"Love is the capacity to take care, to protect, to nourish. If you are not capable of generating that kind of energy toward yourself- if you are not capable of taking care of yourself, of nourishing yourself, of protecting yourself- it is very difficult to take care of another person. In the Buddhist teaching, it's clear that to love oneself is the foundation of the love of other people. Love is a practice. Love is truly a practice."
Hope you're loving yourself today, or practicing that. Best. AJ
I know a wonderful man who has schizophrenia which is a genetic disorder. He also is a practicing Buddhist but no matter how much he practices and meditates without his medication, he does not do well and even with it, at times, he struggles. IMO, without the ability to add empathy and true compassion in our spiritual journey we on not quite there. I have lived in many places in the world and not everyone lives like Americans.....to ignore the suffering of others is not a journey towards enlightenment in my humble opinion..I don't know why I felt the need to say this ....I guess it just came to me after reading some of the comments....
I believe we are all on a journey in our lifetimes. When we reach the Enlightenment, we are no longer here. Learning to love ourselves is learning true humility. That is that we are no better and no worse than we really are.
Loving ourselves fully is to see who we are created to be, and to walk the way that will help us to fully realize our true identity. There is no time clock involved. We are loved and in that Love we see our true selves and love ourselves.
If we see that which doesn't fit who we are created to be, each of us works on those areas in our own time and with trust that we do progress. Each of us also loves the other, and in that love there is no judgment or measure or comparison. All are on their way, and all we are to do is love.
Before we can practice, we must understand what love is. That understanding is revealed in a process individual to each of us. Perhaps we have lived many lifetimes as part of our learning and journey along the way. We pass each other on the way, greet and rejoice. Our love sends forth a harmonic song that extends to all near and far. A chorus of love on the way.
Thank you agapejeff for sharing this blessing that inspires love in my heart.
Too many times, I have heard someone saying, "We must always take care of the children first.", And everytime, I have thought to myself, and just who will be taking care of the children, when YOU no longer can? The balance is fine, and, when taking care of oneself, is no longer an option, due to the deterioration of health, which catches up to us all, eventually, THEN, and only then, does the first statement apply!! Very good message, bro, thank you!!
In my experience the journey of love is life-long; and it is definitely necessary to practice. But learning how to love myself is only a beginning because eventually one comes to realize that the Self which we strive to love is love itself. We fall in love with love.
The core of our being is a source of love; others may help to bring it out of us allowing us to shine, but we can also bring this love forth ourselves with humble service and surrender. This is a love that is the root of all experience; it came with us into this world, is with us even now, and will leave with us when we go. In surrendering to inner love and absolute trust is extended and the feel of this love which is within us removes all fear. This is a divine love that is absolute and overwhelmingly complete; we love it for the sake of love and nothing else.
It is unconditional and not selective, when bought forth to the surface it clears the mind and the eyes see anew. With this love we see no distinction between people; races, nationalities, haves and have not; through the eyes of unconditional love all appear as one. Bringing that Kingdom of Heaven which is within us out upon this earth.
I have been blessed to experience such a love and still there seems to be no end to the journey. No bottom to the depth of being. Loving your self, to me, means embracing the love that you are at the core of your being, and when that love is truly embraced there is automatically a connection to all things; to all people; and your very presence will radiate that connection, a connection of healing love. For me, this is the practice; to lose myself in unconditional love, and it begins by loving myself unconditionally. Not in a narcissistic way, but understanding that the gift of life must be unwrapped, and learning how to love myself removes the packaging and exposes the gift.
Let this be the guidance in our lives, let love lead the way; for it is the doer, not my ideas or actions, but that rich, thick, intoxicating presence that is at the core of our being; a love which we all have within us. A love which is our divine inheritance. IMHO.
Thanks EZ2. Agreed. What is this "self" we are loving? What is this "love" we are loving? Whose love is it? Is it "ours" or are we just a vehicle through which it passes? When "we" "love" "ourselves"--what is this?
Love is neither a “who” or a “what;” it is not possessive yet it belongs to all of us. I accept love as the foundation of all existence; all structures are built from the inside out, and the source of everything in existence can be found at its’ core. It is no different for human beings; we have often heard that GOD is love, and in my opinion love is the essence of our being and also the source of our very existence.
Somewhere beyond all reason, far from all time and space, is a valley deep with wisdom, and a mountain high with grace. Stop before you try to imagine, for our minds will never comprehend,the peace and glory that is deep within us; with no beginning and no end. Infinity exists within us; it is brilliant and overwhelming with love; and we can access it in this eternal moment.
It is at the center of our being; deep within our feeling nature; living energy that looks like brilliant light and feels rich with overflowing love. What the ancients called “spirit,” others have called pure consciousness, and still others refer to it as their “soul.” In my opinion it is the Knowledge of God, a divine spark that is within us all; the fabric of which is love. I choose not to fragment the One into labeled segments which offer a fractured view of life. Everything is connected, everything is one; and we find that one connection with a passion for unconditional love. Love is a bridge that joins things together. Learning to love ourselves helps us to connect with our deeper selves.
We all have love inside of us and many choose to ignore it and pursue and object of love on the outside. This is why love in this world is based on conditions. While inside of us there is unconditional love; a love that gives us a connection with all and everything. It transcends reason and many in this world have experienced this love; often referred to as “bliss,” that is within them. Most notably it can be found in deep quiet meditation but it may also rise to the surface in humble prayer or selfless service. At our core….we are this love. Humility and love is the path to our higher being.
There’s magic in every moment, there’s a treasure inside our lives; when we are inspired to let go to our heart and feel something deeper inside. To find what lye’s beyond our mind, the secret of silence within. Not bound by time or tangled up in words, there is a freedom there; it’s a lover’s world. When your spirit is carried into the realm of the heart, the mystery ends and the magic begins. With love and dignity there is another way to see; what lye’s beyond is right within me, and for this I am eternally grateful.
From another perspective two major components of the universe are 1) radiating energy like the sun, and 2) magnetic pulling and pushing, or waxing and waning, like the moon.
We humans radiate energy like the sun, and we also pull and push like the moon. We pull people towards us and we also push them away; this is a magnetic dynamic similar to what the moon does with the energy of the sun.
Love is the most attractive thing in the universe; and we all have it; it radiates like the sun; but what we do with it is our choice. I say let it shine.
