The Mastery of Love: A Practical Guide to the Art of Relationship

Some cultures frame sex as shameful, when it is a natural part of being human should one pursue it. This view stems from conflict between the body’s natural instincts and the mind’s conditioned judgments: While the body responds to physical stimuli and desires, the mind is influenced by societal beliefs and morals—leading to a distorted, sometimes destructive view of sex. The mind is devoid of physical needs and often misinterprets the body’s needs as its own. Thus, embracing one’s true self involves accepting the body’s needs without guilt.

Ruiz illustrates the hunter-prey dynamic in some relationships through the Greek myth of Artemis and Hercules. Artemis, the divine huntress, lives in harmony with the forest. However, when the mortal Hercules is tasked with capturing her deer form, the roles of hunter and prey become blurred: Artemis becomes obsessed with capturing him, altering her nature and disrupting her harmony with the forest. Overall, the myth is an allegory for the pursuit of love. Like Artemis, humans often become hunters in their relationships, seeking what they believe they lack in others. This hunt is driven by the misconception that love is found outside oneself, leading to dependency. True love is more akin to Artemis’s initial harmony—not predicated on possession.