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+---- Thread: Courting the maiden (/showthread.php?tid=12629)
RE: Courting the maiden - Night Owl - 05-14-2016
Justlikeyou had me wonder if I may have offended, hurt or bother you in any kind of way. If that is the case please forgive my bluntness. I know I am clumsy in my self expression sometimes and that things are relative. I was very interested in understanding the perspective of someone who finds value in courting but I must admit to myself that I simply don't because I don't want to change what I love. I still am happy that your analogy have helped you understanding yourself and others and that it is valuable to those who can relate. I also never meant to say that you judged me into thinking I was f***** up. That was me! I hope it doesn't harm your thread. I think it has been more useful than you may think consciously. Nothing I have said meant that anybody who can relate to the analogy is lesser in any way. Each has his own path. I recognize wise people when I meet them and don't want to offend your wisdom which I value a lot. Only good intentions.
RE: Courting the maiden - Jade - 05-15-2016
I just feel you aren't understanding what "courting" means if you think that it means to change what you love. Courting means doting upon that which you love and giving it attention simply because you love it. And within the archetypes, it's about two entities unifying and becoming a whole that is greater than the sum of their parts - not changing (except by that inward desire that one wants to be a better person when they find the person they love that stirs them within). There is no giving up of the self, except in ways that pleases the self, because changing for the person you are trying to "court" is so easy, so natural. And within card, his arms are crossed and he is bound by holding the two women: A sacrifice must be made. He must give up part of himself, or at least, a comfortable way of being must be changed. This is all about change. Being in love makes the change effortless.
Joseph and I have actually been discussing this concept thoroughly, because the Transformation of the Body is about "changing" reality into a more desirable configuration. The Transformation of the Mind is about accepting reality as it is and loving it with an all-encompassing drive. But, this is why Ra says that it's important that one first must know the mind, because you must cultivate the proper attitude towards the resources of the self and otherself, before you can affect change/balance the body complex (all the rest of physical manifestation).
Quote:Ra: Firstly, the mind must be known to itself. This is perhaps the most demanding part of healing work. If the mind knows itself then the most important aspect of healing has occurred, for consciousness is the microcosm of the Law of One.
The second part has to do with the disciplines of the body complexes. In the streamings reaching your planet at this time, these understandings and disciplines have to do with the balance between love and wisdom in the use of the body in its natural functions.
The third area is the spiritual, and in this area the first two disciplines are connected through the attainment of contact with intelligent infinity.
How do "two people" get to know each other? They start hanging out more. They listen to each other. They create in-jokes and make each other happy. And maybe, once they realize how perfect they are for each other, they slowly begin to fall in love. They realize they "complete" each other. The whole world is finally turned "on". It's really the most blissful thing ever, most especially those first moments of falling in love, which is why I think it's important we attempt to "renew" the process each time, because treating it like a new experience makes it feel like a new experience.
These are the archetypes, and the analogies are archetypical. The "choosing between two mates" and "falling in love" tropes are common, but they are ubiquitous tropes for a reason: The Logos wrote this story long ago, I'm just trying to find which part I'm supposed to play.
RE: Courting the maiden - APeacefulWarrior - 05-15-2016
(05-15-2016, 11:43 AM)Bring4th_Jade Wrote: Courting means doting upon that which you love and giving it attention simply because you love it. And within the archetypes, it's about two entities unifying and becoming a whole that is greater than the sum of their parts - not changing (except by that inward desire that one wants to be a better person when they find the person they love that stirs them within). There is no giving up of the self, except in ways that pleases the self, because changing for the person you are trying to "court" is so easy, so natural. And within card, his arms are crossed and he is bound by holding the two women: A sacrifice must be made. He must give up part of himself, or at least, a comfortable way of being must be changed. This is all about change. Being in love makes the change effortless.
Just tossing in, this almost perfectly describes my own experiences, in a very literal way. While I understand some may not -for whatever reason- actually be in contact with their muses, it would be a mistake to think this is a purely metaphoric discussion. I believe many, perhaps even all, people have partners on the other side, watching over them. These partners may "naturally" be providing service without any expectation of recognition or direct thanks... but if they are recognized and contacted directly, they're going to be very open to the idea of expanding that relationship and seeking greater unity with "their human," so to speak.
