Love in an inclusive extension of being alive. It is an action of the mind and a shift in awareness that makes oneness out of separation. What is not love
is an attack. What is not love is war because it tears the oneness apart and
makes for separation.
Love is always there. It
cannot not be. It is what you are. If you would come to “know thyself,” which
is the goal of any enlightened teaching, then love must come into your awareness.
And in order for this to happen the blocks to the awareness of love must be
removed. The blocks are anything that is not love (fear, guilt, grievances,
judgments, etc.). You don’t have to go looking for these blocks. They will find
you.
To love another is to see, know and accept the other exactly as they are, which is to say ‘as created by God.’ If you can do this you will not see anything in the other that is less than perfect, for vision will have shown you God’s true creation – you will have found in the other and in yourself that which is truly loving and lovable.
To love another is to see, know and accept the other exactly as they are, which is to say ‘as created by God.’ If you can do this you will not see anything in the other that is less than perfect, for vision will have shown you God’s true creation – you will have found in the other and in yourself that which is truly loving and lovable.
We have all experienced the
pain of having loved and lost (or so it seemed). When love is associated with
pain and loss many become afraid of love. And we often withhold love for fear
of getting hurt. And what we withhold from others we withhold from ourselves.
This fear and withholding of love is not justified in reality. There can be no
loss in reality. Nothing real can be threatened, and we are never separate and
apart.
The awareness of love’s presence
has nothing to do with getting someone to love you. Love is a good thing. But
having love rests on giving love, not on finding and getting it. You are love.
You are not lacking love. If you cannot find love within you, you are not going
to find it out there.
Ego is that part of the split
mind that is always looking for external validation and support. Spirit
is that part of the mind that rests in peace and certainty. It does not need or
seek external validation or support. And it is from that place of peace and
certainty that unconditional love inclusively extends to all. “Love one another.” Any love that you
withhold from anyone you withhold from yourself.
Isn’t it amazing? All
creatures, large and small, respond to love – know love. And yet we cannot say
what it is; we cannot explain or describe it. But I can tell you this: if love
is not in your awareness, then there is nothing in your awareness that is real
– nothing that is of any value.
Kahlil Gibran described love eloquently:
“When love beckons to you, follow him,
Though his ways are hard and steep.
And when his wings enfold you yield to him,
Though the sword hidden among his pinions may wound you.
And when he speaks to you believe in him,
Though his voice may shatter your dreams
as the north wind lays waste the garden.
For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify you.
Though his ways are hard and steep.
And when his wings enfold you yield to him,
Though the sword hidden among his pinions may wound you.
And when he speaks to you believe in him,
Though his voice may shatter your dreams
as the north wind lays waste the garden.
For even as love crowns you so shall he crucify you.
Even as he is for your growth so is he for your pruning.
Even as he ascends to your height and caresses your tenderest branches that quiver in the sun,
So shall he descend to your roots and shake them in their clinging to the earth.”
Even as he ascends to your height and caresses your tenderest branches that quiver in the sun,
So shall he descend to your roots and shake them in their clinging to the earth.”
- Benny Silverman
Ariel's Note: Benny is "a man without a past or a
future - no plans or career - he is only and always now and will not be limited
by names, definitions or descriptions."
Nice Guest Blog & loved the picture. I've always had a problem with the word "judgement" though, when it is used to generally say "I never judge". Of course we judge... things, people, what is said or done, but to me that is just part of being human..i.e, would I judge someone who is threatening me with a gun? Of course I would. And of course all animals DO respond to love, but they also hunt & kill (for food mostly, although Jane Goodall's observations of Chimpanzee's seem to indicate that they are close to human behaviour when it comes to killing) It's hard to generalize love or judgement - guess that's what makes us human - we CHOOSE one way or the other. And to choose usually indicates a judgement of some kind. Just my thoughts....have always rambled on to myself about judging, being judged, judgemental or not judging/being non-judgemental and their definitions.
ReplyDeleteYou're right Pete. While I try to avoid judging, I just can't help doing it subconsciously. I think the key is to allow others a wide swath and not confine them to a box. It's ultimately a matter of choice. Thank you for your thoughts Pete.
DeleteYes, a WIDE swath is a good way to put it. Maybe it is the scientist in me that makes judging all kinds of things & actions important to me (for myself), because I've done it consciously for so long.
ReplyDelete