more than that so the eros flows flows both ways and we can
• recognize ourselves and open to recognize ourselves as objects of eros gazed at related to with eros by the
• recognize ourselves as objects of eros gazed at related to with eros by the imaginal other
• um so that uh again that eros may not be is not necessarily sexual there might be but it
• necessarily sexual there might be but it might it might be just eros in in in a non-sexual sense
• as a beloved erotic uh an object of beloved eros um does something to the being and to
• ourselves as we can start relating to ourselves uh with eros and that's more than love
• so all these are important matter love and eros but one of again one of the implicit uh dimensions of the autonomy
• of the image is the anteros the fact that they can have their own eros for us and in recognizing that and tuning to it
• to desire and their eros the old uh maxim from i don't know where it's athens or whatever
• remember um perhaps an eros unfettered you know sometimes people uh
• healing our relationship with desire and eros is is
• can you maybe hear some of these teachings for teachings on eros maybe references to sexuality etc
• ears my heart my sexuality i hear you talk about eros and sexuality when you talk about imaginal practice
• of what what it would look like to have a heal the eros and sexuality um
• um emotions of the dukkah or feeling shut down of worrying if maybe my eros has gone forever it used to be alive i
• image um uh we can also become eros as we talked about the eros from that image
• um uh we can also become eros as we talked about the eros from that image towards her
• and then interestingly then in relation to her eros and desire um
• the the imaginal cells eros and desire was recognized as divine
• dimension they gain divinity so that um the imaginal cells eros desire was then sensed as divine and of course the
• in divinity and in and in the divine eros and with that then the craving that she
• um the the craving subsided because the eros was allowed to flourish and in this case the eros itself was allowed to
• eros was allowed to flourish and in this case the eros itself was allowed to become an erotic imaginal object and the
• thing felt very soothing so there's eros but there's a different scent of the arrows a whole other
• dimension to the center of the eros we've touched on this before and the importance of
• dimensionality and divinity of her desire and her eros her desire and her ears becoming sold
• sound healing of uh one's relationship with one's eros and desire and with oneself

Doubt and Discernment (Part 2) - (Eros Unfettered - Opening the Dharma of Desire) 52 mentions

• defilements so this is all this what you're talking about eros and being with eros and open it up isn't it just
• you're talking about eros and being with eros and open it up isn't it just feeding the defilements agreed a version
• find out so that how do we see that eros in the way that we are talking about it
• way that we are talking about it practicing with eros has a quality it opens it
• you need a certain sensitivity but you can feel this with eros the energy body tends to opening
• divinity also are opened so eros brings with its support instigates opening of all kinds uh
• is involved and wrapped up in what we're calling eros then it doesn't bring this pressure to act out because there's
• instead usually and there's also eros tens to relieve dukkha
• but in practice and in life we can see this tendency of eros to open things up in a beautiful way to relieve dukkah and
• life so it's possible to discern between eros and craving in those ways and and in others it's quite possible to make
• and sometimes as i said it's not always easy to discern between eros and craving for example sometimes some we think this
• for example sometimes some we think this is eros and then it gets all tangled and we thought that the energy body is
• but even the entanglement there or the tangling of eros and craving together the two threads tangled
• contraction if we're working in this area with eros etc doesn't uh you know i wouldn't just
• use that as a criterion of discernment between eros and craving the two can get mixed and our relationship with the
• as i mentioned you know we can start with eros all very beautiful and and there's the fullness of the image and
• into into the beauty and the fullness of eros so there's art here there's skill layers
• between the two and in navigation if it is from craving to eros but certainly in the discernment uh this
• the pothos there the desire for more that goes with the eros that we talked about tends to go
• approaching it that that re redirect it back on the track of eros so yes it's absolutely possible that
• between let's say the imaginal and the imaginary eros and cream because they sent the autonomy of the imaginal other
• the darker or more intense um sexual images that come up and eros that comes up
• don't jump to such conclusions um the eros includes a you know great range from very very subtle to to
• seeing the emptiness of everything so self other world eros itself body all this must be seen if it's lopsided
• to an image um of of what eros looks like passionate like this or for example there's a
• we're calling desire what we're calling craving what we're calling eros and the various responses
• the exploration of what we're calling clinging and what we're calling eros what's the order
• so for instance between um eros and or the question of eros in relationship to resting
• now what's the relationship between rest and eros because we can rest um
• imaginal and there's no soulmaking or eros there because there is no image no aliveness there
• or someone in the actual world um and there where there's the eros there in in the imagine it's in
• sense of the self the image of the self the other the world the eros itself all these for in that co-consolation are
• would say it's not an image for us unless there's the eros unless there's this scent of a set of dimensionality
• in opening to a kind of sense of sacredness or divinity unless the eros psyche logos the soulmaking dynamic is
• and in the uh images of self other world and eros in the constellation now that image that kind of image of
• the sermon like when is it eros when is it imaginal when is it not
• actually more interesting and with regard to eros so there's there's a kind of rest in in
• so this is this is quite interesting in relation to eros it's quite interesting we'll say maybe more about it as as we
• so this is quite interesting so what does that mean in terms of the eros and the imaginal it means there's a as i
• to kind of want more of that they're beyond this creates an eros and in relation to them and the self and
• is that or is that not uh the imaginal and is that eros so there's plenty of love there there's certainly the use of
• making will not be imaginal because there's not the eros there i'm not deeply interested in them it won't
• the expansion and the fecundity of the soulmaking dynamic of eros psychologos together working together will be very
• meditation practice there's actually very little eros there's very little kind of arousal of interest maybe in
• in the way of images imaginal images of self other world eros alive with respect to in meditation
• all that is alive the interest the imac images of self other world eros are alive there
• practice actually that there's very little eros there other people it might be the other way around that the eros
• little eros there other people it might be the other way around that the eros and the soulmaking is
• a wider deeper imaginal sense igniting involving eros and the interest the um your psychologos dynamic and soul
• but really this discernment and noticing where the eros the imaginal and the soul making is alive for us and working
• open for us and it's important to discern eros because it brings soulmaking
• or souls to different degrees let's say need eros and soulmaking more or less will they say more about that later