That is, I think, at the heart of Ra's comment about courting vs plundering. That muse is giving service, and someone who never recognizes her as a distinct entity will still be able to call upon her by having the want\need. ie, service on demand, simply because it's expected. But there are many more possibilities available if someone recognizes/respects her individuality as an entity and starts working with her on those terms.
(Female pronouns used for the sake of convenience.)
RE: Courting the maiden - JustLikeYou - 05-15-2016
Night owl, I'm not offended or anything like it. I only wanted to point out that your association of ''courting the female energy'' and ''proving the male energy'' with the idea of "energiz[ing] the ego" is not an absolute association. For you, these concepts may be associated due to the definitions with which you inform each of them. For others, the association is not at all necessary.
How we understand these terms and their relationships is a distortion of some kind. For you it is an unhelpful distortion, but for me and perhaps others, it is a helpful one. That's why I asked you to "mind the absolute language." Although you may be aware that your statements are relative to your own perspective, your actual words did not convey that relativity. Unless you qualify your words as relative to your own understanding, then your claim needs support from the text. An absolute claim, in the context of this sub-forum, is tantamount to saying that Ra would agree with you. I make absolute claims myself, but I only do so when I think Ra would agree.
Again, I'm not upset in any way. I am only working toward for clarity for you, me, and anyone else who reads this sub-forum.
RE: Courting the maiden - Minyatur - 05-15-2016
On my part I mainly think that courting a maiden/plundering a prostitute, is a limited perspective of the archetype which reflects a qualitive image that was given. One can resonate with this image or not.
While what the archetype truly conveys in my opinion is the idea of partnership which is polarized. The maiden analogy tells more to me about how those of Ra distort this archetype, they view what they do as courting and would view themselves as plundering if they acted as others, that they have observed, do.
RE: Courting the maiden - Jade - 05-15-2016
Yeah but it's not Ra's archetype, these are the biases of the Logos, who has a bias towards kindness and the mated pairing.
And of course the analogy is not supposed to be only literal. They are supposed to "haunt rather than explicate". It boils down to: Are you going to cooperate with Creation and reunify, or are you going to continue to buy into the veil of separation and see other selves as resources that you can take from? I mean, the "truth" is that we can't take anything from anyone else, because of course, all is one. So polarization is about learning the proper configuration of mind and attitude towards the resources of those who we perceive to be "other than" us. The analogy says that one way to view this is through the lens of how one sees the resources of a "maiden" (sacramental) and how one sees the resources of a "prostitute" (there to be used).
I want to add quickly that I think I got into a contentious discussion here once before actually because of how "positively" I view the profession of prostitution. I am not judging the prostitute, or the act of engaging a prostitute. And again I want to reiterate that there is no "rape" involved in prostitution - I mean, there can be, but traditionally it's an (arbitrarily) equivalent exchange of currency for sexual services. I do not see the prostitute as necessarily always a victim in the exchange, or that there has to be any "victim". But one calls upon the prostitute when they want instant gratification, and are willing to "pay" for it. One calls upon the "maiden" when they are looking to dedicate their lives to "another". So it's the attitude of giving of the self or taking of another. The concept is extremely simple, the maiden/prostitute metaphor is added to give it more depth, but if it distorts it further for you, then of course leave it.
RE: Courting the maiden - Minyatur - 05-15-2016
It is not Ra's archetype but it is Ra's imaged representation of the archetype. I didn't dismiss the whole archetype and instead synthetised it to a polarized relationship.
If we are to view things as without separation, then does it make sense to court yourself? I think both ways uses separation to work. Both STO and STS can only make any sense within a context of separation. Unity both transcends and includes both of those else unity wouldn't be much united.
RE: Courting the maiden - Jade - 05-15-2016
I think it makes total sense to court yourself. Many people deal with feelings of self loathing and hatred. Learning to love the self is a big part of the process IMO. First you have to see the self as worthy, as one may the "virginal maiden", instead of thinking of ourselves as "prostitutes without virtue", those who can be bought and sold.
