Love is a profound and mysterious force that defies simple explanation.

It does not seek anything beyond itself, no external good or reward. It does not pursue a purpose that transcends it. In fact, it is indifferent to all transcendence. It begins and ends within itself.

Love is an attraction towards a particular soul and body, not an abstract idea, but a specific person. This person is unique and endowed with freedom.

To possess this person, the lover must win their will. Possession and surrender are reciprocal acts.

Love is not about controlling or dominating the other, but about respecting their individuality and freedom. It is a dance of give and take, of mutual understanding and acceptance.

When two people are truly in love, they are willing to sacrifice their own interests for the sake of the other. They are able to see beyond the flaws and imperfections and appreciate the beauty and goodness within.

Love is a journey, not a destination. It requires patience, commitment, and perseverance. It is not always easy, but it is always worth it.

I have turned each page greedily, just like a slice of red watermelon on a sweltering summer day.

The content of these pages is a mixture composed of reflections on the human mystery of love and the great ideas of philosophy, history, politics, and universal science - the encapsulation of being and the description of its condition, among other things.

The symbiosis between love and freedom that Paz attempts to define is exceptional, and moreover, it is therapeutic. I am not wrong in describing this book as existentialist and steeped in ontological extensions.

Even though there were irritating references to Hegel, some formulations perhaps too abstract (and fictionalized?) and multiple dichotomous phrases, the author somehow managed to dose everything proportionally, sensitizing you and enlightening you at the same time.

Ultimately, "The Double Flame" is an elegiac cry; a call to reunite with ourselves and with the fact of being in the world. I sincerely admit that it is one of the great books of my maturation.

Octavio Paz's work strikes me as a masterpiece. It is rich in resources and references. The connection it makes between poetry, love, and erotism is truly amazing. The way it links them and creates a unified whole of three parts is essential for all of us who inhabit this world. I believe it is a work that all those interested in love and poetry should read. It offers unique insights and perspectives that can enhance our understanding and appreciation of these profound themes. The language used is vivid and engaging, drawing the reader in and making them eager to explore further. Overall, it is a remarkable piece of literature that deserves to be widely known and studied.

One of my absolute favorite books is by one of my all-time favorite writers.

I am currently rereading this wonderful piece because I simply can. It is truly and deeply lyrical.

I am completely addicted to Paz's poetry. In fact, way back when, I even did an entire drawing series based on his work.

He writes in a way that I like to imagine my own brain thinks, although I suspect that my brain may not quite reach this lofty level.

However, a girl can always dream, can't she?

And so, as I reread this book, I am once again沉浸 in the beauty and magic of Paz's words, hoping to catch a glimpse of that elusive creative spark that he seems to possess so effortlessly.

It is a truly inspiring and enriching experience, one that I will cherish for a long time to come.

After approximately one and a half months, the first book that I picked up with the excitement of finding myself... Accompanied by Tomris Uyar's wonderful translation, it is a magnificent selection on erotism, love, and its different components where the intellectual trace and journey do not stop for a single moment.

** Especially independent of sexuality, what kind of change has occurred from the ancient world to the present day, to the modern life of the 20th century regarding the feeling of love?**

*** Paz is asking us a very special question. Is love possible without women's freedom? The answer given to this question also reflects a specific and direct picture of our intense emotional literature with love. Does human admiration only occupy the physical area or also the existing emotional and spiritual integrity of love?***

**** The emotional form that we call love is often a work. According to the author, humans are constantly in the effort of finding and discovering themselves. Therefore, the search for finding oneself and the search for identity make love great, arduous, and captivating. The love and erotism that the author describes as a double flame, which will burn every kind of human, is meaningful within sexuality...

I started reading this book with great anticipation due to the theme. The first few pages seemed very promising.

However, as I advanced in the book, these expectations began to fade away. Love and Eroticism is a theme that can be approached from many angles. What I least expected was that it would be dealt with in this book in such a "rational" way, a bit far from the poetic, sensitive, and emotional.

Nevertheless, it is still a good book penned by Octavio Paz. The book takes a journey through the history of the theme of Love and Eroticism, analyzing the books written by the ancient Greeks, Dante, Petrarch, the Middle Ages, the Romantics, up to our days.

Although it may seem incredible, it touches on themes of quantum physics and artificial intelligence. Yes! And I wondered what this has to do with Love and Eroticism.

In conclusion, it is an interesting essay, but from my point of view, it is "rational" and a bit scattered.

The article is very beautifully written.

However, I always have a penchant for seeking out things that can impart new knowledge to me.

While this piece provided a rather nice way of defining erotism, unfortunately, it didn't convey anything that I wasn't already familiar with.

I was hoping for some fresh perspectives or hitherto unknown insights into the concept of erotism.

Perhaps if the author had delved deeper into the subject matter or presented some unique examples, it would have been more engaging and informative for me.

Nonetheless, the writing style was indeed captivating, and I appreciate the effort put into crafting it.

But in terms of learning something new, this particular article fell a bit short for my tastes.

Bueno para estudiar el erotismo

This phrase seems to suggest that something is good for studying erotism. Eroticism is a complex and often controversial topic that explores the nature of sexual desire, attraction, and expression.

