the erotic principle, or eros requires fearlessness

The erotic principle, I now know, has been around as long ago as Aristotle.  At its most basic level, the erotic principle is that longing which draws mortal beings toward one another, according to Aristotle. It is not just people drawn to people. It is energy attracted to energy, subatomic particles drawn to subatomic particles, gaseous clusteres drawn to gasesous clusters, light drawn to light, light drawn to darkness, darkness drawn to light. The erotic principle is a principle of attraction.

Subatomic particles and the gaseous matter that were the very beginnings of this planet came together because of an attraction, because of the erotic principle.

I've only done a couple internet searches, only read about the erotic principle for a few hours. I don't think I understand it in terms of how someone, for example, sophisticated in philosophy might use it.
Still, I think I get the concept.

The erotic principle is a level of attraction that does not arise to love. A being has to be ready to do deep soul work, revealing one's truest self and entire soul to another, as best as able, to arise to the level of love. The attraction captured in the idea of the erotic principle can draw energy to energy, beings to beings, people to people. Ultimately, however, eroticism is not love. It is working together on soul work that is love. The erotic attraction can draw one to the right beings for one's work. Without deep, loving soul work, mere sexual attraction is just a physical release and not a reason to dive into sex. People can have unloving sex but it is outside the realm of moving the whole miracle of this earth, universe, galaxy and galaxy after galaxy towards love. Sex without love is not Eros in a good way. It's comparable to animals mating in a field. Or rutting.

And more.  I've got a busy day.  I am glad to know a bit about the erotic princple.

Carl Jung, and many thinkers, wrote about the erotic principle. In some spiritual traditions, there is much attention given to the attraction embedded in the erotic principle. A strong sexual attraction can be the cosmos' way of getting the right people attracted, and thus, connected to one another.  Some Asian spiritual give significant attention to the erotic principle but mostly to remind humans that erotic attractions are not love, that many humans never get to the energy of loving soul work. From my brief reading this morning, I came away with the maybe-mistaken understanding that one has to be evolved beyond the erotic attraction and be drawn to doing the hard, deep work of soul work that can only be done in emotionally intimate, loving relationships.  Sexual attraction can be the universe's way of pointing out good partners for us in our soul work. And sexual attraction can be great. I hope everyone has had the experience of being very physically attrcted to someone and then act upon it.

Love is a higher level than the erotic principle. The erotic principle can draw us to good soul work partners, but to reach love, we have to do our work, and ultimately together work. Eroticism should be a bridge between sex and love but it often fails to achieve love. Eros is often confused with love. Eros is the attraction, the draw of energy to energy, people to people (which is energy to energy).

Eros is the closest thing to love undeveloped beings can experirence.  Eros can lift us out of our ordinary live, prod our soul to surge. Eros empowers people to do things that lift us out of our isolation and call us to connect to specific other beings.  Eros helps a soul prepare to do the hard work of love. Eros is a bridge to love.

Without the erotic principle, many humans would never be ready for the more conscious work of love.

People afraid of their emotions and afraid of oneness with another will do anything in their power to avoid the great experience of loving unity.  A favorite way to avoid intimate soul work is to blame the other person for one's fear.

And I posted a quote from Carl Jung, perhaps within the past month, in which he says, with me extrapolating, that people will do anything to avoid looking at their own souls.

I am grateful that I have this new, embryonic insight into the distinction between erotic attraction and love. My brief search this morning suggests that people, like me, who do not have a relationship with a commitment to do deep soul work together is because something in my being pushes it away.

I have been spending way too much time and my life energy wanting an opportunity to do deep soul work, my work, mutual work and supporting another's work with someone who won't go thtere with me. Maybe its me that kept me and this man from coming together.

I block myself from what I want.  How to open up to the erotic and to the work of love and soul work? 

How indeed.  An undeveloped essay, I know. This is what I have.  I will see what souls turn up to participate in dialogue with me about this.