RE: Courting the maiden - Minyatur - 05-15-2016
(05-15-2016, 03:47 PM)Bring4th_Jade Wrote: I think it makes total sense to court yourself. Many people deal with feelings of self loathing and hatred. Learning to love the self is a big part of the process IMO. First you have to see the self as worthy, as one may the "virginal maiden", instead of thinking of ourselves as "prostitutes without virtue", those who can be bought and sold.
Learning to love yourself isn't really to court yourself, you're not trying to win yourself. Just shifting/unveiling the focus of how you perceive yourself.
This is how I view the resources of the deep mind, they are an integral part of what I am. I can become aware of it, fall in love with it, seek harmony with this aspect of myself, but I don't see myself courting this aspect of myself to also fall back in love with me, as it is inherently there. It simply is something that is greater than my lower self and which gave birth to this lower self that I am.
Then again I would not seek to court creation. I would just allow myself to be what I am and evolve on that path, it is the role of others to find love in what I am and not my role to do this work for them nor alter my being to allow others to find love in it (this would be endless within the relativity of many-ness, and literally impossible to do for everything simultaneously). Just like it is my own role to find love in all of the things that I am through others.
RE: Courting the maiden - Minyatur - 05-15-2016
To be honest, I truly only do not resonate with the idea that a positive polarized relationship with one's High Priestess is to be through the act of courting. I did resonate with many other ideas expressed in this thread.
RE: Courting the maiden - JustLikeYou - 05-15-2016
Minyatur, are you/have you ever been in a harmonious long-term romantic relationship? The concept of courtship is thoroughly dependent on this kind of experience which, while very common, is not perfectly ubiquitous. If not, then the concept would obviously be alien to you. Even so, there are surely other experiences you have had that are analogous to romantic courtship.
The central idea is that you and the other-self freely choose each other in a gradual, unforced relationship. Some have this experience with pets, others with friend or working partners, others with a job or career path, and still others have such an experience with an "inanimate" object (one of my favorite examples of such an object is a musical instrument). I remain confident that your objection (and Night Owl's) to Jade's description of the Transformation of the Mind (and the High Priestess) is largely a disagreement about what it means to court a maiden.
RE: Courting the maiden - Jade - 05-15-2016
Quote:To be honest, I truly only do not resonate with the idea that a positive polarized relationship with one's High Priestess is to be through the act of courting. I did resonate with many other ideas expressed in this thread.
Ah I see. I guess maybe one intention of courting is to "win one over", but again, as you said, the High Priestess is already there, it is just a matter of through which lens you then subsequently view her and treat her.
RE: Courting the maiden - Minyatur - 05-15-2016
(05-15-2016, 05:27 PM)JustLikeYou Wrote: Minyatur, are you/have you ever been in a harmonious long-term romantic relationship? The concept of courtship is thoroughly dependent on this kind of experience which, while very common, is not perfectly ubiquitous. If not, then the concept would obviously be alien to you. Even so, there are surely other experiences you have had that are analogous to romantic courtship.
I have had one, although it was not always harmonious and more like a roller-coaster. I don't think I was much the element of disharmony though.
The relationship did require courting, which may be why it was not meant to be. To me, someone who would truly love me would not require to be courted. That relationship was also something I had an irrational fear of it ending, and would make me try to do my utmost into preventing that from happening, which was not all that respectful toward myself.
(05-15-2016, 05:27 PM)JustLikeYou Wrote: The central idea is that you and the other-self freely choose each other in a gradual, unforced relationship. Some have this experience with pets, others with friend or working partners, others with a job or career path, and still others have such an experience with an "inanimate" object (one of my favorite examples of such an object is a musical instrument). I remain confident that your objection (and Night Owl's) to Jade's description of the Transformation of the Mind (and the High Priestess) is largely a disagreement about what it means to court a maiden.
Well I did say I saw the archetype as a polarized relationship. I don't think courting ever is required, sometimes all that is needed is to make what truly resonates with you aware of yourself. That is more what I seek, someone who I would only need to be aware of to love and who would also only need to be aware of me to love me.
