Love as a Spiritual Practice

Love as a Spiritual Practice

PRACTICE
52 Weeks of Spiritual Practice
By Deborah Williams

The purpose of the 52 Principles is to develop a partnership, a connection with God. Connecting with God is why we are here; the soul’s desire. To be in communication with the Creator is ideally the most fulfilling life, our best life. The intent of the 52 Principles is God-realization through daily practice. Practice the principles with frequency and find God-consciousness through your own efforts. This week’s spiritual principle is Love.

“Love the Lord your God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence. This is the most important, the first on any list. But there is a second to set alongside it: ‘Love others as well as you love yourself. ” (Matthew 22:37-40). All religions recognize the philosophy of love.  We are challenged first to love God, to love ourselves, and then to love others as we love ourselves. Before we can truly practice loving others, we find the courage to love our Self with all of our imperfections.  Love is what we have come to life to be and to give.

Notice your self-talk; does it affirm the best of who you are? How you treat Self is a direct correlation of your love of Self. We cannot love others if we do not love ourselves. When we love ourselves, we, are compassionate, gentle, kind, forgiving and nonjudgmental. We trust that what we do and say is in our best interest. We tell ourselves the truth about what we do and why. We take responsibility for all that we are and who we are becoming.  Loving Self means we value and we celebrate who we are; human and divine. Unconditional love is when there is no condition that will keep you from bringing all that you are to the moment.

“Love your brother like your soul and guard him like the pupil of your eye.” How you treat the other in thought, word, and deed is a demonstration of love. You treat others, no matter who they are or what they have done, the same way you treat yourself; loving. When the other has faults, when they do something that ‘rubs you the wrong way’ you treat them the same way you treat you: loving. Your goal is to make the other feel welcome and comfortable by demonstrating compassion, gentleness, worthiness, beauty, and peace. You may be the only demonstration of love the other may see today, don’t miss the opportunity to love.

Love and hate can be present at the same time. Hate drains, hardens, and closes the heart. The opposite of love is not hate, it is fear. Where there is fear, there is no love. Love is the glue that holds everything together. Love is God; God is love. Where God is, there is no fear. Love is the energy of the soul. Experience yourself as loving by the practice of being kind, gentle, compassionate, trusting, and valuing who you are. You are worthy and complete. You are enough.

Love Practices

Activate internal love. Reduce the use of “I”. Be interested versus interesting. Look for something to love in the other person by taking the focus off of Self. Show concern for the other through active listening.

Greeting and/or Affirmation: Silently say Namaste; “The Light of God in me salutes the Light of God in you.”

Imagine the face of a newborn baby. Feel the warmth, that is love; in that moment your heart is open.

Stand, Share, Honor. Stand in the truth of your authentic Self. Share the whys of your actions. Honor yourself and others enough to be fully present in your relationships and interactions with all things. These are loving acts.

Appreciating beauty is Love. Think of the beauty of nature. A breath taking sunrise, sunset, moonlight, the ageless greatness of mountains, the vibrant fall colors of spring and autumn, the vast life sustaining ocean, flowers in unlimited shapes, sizes, and colors, fresh crisp fruit and vegetables kissed by the sun, and the air and water that sustains life. Appreciate nature’s beauty through the five senses.

Self-Assessment

Can you love in spite of unpleasant memories from past experiences?

Can you love for the first time and let go of the past?

What does unconditional love look like?

What do you think about you?

How do you know when others love what they do?

How do you know when you love what you do?

What does it feel like when your heart is open?

Are you tied to your personal history; past successes and failures?

Have you endured pain in the pretext of love?

Is your self-talk loving and kind or critical and debasing?

How and why do you withhold your love?

Do you withhold your love by shutting down, and ignoring others?

“I wish I woulda knowed more people. If I woulda knowed more, I woulda loved more” – Toni Morrison from Beloved. Everyone is worthy of love; love is why we are here.  The soul sees beyond all divisions. Remove the conditions set in the mind about the other that separates. Begin today to fill the gap and be the bridge; step to the other with a smile, a nod, a gaze, a hello, a good morning. Make it a daily practice to love and extend more of you, to more people. More love, less room for fear. Love is the fulfillment of the law.

How do you demonstrate love for Self and others? Develop your own spiritual practice.

Peace and Many Blessings