Authentic Love
How we relate to someone we love reflects how we relate to ourselves. Authentic love is whole; it is undivided. To love our neighbor as ourselves means that the source of this love is one and the same. This love of self, others, and the divine springs from the same well. Many misunderstand this, thinking it means equal amounts of love rather than recognizing the shared source. True love, compassion, and forgiveness come from this unified love.
We cannot genuinely love or forgive while thinking in dualities. Trying to love solely with our own willpower fails. Preaching without providing the means to embody the teachings is ineffective. Cut off from the vine, you can do nothing. The vine and branches symbolize the deep connection between God and the soul. With God, we can love universally, even in challenging circumstances. Alone, our intellect and willpower fall short. Many attempt to love without this deeper connection and often become disillusioned.
There is an inherent link between love and suffering. To love deeply is to surrender control, leading to inevitable suffering. This is why faithfulness in love is crucial. True, conscious love prunes our narcissistic tendencies. Until we experience love and suffering, we try to understand life with our minds. Afterward, a greater source within us changes our perceptions. Knowing the love that surpasses understanding transforms us.
Love one another, for authentic love opens the door to awareness. Suffering for love keeps this door open, allowing our mind, body, and will to fully engage. This journey of love and suffering is the lifelong work of becoming truly alive.
(John Welwood, Love and Awakening; Richard Rohr: Essential Teachings on Love)