This is also how I see the High Priestess, as something that only truly desire me to be aware of her and to not ignore her existence.
RE: Courting the maiden - Minyatur - 05-15-2016
My relationship with my intuition mainly is like this. I get insights I can listen or not to. When I don't, I can get to know why I should've if I want to, to see that it would've been what I wanted. This teaches me to not consciously rationalize my acts but to trust that behind my feelings and insights, there is good intent that is my own and which knows what I don't consciously know.
In this there is a relationship of teaching where I can learn to trust myself.
RE: Courting the maiden - Spaced - 05-16-2016
(05-15-2016, 05:56 PM)Minyatur Wrote: The relationship did require courting, which may be why it was not meant to be. To me, someone who would truly love me would not require to be courted.
So what, you want a relationship where you make eye contact with someone and they instantly know everything about the totality of your being and vice versa and you don't even need to exchange a single word because your both swept away with love? Good luck.
Justlikeyou's metaphor of the musical instrument is good too. You can't just pick up a guitar and know how to play.
RE: Courting the maiden - Minyatur - 05-16-2016
(05-16-2016, 02:17 PM)Spaced Wrote:(05-15-2016, 05:56 PM)Minyatur Wrote: The relationship did require courting, which may be why it was not meant to be. To me, someone who would truly love me would not require to be courted.
So what, you want a relationship where you make eye contact with someone and they instantly know everything about the totality of your being and vice versa and you don't even need to exchange a single word because your both swept away with love? Good luck.
Justlikeyou's metaphor of the musical instrument is good too. You can't just pick up a guitar and know how to play.
Well not making eye contact, but you can get to know someone without courting.
Most people make friends because they meet people they resonate with and get to know them without having to enter a mindset of needing to win them over. Most friends I've had came to me because they found me intetesting and I never tried to gain friends myself. A relationship can be that but where it develops love feelings.
I don't think you get in touch with a guitar in a way that you act specifically to make it fall for you, which is what courting is.
RE: Courting the maiden - Spaced - 05-16-2016
(05-16-2016, 03:09 PM)Minyatur Wrote: Most people make friends because they meet people they resonate with and get to know them without having to enter a mindset of needing to win them over. Most friends I've had came to me because they found me intetesting and I never tried to gain friends myself. A relationship can be that but where it develops love feelings.
I don't think you get in touch with a guitar in a way that you act specifically to make it fall for you, which is what courting is.
I think the issue here is the meaning you place on "courtship". To me what you've written here are examples of courtship.
- - earth_spirit - 05-16-2016
-----
RE: Courting the maiden - Minyatur - 05-16-2016
(05-16-2016, 03:28 PM)Spaced Wrote:(05-16-2016, 03:09 PM)Minyatur Wrote: Most people make friends because they meet people they resonate with and get to know them without having to enter a mindset of needing to win them over. Most friends I've had came to me because they found me intetesting and I never tried to gain friends myself. A relationship can be that but where it develops love feelings.
I don't think you get in touch with a guitar in a way that you act specifically to make it fall for you, which is what courting is.
I think the issue here is the meaning you place on "courtship". To me what you've written here are examples of courtship.
To me when a man courts a woman, he goes out of his ways and natural behaviors as to impress and gain the affection of the woman.
I would not call getting to know someone and allowing someone to know you courtship.
RE: Courting the maiden - Spaced - 05-16-2016
Well here's the thing, there is a reason Ra chose sexual imagery to symbolize the connection between conscious and unconscious, and that's because making that contact with intelligent infinity is directly analogous to sex. The potent masculine will of the conscious mind penetrating the veil of the receptive and nurturing feminine unconscious.
You can get to know someone, but if you are after a sexual relationship you will relate to them differently then the rest of your friends. You can make friends with your unconscious mind and it might share some insights, intuitions, etc. but both sides of your mind will still remain essentially separated. The other option is to commit to the relationship, to court the maiden, with the goal of achieving what the ancients called Heiros Gamos, sacred marriage, where the two halves are united in a lasting union and common purpose (The Lovers archetype in the tarot). The nature of this relationship is determined by the polarity of the adept (Ra's whole maiden/prostitute thing).