When we study erotism, we can gain a deeper understanding of human sexuality and how it affects our relationships, emotions, and overall well-being. It can also help us to break free from taboos and prejudices surrounding sex and sexuality.

However, studying erotism requires an open mind and a willingness to explore different perspectives and ideas. It is important to approach the topic with respect and sensitivity, and to avoid objectifying or demeaning others.

In conclusion, while studying erotism may not be for everyone, it can be a valuable and enlightening experience for those who are interested in exploring this fascinating aspect of human nature.

Octavio Paz (1914 - 1998) states that love has three defining characteristics (p.123).

Firstly, it is personal. The beloved is body + soul. "The lover loves equally the body and the soul" of the other (p.122).

Secondly, it is a freely assumed fatality. The lover chooses his or her fate.

Thirdly, it is exclusive. We cannot love multiple people simultaneously, although some wise people have wondered if such a distributive love is possible and have answered affirmatively.

Octavio Paz says that he wrote this essay in two months, "in a trance". He was guided by Inspiration. Only in this way can I explain that in only 200 pages, he manages to cover all of human knowledge (Platonism, tantrism, Buddhism, the appearance of life on earth, the primordial soup, love-passion, Marxism, mysticism, panspermia, consumerism, hedonism, etc.). His essay is chaotic and banal.

Erotismo y sexualidad son dos conceptos que están íntimamente relacionados y que, como un paréntesis, van dando un acotamiento ontológico del amor. Estos dos elementos forman una doble llama que irradia pasión y deseo. Son esenciales para comprender la compleja dinámica del amor y la relación humana.

Este ensayo que destila poesía es una lectura obligatoria para los milenials poliamorosos y adjuntos. En él, se exploran los diferentes aspectos de la erotismo y la sexualidad, así como su relación con el amor. Se analizan las diferentes formas en que estos conceptos se manifiestan en la vida cotidiana y en las relaciones sexuales.

Además, se discuten las diferentes actitudes y creencias que existen en torno a la erotismo y la sexualidad. Algunas personas ven estos elementos como algo positivo y esencial para una relación sana y satisfactoria, mientras que otras las consideran tabú o incluso peligrosas.

En definitiva, este ensayo es una invitación a reflexionar sobre la importancia de la erotismo y la sexualidad en nuestras vidas y en nuestras relaciones. Es una lectura que nos puede ayudar a comprender mejor nuestra propia sexualidad y a aceptar y respetar la sexualidad de los demás.

Octavio Paz is one of the brightest minds in history. Honestly, this is a difficult book.

My learning process with this work took place over several months, as the topics covered are related, but some require more experience than others. Nevertheless, the premise of "The Double Flame" is to dialogue about what love is in culture, how it emerged, where it is and where it is going; it also deals with erotism, which changes with geography, society and history, as it is the human dimension of sexuality.

In a first approach, O. Paz distinguishes the ideology of love through the differences between the West and the East. It is here that Plato appears, considered the first philosopher of love. But Plato's love diverges from ours, as when making the separation between the body and the soul, he would be horrified by the contemporary vision of carnal love, in a severe condemnation of the physical pleasure that now reigns.

The Greeks were more erotic than amorous, and it was with Theocritus that the first great love poem emerged (3rd century BC). And the basis of this statement lies in Athenian misogyny and the situation of women in classical Greece; thus, Theocritus, by making a poor young adult woman the center of a passionate poem, was a giant step in the literary world.

For O. Paz, there is no love without freedom.

The author discusses the following centuries and the literary influences in the construction of the ideology of love. Thus, he disserts on the 13th century (which brings the birth of Europe), in France, where love appears as an ideal of a superior life - have you ever heard of courtly love? Well, it's about that! Then, he highlights Dante, as a figure who radically changed courtly love by inserting it into scholastic theology.

In the epicenter of all this analysis, Octavio approaches various works known to us, such as Don Quixote, Madame Bovary, Doctor Zhivago, among others (including Eastern authors). He does not fail to carry out a political analysis under the lens of love, which fascinated me tremendously, as he did not forget science and positioned it in the discussion.

We find reflections on love, life and death; the impact of the 20th century on art; how capitalism transformed erotism into a department of advertising and a branch of trade; the person as the center of love and politics; and a man's passion for life.

A historical and perfectly detailed journey of how different civilizations have understood and lived what love, courtship, romance, erotism, pleasure, and everything that surrounds human relationships are.

Throughout history, various civilizations have had their own unique perspectives and interpretations of these aspects. From ancient civilizations like the Egyptians, Greeks, and Romans to more modern cultures, the concept of love and related emotions has evolved and taken on different forms.

Courtship rituals, for example, have differed greatly across civilizations. Some cultures have emphasized elaborate ceremonies and formalities, while others have been more casual and spontaneous. Romance, too, has been expressed in different ways, through poetry, art, music, and other forms of creative expression.

Erotism and pleasure have also been an important part of human relationships in many civilizations. However, the attitudes towards these topics have varied widely, from acceptance and celebration to repression and condemnation.

By exploring the historical and cultural context of love and human relationships, we can gain a deeper understanding of our own beliefs and values, as well as those of others. This knowledge can help us to build more meaningful and fulfilling relationships in our own lives.