(Participant): Could you speak more about love?
I would love to, and, really, it all comes down to love in the living of our core-truth. Our being present in any moment, with a simple attentiveness and caring toward another person or activity, is the purity of love and an expression of our true nature, of our being home.
Or said this way: When we're simply open-hearted, simply loving, opening from the heart in whatever ways we're moved, we are quintessentially aligned with What is manifesting everything and everyone. And vice versa, when we recognize the whole truth about ourselves, we're naturally inclined to bring love's sharing spirit to our various encounters however we can.
Every one of us is being given life in each moment via the heart; and here, within each pulse is an intimacy as deep and wide as all creation. In calling this core open-heartedness “love,” we're pointing to our Source-connected essence and common bond, and most fundamental, valued expression of that. And what a truly satisfying way to be, conveying a tender and passionate affection for life in any and all forms.
Love's roots and primary nature go deeper and beyond any definition. Still, we can allude to love, and experience it in ways we're familiar with. This can be so universal and devotional as to embrace the presence of Source/of Spirit in all that is; or specifically expressed in “brotherly” and charitable ways; romantic, warm, and sensual ways; kind, compassionate, and supportive ways; welcoming, accepting, and forgiving ways.
(Participant): In reference to what we were talking about before, it's clear to me that when we love, we're instinctively mindful, present, in the moment--whatever we want to call it. It's most natural to pay attention to something or someone we're attracted to, or simply bringing our love to (however we will). The open heart, by its very nature, leads us to being attentive and caring toward what we're facing.
Yes! And likewise, when we're mindful, when we're present, it's much easier to choose love, and to recognize any refusal to love, and thereby drop into the open heart--in this moment—no matter what's gone on in the past, or we think will go on in the future.
How wonderful, isn't it? that there are these various ways love can be experienced and expressed. Wherever our affections rest, the real attraction is the open-heartedness itself, our Source-union itself. Such is being in love with love itself, and the giving and receiving of love, purely and simply. This fulfills us the most, and best serves the particular directions our lives take; and, if we can't help yielding to love's preeminence in our lives, we are truly fortunate, truly blessed.
(Participant): As you were talking, I had this strong sense, as well. Love is indeed about blessing, in our receiving God's gift of an unconditionally open heart, and our reciprocating this grace through all the open heart gives. It's clear to me that this does us the most good, provides our lives with the greatest meaning, greatest purpose, and is being “lucky” in the truest sense of the word.
Beautifully said. The love that is our very essence is our true happiness; and what good fortune to be sure of this and expressive of this. We are most deeply satisfied through our love, the happiest, most at peace, whatever we want to call it. And the words we use are completely secondary, as they are merely pointers to this deep abiding--to what is both who we really are, and the various ways of being intimate with this and conveying this. However it's said, our Source-connected, core open-heartedness is both our true nature, and the living of it.
(Participant): I can see, then, that in the context of our consideration here, the words we use for love, for happiness, and peace, and real well-being are essentially synonymous, and pointing in the same direction. And this true contentment, true serenity, is deeper and more enduring than any pleasant thought, bodily sensation, emotional high, consolation, or peak experience--all of which come and go.
(Another participant): And thank goodness, that realizing our true fulfillment and well-being is never dependent upon or reflected solely in uplifting events, inspiring moments, or how much or how little we might experience pleasing thoughts or feelings. These can be wonderful, but still, they are fleeting, and not needed to verify the happiness, the love and peace, we're talking about here.
Yes, what we're pointing to flows from our greatest depths, and is interwoven in every fiber of our being. It's always here; and is home to an innate sense of satisfaction, of contentment, underneath and amid any other thought or feeling passing through us.
This is the foundation we can stand on, be settled, and at peace in. This is our ever-abiding connection to our Source, our heart's truth, and the very substance of happiness itself. We could say, then, that our being truly happy, and full of love and peace, is the both the deepest of feelings, and much more than any particular feeling, or our having to feel in any particular way.
We can sense this true fulfillment, be filled and nourished by it, embody it, in all kinds of ways. Sometimes our true happiness may be felt as a particularly joyful feeling; sometimes not. It may also appear as a deep sense of silence and stillness; and at other times, as a tiny amount of peace amongst much chaos. And sometimes, it might be occur through the least little bit of love we feel, or give, or receive.
So, we needn't expect or require our happiness to be anything special, or grand, or necessarily bathing us in euphoric sensations. This is the trap that people might fall into, endlessly seeking love or tranquility via emotional highs or ideal circumstances. It's true, inner peace may be associated with a quiet mind, or pleasant thoughts and warm feelings; but not necessarily. Sometimes, it might manifest as a more subtle, underlying sense of settledness, while the thinking-mind is involved with practical matters or the situation at hand. And perhaps, we might have any number of “ah-ha” experiences, which feel as if we were returning home--to the place we have, in fact, never left.