RE: Courting the maiden - Minyatur - 05-16-2016
What I mean to say is that there are many distortions in which falling in love can find focus, and that courting/plundering is but one focus which does not contain the archetype itself. Positively loving and finding intimacy does not equate courting, as courting to me implies altering how you are in a mindset that believes that how you are is not good enough and needs to be valorized further to be seen as worthwhile.
Maybe all of this is but a language barrier, and courtship is seen through different lenses by me than for others..
RE: Courting the maiden - Spaced - 05-16-2016
Well I personally don't equate the idea of courtship with altering who you are. I see it more as trying to get someone's attention/favour.
RE: Courting the maiden - Jade - 05-16-2016
I'm going to argue that the whole point of the archetypical complex is to become "that which we are not" as 3rd density entities. Really, the Significator is "that which we are not", because we are veiled in a 3rd density experience. This is not our "true selves". We use the archetypes to lift the veil to become more of our "true selves", i.e. closer to the Creator by being of a higher vibration than our initial earth upbringing allows us. We're talking about The Fool's Journey. He's making the choice to walk into the crocodile waiting maw to have his heart's merits weighed. Why? Well, there are infinite reasons, but it's most often because it's about the journey and not the end gratification. That is what the maiden vs. prostitute means. You fall in love with the steps of the path and not the rewards of the path.
RE: Courting the maiden - Spaced - 05-16-2016
I think that's fair. The Lovers is a transformation archetype after all, but I feel it's less about altering yourself and more about allowing yourself to be altered by the process.
RE: Courting the maiden - Jade - 05-16-2016
I agree - we put such negative connotations on "sacrifice", when letting go of the prostitute should in theory be a simple concept.
RE: Courting the maiden - Night Owl - 05-16-2016
Allright I took a little step back about this to take the time to make this clear inside of me and make sure that my perspective doesn't get distorted.
I think I understand really well what courting is. Given that it may be associated with really different behaviors it may never be found in any absolute descriptions or terms. However what I think people have in mind when they think about courting is to reach to the other through flattering behaviors in an attempt that it will charm and attract the opposite energy. Those behaviors can go in a wide range of variety from telling them compliments to playing games to or to get some physical contact in order to bring intimacy. Would you agree that things like that are flattering the other's ego? I do agree it is not an absolute association but I do think at the basis of things that this is the effect that such behavior has. If you think it does not then tell me how do you think you can court someone without flattering the ego because hontesly I have not witnessed such a thing and have witnessed a whole lot of courting in my working environnement.
I think the reasons I don't relate to the analogy has a lot to do with what I am looking for in a relationship and also what is the process of intuition at the very basis of things. I have come to the conclusion that people's intuition work in so many different ways that it is obsolete to categorize it as a single image because different people have different paths therefore they program themselves different games with their veil and the interaction with their high priestest has as much variety as there are different ways of having a relationship with someone. My intuition seems to be like the flow of a river in which I can choose to walk on my own and learn about myself from the resistance created by my self or I can let myself flow with the stream of my intuition and it will lead me to learn about others and about a universe of different things to love and understand. But there is nothing to ''conquer'' other than myself and what I already am but resisting to be through the veil.
That being said, if I focus on the way two people get to know each other in the physical reality because you mentioned it, I think it is impossible for two attracted energies not to change for the opposites because like you said yourself, both partners will want to (inner) change themselves. And that's what I dislike about it. If I am attracted to somenone it is because it feels complementary, it is because we feel perfect for each other like you said yourself. But I don't want what I already think is perfect to change, and I guess it would be the same for the one that I attract. That is also why I remain alone at the moment because that allows me to change because being with an energy signature like mine the opposite energy would not want me to change either. By simply allowing what I love to be, it will grow without any imprints of my own distortions. And by that I don't mean stare at the eyes of the other endlessly being swept away by love. I mean that I let the universe unfold like polarity: Things that are similar or opposite will attract what they need to be similar and opposite. When courting, you are actually '' kind of '' hunting and so you are projecting your self on the other. When that happens, what you get is a reflection of yourself and not a reflection of the other.
