“When you open yourself to the continually changing, impermanent,
dynamic nature of your own being and of reality, you increase your
capacity to love and care about other people and your capacity to not be
afraid. You're able to keep your eyes open, your heart open,
and your
mind open.
― Pema Chödrön,
― Pema Chödrön,
Practicing Peace in Times of War
We now see that the only way that we could love ourselves is by loving others,
and the only way that we could truly love others is to love ourselves.
The difference between self-love and love of others is very small,
once we really understand.”
― Norman Fischer, Training in Compassion:
We now see that the only way that we could love ourselves is by loving others,
and the only way that we could truly love others is to love ourselves.
The difference between self-love and love of others is very small,
once we really understand.”
― Norman Fischer, Training in Compassion:
Zen Teachings on the Practice of Lojong
As I've mentioned before, here and elsewhere, I think the Hippies had it right. It IS all about Peace and Love.
Although most of us were a bit too young and crazy to pull it off at the time, many of us had been to the mountain top. There we saw the Real Deal. But seeing that-- and even believing that -- isn't enough.
Although most of us were a bit too young and crazy to pull it off at the time, many of us had been to the mountain top. There we saw the Real Deal. But seeing that-- and even believing that -- isn't enough.
The task of actually being a peaceful and loving human being is no mean feat. It takes commitment, effort, discipline, courage and patience.
It takes Practice.
In
the Buddhist, Hindu and Taoist worlds the term "Love" isn't generally
used to describe the Ultimate State of Being. They approach the
Ineffable with different concepts and understandings. I think that is
actually pretty helpful to us Westerners. We are pretty sloppy with the
word "love".
For us, the word "love" is quite ambiguous. In English, what we call "love" can be that warm glow that emerges from the ethereal domain of unconditional, unselfish agape, or it can be the fiery emotion that erupts from the nether realms of green eyed monsters and wrathful, jealous gods. It's pretty clear that "I love you so much that I'll kill anyone who looks at you, then you, too..." isn't exactly what Jesus had in mind when he taught about Love, right? It seems at least a bit more precision would be helpful.
(READ MORE)For us, the word "love" is quite ambiguous. In English, what we call "love" can be that warm glow that emerges from the ethereal domain of unconditional, unselfish agape, or it can be the fiery emotion that erupts from the nether realms of green eyed monsters and wrathful, jealous gods. It's pretty clear that "I love you so much that I'll kill anyone who looks at you, then you, too..." isn't exactly what Jesus had in mind when he taught about Love, right? It seems at least a bit more precision would be helpful.