Rites and Myths of Seduction

“Every seduction is a promise, a half-opened door into the unfamiliar, momentarily glimpsed, world of splendor—an expectation not only attenuated by desire and waiting, but intensified.” Seduction includes a secret invitation to embrace transformation, an openness to change despite risks and suffering. The many facets of seduction are illuminated through a lively discussion of Satan, figures from Greek mythology, star-crossed lovers such as Paolo and Francesca, and the master of seduction, Don Juan. In the analytical relationship, the patient must maintain equilibrium between fear and attraction; the analyst must realize that the analytical process animates fantasies of seduction. In a fable told by a patient, an analyst, and a narrator, the secret meaning of an encounter are revealed. This book fosters a clear understanding of the affective roots of seduction that can lead to transformation and the discovery of a new identity.