Highlights:
0:00 - Intro
3:31 - I AM LOVE - Set yourself Free to just BE
6:14 - Do I need another person to be in love?
8:59 - Polishing the mirror by Ram Das
11:45 - Conditional vs. Unconditional Love?
13:06 - The hard problem of love? Where does it come from?
19:16 - It’s gonna take some PRACTION (Practicing Action)
SHOW NOTES:
I AM LOVE: The minute you can shift from I would be fine if i were this way to I AM you will set yourself free to simply BE. Be who? You, that's who. And if you allow yourself to bask in it with no distractions? Being you is pretty cool isn’t it? No one else is like you. You are one of a kind aren’t you? Let's take this day and focus on recognizing that I AM that makes you, and learn to see it in others. I AM LOVE. I AM ENERGY. I AM AWARENESS. Fascinated with the feeling and act of being IN love. I was curious if humans require another person to be IN LOVE or is it that person we have found or seek that allows you to express that which you already are? There is something called AGAPE LOVE? In the Bible, agape is a Greek word that describes a selfless, universal, and unconditional love that is characterized by self-sacrifice and loving others. It appears frequently in the New Testament, but rarely in other ancient Greek literature. The word comes from the verb agapan, which means "to greet with affection". However, it starts with loving yourself. I was exposed to a cool theory the other day that said that when two people are in love, that is just their souls hanging out with one another. Experiencing life freely with each other. In reading the book, Polishing the Mirror by Ram Das and diving deep into his work elsewhere, he speaks about the fact that if we strip away everything that we are seeking in life. I call it the “ER”. HappiER, HealthiER, WealthiER. We are all seekers of the er no? Strip all that desire away, what are you left with? You are left with that which you are. The, I AM. What can you recognize about yourself after taking everything away in your life that is not you? That’s your I AM. When it comes to that love you seek or crave, isn’t that something already inside you that you want to let out? To be IN LOVE? I just find it fascinating because there is often an illusion that's been created by a world that offers for the most part conditional love. From what we’ve learned, love has rules and circumstances doesn’t it. We have our brushes through parents and the right spouse that offer unconditional love. But even that has conditions, no? But like the hard problem of consciousness, ie; us not understanding what exactly it is or where it is created. Where does love come from? Does it require two entities? Does it come from an outside force? Like a magnet, does it require a positive and negative force? Your love for your spouse, your children, your pet, your job, your best friend, or perhaps your life at this time? Are these things required for you to be in love? Or is love who and what you are? Already inside you. You're I AM. Can you see that we are all hungry to be in a state of love? Most commonly interpersonal romantic love. But this has a shelf life which concerns us. It’s gonna inevitably end one day, no? What I love about meditation is that it allows me to strip away the dependency from all external things and unveil that I am in fact already in love. This state often makes me want to share this love with others and external forces. Can you see that in thinking love requires an outside force or another person, we are often prompted to take possession of those you love as your own? Through forming friendships, marriage and parenting or even owning a pet. All the while unconscious to the fact that there resides an unlimited supply of love in the awakening that it is the primal source and main ingredient in what makes you, you. Get a grasp on this concept and awakening and it will help you gain clarity in many aspects of your life’s desires which is where we struggle the most. If you can start to affirm and embrace each start of your day in recognition of this by stating I AM LOVE. It will help put many things in perspective and allow you to slow down your love hunger drive and allow yourself to be grateful in the present moment. When it comes to the things you possess that allow you to express more of what you already are? Your spouse etc.. Perhaps you can do so with a simple state of gratitude for them as they have come into your life to remind you of who you are? How cool is that. Look at the person next to you that you are in love with. Consider what that means in this context? You are already in love, as are they. Yet for whatever reasons unique to your energy and life experiences, the two of you offer one another a safe and effective space to feel and express love. This form of gratitude comes from appreciating them for allowing you to express your true self. Sometimes we are fortunate to find our way into a group of others that create a safe space to express and bask in the love of one another. In Buddhism there is something called Satsang or Sangha, that translates to "community of seekers after the truth" and is also known as sangha. It's a spiritual community where people gather with like-minded individuals, especially those on a spiritual path, to work on themselves and others, and to share food, stories, and kirtan. Satsang can also refer to a group of people engaged in a spiritual dialogue. For those frustrated that they are not in love and think that feeling is conditional to you finding the right person? Now you understand that you are needlessly suffering due to you thinking love is conditional. No. Love is unconditional because you are love. When you find someone to share that space with, yes, it will be nice and you too will be grateful for it and them. Just like you are grateful when the sun rises and creates what you call a nice day. But a nice day can exist like love, anytime you choose. Make Sense?