However this discovery of our heart's truth occurs, and however tiny its place of rest might seem, we can always find the greatest comfort and a wellspring of love here.
Such is the potency of this core-realization, of our being inseparable from the Origin of our every heartbeat, every breath, and the light of consciousness shining through our eyes, and ears, and skin. No matter what, God, as the all-pervading current of life, is with us! How great, then, to simply be aware of this, and open to this; and what a profound impact this can have on every aspect of our lives.
And let's face it, if we're sick in bed, or totally disturbed by someone or some situation, we're going to experience uncomfortable thoughts, and feelings, and bodily sensations. And it is natural to want to feel better when we feel lousy, and to feel as good as we can for as long as we can. So, even if we're motivated to awaken to our true nature in order to just feel better physically, or so we won't be as anxious, or whatever, that's okay; whatever sparks our interest.
But again, good and bad, and highs and lows inevitably come and go in this life, and we'll all experience all kinds of distressing things. Praise be, then, that we can still listen to what's coming from our innermost, and the invitation to respond in kind! We can still sense this, choose this, let go to this, trust this--our Divine-union, our heart's truth, our true nature, and the deepest happiness underneath it all.
This listening and true hearing can happen in any instant, or gradually after what might seem like a long time. And sometimes, tough times and great agony are what's needed to die from old ways of being, and cry out for home; to be softened and broken open to what is most deeply satisfying and always within us.
(Participant): Yeah, for me, all this has totally transformed how I relate to everything and everyone. By valuing my heart's truth the most, by valuing love and inner peace the most, the thoughts and feelings, people, and situations that used to trouble me don't so much anymore, or, for as long. I'm so thankful for the endless chances to simply breathe, and relax, and settle into the moment; the endless chances to completely let be and let go; the endless chances to show loving-kindness, compassion and forgiveness, even in the least of ways.
Perfect, isn't it? How our awakening translates to a basic positive attitude and approach to life. So, even if bothersome mental-emotional activity is occurring, or difficult people and circumstances are coming our way, our very essence provides the ground we can stand on, and take with us wherever we go. No matter what, we're home. And such is, purely and simply, an open-hearted disposition, a good-hearted, kind-hearted disposition we can bring to any and all aspects of our life. Love is the way of being that is happiness itself.
It's clear then, that living according to our Source-connected true nature is to love even when we may not feel like it, or when our capacity to be attentive and caring might seem so little. This, again, is acceptance: accepting when it might seem really hard to love; and accepting that regardless of how difficult it might seem, we choose to give and receive whatever love we can.
(Participant): I find that for some of us, our love will sometimes seem to “ache,” which can feel anything but pleasant, as we might empathize with those who are suffering in this world, and wish that people would be more kind and considerate toward one another.
Definitely. We may feel a great longing for all kinds of things. And how beautiful, when love cries out for itself through us, when, from our depths, we appeal to the innate open-heartedness in everyone to shine forth. While this pining may not elicit necessarily pleasant feelings, there is the deeper happiness, the deeper love, from where our crying out comes and at which it is aimed.
(Participant): It also seems that love can experience feelings of being hurt, when, for instance, our caring and affection are totally rejected by another.
All the more reason to let any hurt or rejection encourage us to go deeper, to the Divine presence at the heart of us all. There, we find the unconditional love that experiences all, feels all, and bears all; and the greatest peace that's always here to remind us where home is.
(Participant): What I see in many people is the strong belief that true fulfillment is caused by someone or something pleasing us, exciting us, or making us feel a certain way about ourselves. What we might get then are pleasant feelings, but still impermanent ones--ones that are subject to conditioned behavior, particular moods, the whims of others, and the fickleness of wants and circumstances.
(Another participant): Yeah, as I look at my own experience, I can see how I've sometimes mistaken real love/happiness for infatuation, exhilaration and stimulation, attention and approval, and narcissistic confirmation when I look in the mirror.
Haven't we all gone 'round and 'round chasing moments of pleasure and ego-gratification, struggling, perhaps, to come up with successful strategies to accumulate these and make them last? Don't many of us continually try to find satisfaction in things like greater popularity, power and prestige, “people pleasing,” or even through others feeling sorry for us in order to get their sympathy?
(Another participant): It seems, that when we've yet to realize what comes from all the way inside us, and satisfies the whole being in genuine ways, we can't help seeking happiness in the ways you just mentioned. These are all we might know--which, let's face it, end up to be poor substitutes for the real deal.
