Love

Love is complicated and often under valued. In this meditation we explore what we currently think love is and how we can show true love to the people around us as we move through our days. We also explore what love is not.

Transcript

Welcome.

This is the second meditation in a series of seven meditations on the principles that I hope to live by on a daily basis.

Today we are going to talk about love.

To begin,

Let's find a comfortable seated position with our back straight but relaxed.

Now close your eyes and bring your focus to your breath for a moment.

Feel the air enter your nose and lungs as you inhale.

As you exhale,

Exhale into relaxation and calm.

Take a moment just to focus on your breathing.

And to every exhale you become more relaxed and more at peace.

Love is a word that gets used a lot.

We love coffee.

We love a movie.

We love our car.

But what really is love?

Is love just being kind?

Is it simply the absence of doing mean things to others?

Is it flowers and chocolates on a special occasion?

Is it enjoyment?

Too often we jump to use the word love.

But have you ever tried to sit down and define it?

Put it into words so you can see what it means.

The dictionary defines it as an intense emotions of affection.

It further defines it as sexual or romantic attachment or pleasure in something.

In those definitions,

Yes we can love a movie because we have found pleasure in it.

Or we loved watching that stand-up comedian because he was funny and it brought pleasure to our day.

Those definitions all seem nice but they seem almost simplistic or shallow.

In my journey to get to where I am in life at this moment,

I have been fortunate enough to read or receive teachings or learn things from people.

And one thing that I've learned is love is many things.

It is loving kindness.

This is not only the desire to make someone happy or to bring joy to a beloved person,

It is the ability to bring joy to that person.

And in order to have the ability,

It takes work.

I've also learned that true love is a feeling of love.

It takes work.

I've also learned that true love is compassion.

But not just a desire to ease the pain of other people,

But the ability to do so.

Love is also joy.

For if there is no joy,

You can't have love.

And there is also freedom in love.

Freedom for ourselves and freedom for those who are in love.

I have also been fortunate enough to learn that love is unconditional and that to truly know love is to know peace.

All these teachings build on a base of understanding.

Understanding that only comes from within ourselves.

We must actively seek understanding.

Understanding of suffering and suffering.

Understanding of our suffering.

Understanding of the suffering of the people we love.

In order to gain this understanding,

We need to observe our loved ones.

We need to listen to them.

We need to listen to them.

We need to listen to them.

We need to listen to them.

We need to understand their suffering in order to effectively show our love to them.

We cannot give compassion and empathy unless we understand what the suffering is.

Love brings freedom.

That freedom is for everyone involved.

They are free to be happy.

Free to discuss their suffering.

And free from judgment or ridicule.

And freedom to explore their own emotions safely.

I want you to take a moment and think about a time where maybe you demonstrated this skill.

Maybe you listened to your partner,

Your children,

Your friend.

And you just showed compassion and empathy.

Or perhaps,

If you can't think of an example,

Think of a moment that maybe you were able to do.

And you didn't.

And think about what that would have looked like had you shown that love and that understanding.

That maybe you could have done that and you didn't.

And think about what that would have looked like had you have shown that love and that understanding.

Too often we seek love without first showing love to ourselves.

We cannot give what we don't have.

We also too often use love like a lure on a fishing line.

Once we get a bite,

We pull it back.

This causes suffering for others.

This is not love.

For love has no conditions.

It doesn't happen only when someone does something nice for us.

For us,

We don't withhold our love for those moments.

We must simply be love.

We must embody it.

And we must live as an example of what love is.

Take a moment to think about a time when maybe a co-worker or a friend did something kind for you.

How did you respond?

How did it make you feel when somebody does just a random act of kindness for you?

If we can show love every day by living in kindness,

Living in empathy,

Living in understanding and joy.

If we can show love and kindness even when others do not show it to us,

Then we can say that in those moments we are showing true love.

Love should not hurt.

It shouldn't make you cry or anyone else cry.

And it should not make anyone live in pain.

Think of moments where your children,

Spouse,

Partner or friend were mad at you or angry with you.

Think of those moments where maybe if you just embodied love and observed them and tried to understand their suffering and then respond in a loving and kind way,

How would those situations have been handled differently?

What would the outcome have been?

As you go through your days,

Spend time thinking about what love means to you.

Recognize opportunities when you can show unconditional love to others.

It could be at work,

It could be a partner,

It could be your children.

Just make some time each day to look for those moments when you can show unconditional love.

If you have a kind thought about someone,

Text them and let them know you are thinking about them.

Show appreciation to others for their kindness or love.

Tell your partner something that they do that makes you feel loved every day.

That maybe you don't acknowledge every day.

Or create a new daily or weekly tradition to do something special for others with no expectation for anything in return.

It can be a simple thing,

Holding a door open,

Smiling,

Saying have a great day.

Being a little extra kind to the waiter or waitress or that store clerk who is having a tough day.

Be that example of love.

Take a moment just to think about what you have coming up this week.

Interactions that you will have,

People you will interact with.

Just think about how you might show them loving kindness in those interactions.

We can all be the examples of what love is.

We can put love and kindness into action.

We can work to understand others people suffering.

As we close out this meditation,

I hope you are inspired to show more love and to give it freely.

When you are ready,

Open your eyes and walk through the rest of your day inspired to be more loving.

Thank you for meditating with me today.

Reviews

Thank you for this beautiful lesson

Love is the answer- no matter the question 🥳. Thx for sharing!

So good! I will make it part of my regular practice. Thank you very much...🙏🧡💫

Thank you 🙏🏿

This was very well done and introspective. Will definitely be doing this one again ❤️

That was nice. I appreciated the explanations and tips about love. Made it easier to grasp the concept and find meaningful ways to practice unconditional love. I really enjoyed it and will return.

Beautiful meditation. Wonderful reminder. Thanks 🙏🏻 💕