Dark Eros

[Ariëlle]

After reading Care of the Soul, Soulmates, and the re-enchantment of everyday life (in Dutch) I have just now started to read Dark Eros (in English). Although this subject has been of interest to me since my adulthood, it is for the first time that I have found such a clarity on these themes. Even after reading the first 30 pages, it gave me a feeling of emotional freedom. Is there anyone around here to share some thoughts about this, here on the forum or by email?

[Ian]

A wonderful book that deserves more attention - I first read it in 2006,
and found so much in it that challenged and stimulated my thinking.
I'm particularly thinking of how it helped me see the problems of
innocence and moralising, that is, how we make use of them to
limit ourselves. But I feel I've forgotten almost everything
I discovered there - perhaps I should read it again.

[Barque]

This is one of my favourite books by Moore. His originality and creativity shine through for me, and this book offers a taste of the courage I find in some of his later writing. Like Ian, I haven't read Dark Eros recently but I remember that the last time I went through it, I was touched by Moore's observations about our approaches to nature which include an unwillingness to admit the degradation of our actions - another area that imagination could infuse. At least, that's what I recall now. Also, this book helped me to appreciate how much we/I thoughtlessly judge or moralize particular activities whereas a more rewarding and deeper response would be to stretch and hold and think about what we usually automatically discount or reject - to respond more like an effective pyschotherapist which is what I believe Moore to be.

[Bill Johnson]

I have not yet read this one. But everything I have read by Moore has given me that feeling of "emotional freedom" as you put it, which has been a critical piece in my spiritual journey. I will definitely get Dark Eros and report back after reading it.

[Ariëlle]

Thank you all for your postings. For me it is rather hard to express my self around this topic in English. I agree with Barque and Ian that the themes of innoncence, moralising, the degrading nature of human life are central in this book.
At the same time I am reading Dark Nights of the Soul. I admire the concrete suggestions Moore comes up with in this book concerning love, marriage and sexuality, combining also some of the themes of Dark Eros at an individual level.
I think it creates 'emotional freedom' because 'worrying signs' - like masochism, triangles, rough sex, bondage etc., are not marginalised but are accepted as work of the soul, and in that way it is better not to suppress them, but to give at least attention to their meaning. Not to say that we can embrace them.

[Barque]

Hi Ariëlle, Rob, Ian, et al.
I have a new copy of Dark Eros. Do you have anything to share about it since your last post? This edition has a Foreword by Adolf Guggenbühl-Craig. He also mentions Moore's courage in writing the book. I haven't read Moore's new Afterword yet.