That's right; and it's not that doing things purely for the sake of ego, or physical or emotional “highs” is wrong or bad. It's simply a matter of priorities--of discovering what is deep down most deeply satisfying, and valuing this the most. And correspondingly, if the ways of the ego are more highly prized, and we're so wrapped up in our personal saga, we may fail to recognize our most valuable treasure and lasting fulfillment. Thankfully, it takes just an instant to look beneath the surface of our lives—to the Source-filled/Spirit-filled open heart, and this serenity, this happiness, this love.
And again, while any thoughts and feelings associated with living as the open heart may come and go, our great opportunity is this: to recognize what is all-pervading and forever here (no matter what we're thinking or feeling), and be this unconditional love right now, as best we can, even if it seems just a bit or for a while. Even if this results in just feeling “reasonably happy,” or merely a little happier, or more at peace than we've previously been, so be it. And what better way to express unconditional love, than by accepting and forgiving however we are.
Perhaps, at times, we may be exuding happiness through expressions of out-and-out joy and exuberance; and at other times, we may be quite subdued and reserved in our contentment, and anything but smiley, giddy, or perky. The same with the different forms of love, which can sometimes appear in very passionate, physical and outwardly affectionate ways; and sometimes in softer, more silent and tender ways.
(Participant): While I was listening to you, it struck me again: We are one with our Source, from where every heartbeat, and breath, and bit of consciousness arises. And still, as human expressions of this, of God's totality, we are but a limited portion of its spectrum of possibility. As such, there's much that will remain a mystery to us, and beyond our ability to figure out, or do on our own through the power of will. We need only look to the planets and stars floating and spinning in midair; or a seed turning into a plant, a tree, or a child's birth; or the miracle that is each heartbeat, and brainwave, and breath to be struck by this. How in the world do all these things happen, really?
And our being dumbfounded is good! So we may give greater credence and devotion to what is greater than ourselves as these individuated forms, and more fundamental to us, in fact. In any moment, we can investigate this truth, tell this truth, give ourselves over to it and live accordingly.
(Participant): When I reflect on What creates and sustains, transforms and contains it all, there is a natural opening in me. One can call this opening “love,” or “trust,” or “faith,” or “being settled at home.” Whatever we name it, it is a most intuitive and grateful response when our heart's truth is most thoroughly told.
Yes, such is the honesty, the confession that goes to the root of it all, and reflects this miraculous unfolding. Everything and everyone is stemming from the Origin of all life, and multiplied beyond trillions and trillions, as “you” and “me” and every form, every duality, in a multitude of types, and shapes and sizes. Thus, we are one, while in this being many, each of us from God, in God, and back into That . . . . within the Oneness, infinite multiplicity.
(Participant): It's clear, then, each of us is a unique individual with particular capabilities, ways of perceiving things, choices to make, challenges to face, and life-directions to take; and equally clear, that what we're composed of resonates with our deepest, shared roots, and the greatest expanse. We're able to identify with this individual who is listening to all this, and know that we are much more than our names, our occupations, situations, our past and future, likes and dislikes; more than these physical, mental, and emotional entities.
And it is good to have a strong sense of ourselves as these individuated forms. But alas, they are temporary. So, as we feel fully and presently incarnated, best to acknowledge what's beyond, and deeper and more primary than the body-mind.
(Participant): The whole deal, then, is to realize this, really!
In this or any moment; and how wonderful, that recognizing the Life in our every molecule and breath can deeply affect the way we live, and how at peace we are. And how wonderful, that if we're on a journey aimed at discovering our true self, we can realize we've already arrived. Our most fundamental, Source-connected truth is home, our very essence, and who we are in our entirety, right now, and forever after our bodily passing. What greater peace is there than relaxing into this?
Therefore, when we're present, and peer all the way inside ourselves, investigate and tell the whole truth about ourselves, we can see our true face is no face at all, and in everyone we look at everywhere we go. With such a thorough inquiry, who couldn't help but simply love then? to breathe this, let go to this, settle in this—this immaculate emptiness, abundant fullness, and what's all-pervasive, absolute, and always here and now!
And when we truly recognize our true nature and the Oneness containing all relativity, every individuated form and all our diversity, we can see where compassion, generosity, and true service come from, and how it is our privilege to be channels for these. We are these possibilities, these embodied expressions of love.
(Participant): I find it's a useful exercise, a useful meditation, to think of the various people and circumstances I want to bring my sincerest love to. Some days, I'll set aside time for this type of reflection, and sometimes it'll occur spontaneously on its own. Perhaps, it might appear as a form of inquiry, as in: “How can I express loving-kindness, or tolerance, passion, or forgiveness toward a particular person or activity?” Or, “How can I make amends, and re-establish good relations with so and so?” . . . . Thus, my “spiritual practice” (if you want to call it that) is nothing without my recognizing any resistance to living as love, and then to self-correct and open, and be attentive and caring as best I can.
Perfect!
