Falling in Love: Part Seven: Marc Gafni

Like all the paths of love and eros, it is modeled in the sexual. In the sexual — the time of strong attraction — all other issues recede and the beloved is seen as infinitely desirable. The drive towards union is strong and for a short time Union is actually achieved. After fulfillment, however, both partners fall back into their separate selves.

The boundaries snap back into place and all of the frailties, flaws and foibles of the beloved are once again an issue. Falling in love operates in almost precisely the same fashion. There is an initial excitement and attraction. There is a process of emotional foreplay in which the couple moves towards fulfillment. At some point they fall in love.

As in the sexual there is a sense of ecstasy. All other issues fall to the way side. Ecstatic thinking prevails in which nothing is a problem and everything is possible. And then at some point it is over.

Implicit in the work of the Hebrew mystics is the understanding that falling in love, modeled by the sexual, is a critical stretch in the tantric path of perception. Lover and beloved are none other then the two cherubs atop the ark.

It is to this particular patch of road in the way of perception that we turn to in the next several posts.

marc gafni
posted on marcgafni.com
share comments below or on info@marcgafni.com