'The Holy Life' (Part 3) - (Eros Unfettered - Opening the Dharma of Desire) 51 mentions

• whole area of eros for the path hear us on the path and hear us for
• what's then allowed or supported in terms of eros with regard to the world to the world to the senses to sense
• so we said all this when we come to talk about eros we talk about we must be talking about soulmaking that involves
• let's go a little bit more into this uh specific with regard to eros for the path an erotic relationship with the
• etc but uh but when we say eros you know we're talking about fire fire on the path
• how that fire is now how that eros is now in one's practice compared with
• years and just really to ask yourself about how the eros is now compared to 20 or 30 years ago
• i'm interested in to hear us on the path eros for the path and how that involves um logos and psyche incentive ideas and
• implications makes a huge difference for how our practice unfolds how much eros is allowed in relation to the path and
• path that allows and supports this soulmaking dynamic which means the eros the psyche will logos the whole
• and it's actually what engages my your eros may intellect at the soul of my intellect might
• galvanize and to support um all this in me the eros the intellect the imaginal creativity the the the the
• well the liberation of the intellect there's liberation of the eros there's a liberation of the imaginal there's
• um that there was uh you know really quite fairly fairly strong eros um with regard to the path but the conception
• um only really allowed that eros to flow sort of in the direction of a certain image of kind of
• simplicity there was this eros to know the transcendent to to know the unfabricated
• psyche if you like to soulmaking um you know in the myth eros and psychia lovers eros wants psyche yes
• um you know in the myth eros and psychia lovers eros wants psyche yes um we don't need to kind of inquired his
• um for whom that there is no real image in the meditation there's no eros really alive and aliveness or arousal of of the
• when there is deep love for the path when there is eros for the path that includes and implies
• exercise or whatever it is but when we when there's really eros there when we love it we love the soul
• are beautiful and attractive to us interesting to us we love the eros we love the actual sense of eros there
• interesting to us we love the eros we love the actual sense of eros there we love the expansion there of the
• we love the expansion there of the psychologos and eros and as i said the image of of the self on the path
• and and so part of what we love when we love a path when there's eros for the path and for the practice we love the
• beautiful to us we draw close to we want intimacy with there's the eros we want connection with and we love the
• and nuances that go with rich practice this is part of the eros of the path where there's beauty there's sensitivity
• already experiences in order for there to be eros and soul making there needs to be some kind of
• expand into the soul needs that uh to to stimulate the eros there needs uh beauty mystery
• um dimensionality sense of sacredness and divinity needs eros needs and the expansion of the logos the enrichment of
• beauty mystery dimensionality sacredness divinity eros expansion logos fantasy and image meaningfulness
• there is the mystery the dimensionality sacredness divinity the eros the expansion of the logos that comes with
• images with theophanies with cosmopoasis when the practice in the eros is um in this other direction towards
• beyondness the beauty the mystery the dimensionality sacredness divinity eros increases the logos
• way of that to to certain kinds of perceptions of oneness if the eros psyche logos if any of them are limited
• infinity of to expand into the sacredness the divinity the eros the ideation the image the meaningfulness
• universal emptiness or whatever what i want to say is if the eros is strong in a person and if it the the the
• liberated through the imaginides through the eros and through the soulmaking dynamic
• there is a return to the world and the imaginal and the logos and the eros engaging infusing filling out there in
• the logos and i don't refuse the imaginal and i allow the eros to flow and even if i start with flat world
• conventional view of modernism that eros and soulmaking a dynamic will will liberate the perceptions and the
• transcendent just because of what the eros psychologos dynamic will naturally want
• with an icon an icon of awakening the eros never collapses because there's always an infinity of
• what is not yet known into which the eros can move can which it can penetrate into which it can open to
• explained before so if you like the eros never collapses it never kind of dies down there's
• to draw it out a bit more as well um hear us for the path eros for the uh for awakening needs uh needs us to see
• relationship with any erotic object for eros to really be allowed and supported
• supported um for the path for awakening eros for the path for awaken we need to see the
• image so we're allowing eros but not craving because there's not this
• rigidification and and realizing the eros is is stoked ignited supported fed the craving is is released
• level of involvement level of beauty soulmaking eros it's there it's asking a lot for sure

