Attraction, and equally repulsion, in sex depend upon the workings of the positive and negative forces in life. Although the male sex may generally be characterized as the positive and the female sex as the negative force in humanity, yet this characterization does not necessarily hold good in all planes of existence. It can easily be seen that when a positive power is confronted by a power that resembles itself, but is positive to a still greater degree, it becomes negative, as a talkative person becomes a listener in the presence of one more talkative than himself. In the same way a negative power ceases to be negative but becomes positive in the presence of a power that is similar to, or still more negative than itself.

The positive is expressive whilst the negative is responsive, as speaking is positive while listening is negative. Throughout life these two forces are seen balancing and completing each other: in the swing of the pendulum, in the beat of the conductor's baton as it marks the rhythm of the music.

Since each finds its completion in the other, these two forces exercise an attraction upon each other. By the very nature of things the negative cannot but be attracted by its positive aspect; and the positive is inevitably attracted towards its negative aspect. The positive is indeed the first to feel attraction; for it is always seeking scope for expression and reaching out towards that in which it finds its balance; and it finds in the negative that pliability for which it searches with the whole strength of its being, in its demand for response. The negative therefore represents beauty while the positive represents power. For power is not of itself beautiful. Power is attracted towards beauty; its desire may be called beauty; and again its power becomes powerless before beauty.

The moon balances the power of the sun. If it were not for the moon, the sun would burst into flames and set the whole universe on fire. If it were not for the moon, the worlds would break into pieces and the cosmos would scatter.

The negative, by providing the necessary balance to the whole being of the positive, gives beauty to its activity. On the other hand, the positive gives strength to the negative. By its expression of itself, the positive may be said even to create the negative. It is this which is symbolically expressed when it is said that Eve was created from the rib of Adam; that is, the negative created from the positive and actually part of the positive. The negative, then, is derived from the positive and is strengthened by it, and to the positive it returns again; and the positive indeed draws from the negative its positive character. The existence of each depends thus entirely upon the other; and every purpose of each, even its ultimate purpose, is accomplished through the co-operation of both.

Repulsion is caused either through lack of power or of scope on the part of positive or negative. When the positive has not the power to draw to itself the negative, it draws it perhaps half-way, or a little more or less; a lack of power that may actually repel the negative. Or else the positive, being first attracted to the negative and then feeling itself too weak, recoils. Or again the positive may be slow to express itself; and remaining in the attitude of the negative it provokes confusion, since the negative finds no channel through which to respond.

Again the negative, in responding, may express itself in the manner of the positive, and then there must result a clash or conflict; for then there is no scope for the positive. Or else the positive, expressing itself with intensity, may drive back the negative. Or the positive may find the response of the negative so narrow that it finds itself deprived of sufficient opportunity for its full expression. In such cases harmony is not possible, because the negative does not furnish sufficient opportunity or scope for the positive.

Disharmony therefore results when one or the other is frustrated in the desire for self-expression. But harmony is more natural than disharmony. The union of male and female should provide an opportunity within that union for both to attain to the fullest expression of which they are capable; and neither should fund within it an obstacle which impedes his or her fullest development. Every soul is indeed seeking for completion, a search that too often ends in the destruction of beauty; since the human being, deluded and ensnared by the life on the surface, forgets to look into his self, and to discover what is the nature of that "I" which so desperately desires satisfaction.

Vol. 3, Life's Creative Forces: Rasa Shastra

3. Attraction and Repulsion

-ALL-

Vol. 3, Life's Creative Forces: Rasa Shastra

3. Attraction and Repulsion