I agree that two people may get to know each other the way you describe it. But I think the informations that are displayed in this way of doing it are superficial, at least to me. I don't think because you know someone's interests and family and what is their job that you really know them. Not that those are the only displayable informations but that is mostly what you get when talking with people in day to day life, it is somekind of a facebook profil that is being displayed as a mask. If I imprint some of my distortions on somebody by courting them then I will only get a personalised reflection of mine from the other. I personally want to see the real thing without it being filtered by my energy because that is what I am here to love. I know this because I am absolutely certain that someone who seeks to know me be by those informations will not know me at all and this is what I get asked by people who try to know me. It is then easy for me to assume that there is much more under the mask of anybody else to know than there is on the mask. At some point we could define that mask as the ego, or the ego's reflection maybe. What I don't like about courting is that you get to valorize the mask of both persons in an unatural way. I think it has a lot to do with the fact that courting includes some kind of testing of the other which involves some kind of expectations of the outcome and therefore it makes it conditional to a positive response and also a test of yourself seeking for self valorisation through the other's eyes. I think seeing others without including self valorisation, you get to truly know who you are facing no matter what. Just like looking at yourself without the imprints of others you get a much clearer picture of yourself.
If I look at the definition of courting it definitely has something to do with trying to gain something. You are not wrong that courting means giving attention to the other but that is only one side of the coin. I'd say that is the conscious part of the process. The unconscious part of the process being that you are trying to win the attention of the other and this is where courting becomes a need. I really think that if you have to court someone to get close to them, then you have at best met a relationship where one needs the other to grow. But that is far from being the more consonant relationship one can hope to build. There is nothing wrong with courting in itself but I'd say this is exactly where it really becomes a personal thing as to what you are actually doing here on earth with your incarnation. Maybe someone who does a lot of courting is seeking to understand what attracts them about others. But personally I would not find this kind of relationship worthwhile because I know deep inside that there is something better awaiting and I have experienced it. There are people whose energy is so consonant with yours that it is worth being alone no matter what. Courting is the easy way out of loneliness. Being with someone who unconditonally loves you without courting someday makes loneliness an eternal bliss among a mountain of confused courting people looking for something to get. Maybe I am the odd one but I am not looking to get, gain or win anything out of a relationship. I seek love without resistance. Courting implies resistance. If there is resistance, there is not consonance.
So while the analogy with the archetype is not false, it is like minyatur said, only a single focus while the archetype can encompass a lot more than what is implied by this image association.
RE: Courting the maiden - Jade - 05-16-2016
Well, I think this is where the misunderstanding lies.
Quote:If you think it does not then tell me how do you think you can court someone without flattering the ego because hontesly I have not witnessed such a thing and have witnessed a whole lot of courting in my working environnement.
I've been trying to explain this the whole time, heh. Firstly, you are likely seeing people who are "courting" in a way that is not "pure" as per Ra, Ra says courting the maiden has "nothing of plunder in its semblance". So if someone is lying to inflate the ego, they're likely taking the attitude of plunder.
I've fallen in love and been in love multiple times, actually. The ways you describe "courtship" are not what I have experienced. I mean, I have experienced what you describe, but I've also experienced something else. When you are in love with someone, you aren't doing nice things for them to win them over, you're doing nice things for them because you love them and want to make their life easier/better. And the act of fulfilling their needs is exactly what fulfills yours. It's actually a very specific and all-encompassing feeling, and if you don't understand it, I'd recommend pondering the pure, archetypical love that is implied, and not the distorted, romantic-comedy version of events that we are all sold on TV.
Quote:Maybe I am the odd one but I am not looking to get, gain or win anything out of a relationship. I seek love without resistance.
Isn't this a contradiction?
Quote:Courting implies resistance.
I disagree and actually think the opposite. Courting implies that if there is resistance, one backs off, because you are respecting the wishes of the one you are courting.
Why is there this assumption that two people must lie to each other, or manipulate to come together as a couple? Isn't this possibly a personal, nihilistic distortion?