The Problem of Desire - (Of Hermits and Lovers - The Alchemy of Desire) 50 mentions

• that really has a word for that so we want to use the word eros e-r-o-s it's a word that's um familiar and
• um craving clinging and eros three kinds craving cleanliness now i'm using those words
• kinds of desire craving clinging eros and part of that what that comes out of
• between these three can we recognize what's craving and what's eros can we navigate between sometimes uh if it's
• simplest i'm trying to do i will actually miss eros and soulmaking is it there's a good chance i will miss eros
• actually miss eros and soulmaking is it there's a good chance i will miss eros and soulmaking that soulmaking that
• and soulmaking that soulmaking that goes with eros we're free rather to move and to explore
• there's clinging and there's eros and eros has said has something to do is intrinsically bound
• take a little time right now to define what we mean by eros and i say there's the two kind of levels of definition so
• right now give what we call the the sort of small definition of eros for right now
• it's really important to understand how um but as a small definition of eros what is this word and how can we begin
• what is this word and how can we begin to understand it so i want to say eros is is a desire it's a wanting
• is is a desire it's a wanting eros is the wanting of more contact with more connection with more intimacy with
• right now this small is what i'm calling the small definition of eros it's very important
• now you might not recognize your experience of eros in there and i it it actually sounds uh perhaps quite dry as
• so uh eros you'll notice in that definition is certainly not just sexual attraction
• equating it with freud's usage of eros as the pleasure principle essentially just the seeking
• i think later in his theorizing freud equated eros with the life instinct in contradistinction to thanatos which is
• relationship between our definition of eros and that life force if you like but we're not equating them
• we're not equating them notice also that we're not equating eros with love so some people just uh say
• with love so some people just uh say eros just means love and that's fine how other people define it's complete if i'm
• uh with the way the neoplatanists characterized eros as a movement a movement or force for unification
• between what he calls libido and what we're calling eros but they're still really important distinctions between
• so notice a couple of other things about this definition of eros or what we mean just for now one is that it has a huge
• range so eros really encompasses a huge range it certainly includes the most intense
• and if in in the realm of the imaginal this uh when the sexual eros is very strong and intense sometimes it can open
• beyond what's physically possible just because the eros and the soul if you like is demanding it
• very intense down to really uh quite subtle movements of eros that are just kind of
• so there's the point is there's a huge range huge huge range of eros in terms of intensity and subtlety
• um and a little bit implied by what i just said eros can be in regard to anything at all that can be an erotic
• that fill it out but for now just want to point out that eros one of what it does in a nutshell is it
• already know and experience that's what eros moves towards that's what it instigates
• but for this retreat we're emphasizing mostly the way that eros involves soul making and the imaginable
• yeah now eros is already in our life i'm not talking about something that doesn't
• laughs eros also in its movement in the soulmaking movement also make possible
• soulmaking movement also make possible for us a view of eros and itself and desire as sacred
• so why why are we bothering making this delineation uh of eros um because because as i said um it's
• there there there there is soulmaking for us and there there is eros so we're talking about something that's
• we'll go into this eros as i've already intimated is an intrinsic element of the imaginal and
• practice and develop that and as i've already said eros just answering this question why kind of
• question why why get interested in the eros why make the delineation why bother um because of our relationship with
• much deeper you know our sense of what sexuality can be in the eros involved there
• and lastly you know so we're trying to explore eros and make the delineation trying to understand it
• trying to understand it um but eros i think will always uh keep some sense of mystery always remain
• understanding or definition or whatever eros will always retain that mysteriousness that beyondness partly
• there's something in the soulmaking dynamic and an eros itself which can making eros bigger than we can and then
• dynamic and an eros itself which can making eros bigger than we can and then we have understood at present
• definitions delineations understandings of whatever it is in this case eros are part of what determined condition
• shape fabricate what that thing in this case eros becomes and what it leads to so if we want
• what this thing or that thing is in this case eros rather we understand something about