We have last examined the attempt of sexuality to possess itself of the
whole universe; we will now turn our attention to the true union of both
erotic elements. This union occurred at the time when Goethe and Novalis
were bringing spiritual love and cosmic sensuousness to their highest
summit.
THE THIRD STAGE
(The Unity of Sexual Impulse and Love)
CHAPTER I.
THE LONGING FOR THE SYNTHESIS.
Humanity inherited the pairing-instinct from the animal-world; but as
differentiation progressed, this instinct tended to restrict itself to a
few individuals--sometimes even to a single representative only--of the
other sex. In the beginning of the twelfth century a new and
unprecedented emotion--spiritual love of man for woman based on
personality--made its appearance, and until modern times the two
fundamental erotic principles existed side by side without inner
relationship. Sexuality with its various manifestations has existed from
the beginning; the ultimate object of sexual intercourse is pleasure;
but here and there, and parallel with sexual pleasure, there have been,
in varying degrees of intensity, instances of spiritual love.
Pages:
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382
383
384
385
386
387
388
389
390
391
392
393
394