And again, it's not because you -have- to court or win over the subconscious/other selves, they will always be there. It's how you choose to treat them and think of them within the mind. Yes the analogy is shallow but that's because each person is supposed to take their own interpretation. If the Tarot archetypes don't work for you as a system, if they don't resonate in their analogies, maybe if you want to study the archetypes you should seek astrology or the tree of life. Because this isn't my own "distorted" analogy, this is just the one I was given to work with. And it makes complete sense to me. I can see and feel exactly what the card means. Maybe I just have an advantage because I'm in an 8 year relationship - so this is why I'm struggling so hard to explain that what you are considering as "courting" as a dirty word is not the intentions of Ra, but in the pure sense that you want it to imply, where there is no coercion, no resistance, no attempts at deception. Just the "constant orgasm of joy and delight in each other's beingness".
RE: Courting the maiden - Night Owl - 05-17-2016
Well my description is based on the definition of courting according to the dictionary. So yes I think the way you understand the word may be more beautiful, more positively oriented, more unconditional and more fitting with the INTENT of Ra and more in tune with what I would be doing in love as well. But it is not apparently the way humans have decided to use the word. I think what you describe is simply love on a human level and not courting. It is not that I don't understand the archetype or the meaning of courting it is more that the word is itself misinterpreted into what it actually means because it really does mean the distorted version of it. The way you describe courting in the context of a long term relationship seems more like nurturing, preserving, nourishing or carrying a relationship through time. Courting really is a word associated with the act of trying to attract the other towards you. So the question would be why would Ra be using the word courting if Ra is more than likely aware of the distorted idea associated with the word? Why would Ra use a term and mean something else?
I just think the analogy was not made to be all-encompassing and was perhaps fitting with the channeling group's experiences and that there is many other focuses that this archetype can contain. I mean for me I just have to ask myself do I think of my intuition as something that absolutely wants to be desired as badly as a woman can be at times? Certainly not but I understand how it is possible to nourish an harmonious relationship with my intuition by being all ears and curious about it at all times.
I also don't think it is a contradiction to seek love without resistance without trying to win something out of it. To me an harmonious relationship is the result of two naturally evolving vibrations that match in their similarities and contrasts in the most important emotional vibrations, mostly those expressed by the chakras. If it feels like hard work then it is not harmonious. In the context of an harmonious relationship it seems more like a gift than a victory. So more simply if I was attracted naturally to a feminine energy and realize that my natural presence makes her joyful I would be offering my being freely and unconditionally. That does not seem like courting to me.
RE: Courting the maiden - Night Owl - 05-17-2016
Also wanted to add that I don't think one needs to lie to be courting. If I was for exemple entering a room with people I don't know and engage conversation with females by an identification process like asking what's your name, how old are you, what's your job, what are your interests, where do you live, that would be courting. It could be both considered as a way of attracting others to me and a way of projecting my self on others. But I know that even though I have not lied there is no relevant information to be shared at this point and that by starting off like this I would be myself engaging the conditional and superficial process of identification like reading a facebook profile and that the new relationships would have that as the foundation no matter what happens next. If I instead walk in that room and let nature unfold by itself and speak with those I meet first or those I feel compelled to talk to first, the attraction process will occur anyway and intuition will do the rest without any need for changing myself to please. I trust that someone else's intuition will do the same and that both will meet in an uncondtional athmosphere that makes them want to open to each other without any need for the identification process. That is not courting to me because there is no trying to attract. It just naturally evolve if there is resonance.
I also don't think one can simply switch of archetypal study because they each have different values that cannot be permutated. While astrology focus more on the starting guidelines of your incarnation it cannot define your whole journey. The tarot focus more on the transformation and evolution through the journey and the tree of life focus more and the nature of reality. One can resonate more with one of them but they do not replace one another.
RE: Courting the maiden - YinYang - 05-17-2016
Slightly on a different note, but it's interesting how Joseph Campbell's book A Hero With a Thousand Faces is all about the archetypal journey (which he calls the monomyth). Campbell's mentor was Carl Jung, and Jung was deeply interested in the tarot.
![[Image: hero.jpg]](http://www.flowersforeveryone.co.za/hero.jpg)
The call to adventure is the magician (the will), and the crossing of the threshold from the ordinary world into the special world, I would imagine refers to courting of the maiden.