Love?

[baro-san]

Years ago, in one of my first OBE experiences, I met a being that was emanating almost indescriptible feelings of happiness, safety, infinitum, love. I've never felt something close to that neither in my waking state, nor in my dreaming, nor during my projections.

When I hear others talking about the "love" with which we are welcomed on other planes of existence, I imagine they refer to something like what I experienced then.

I neither believe, nor disbelieve, that "love" is the all encompassing feeling over there. I just don't know.

What I wonder, as object of this thread, is that even believing that that kind of "love" is what expects us in the afterlife, after each life, or at the end of a long string of perfecting incarnations, I wonder if "love" is what we are supposed to do, or to learn in this life. I'm referring here to "love" for the sake of love, unconditional love towards all, without expecting or desiring reciprocity, undiscerning love spread around, as I infer from others' stated beliefs.

The way I understand karma, which supposedly gauges our progress on our journey, manifests at thought, desire, and actions levels. When our thoughts, desires, or actions aren't up to snuff we get corrected.

I understand, and subscribe, to the concept of not hating anybody. But I have difficulties with the concept of loving everybody, and acting with love toward everybody. I think that we have to be discerning with our feelings, thoughts and, desires, actions.

I think that being understanding toward others doesn't mean being indulgent to them, being forgiving toward others doesn't mean giving them a pass in every situation, both for their benefit, and for the benefit of the others.

As an example, being indulgent and forgiving with a criminal, is bad not only for him not receiving the feedback, and interfering with his karma, causing him most likely to accumulate more negative karma when recidivating, but it is even worse for his probable future innocent victims.

As in most situations, there aren't only black-and-white situations, judgements, decisions, so there are more valid possibilities than "love = good", or "lack-of-love = not-good". You can still fell and act lovingly, but proportionally appropriate to the situation.

Without expanding on it, I find amusing, sometimes ridiculous, how some people who express love for the less fortunate (be it health wise, wealth wise, or anything else), at the same time hate those who don't share their attitude. They are also proof that, at least on our physical plane, unconditional, indiscriminate love isn't neither achievable, nor desirable.

There are a lot of discussions on this and other forums about being spiritual, who is spiritual (good), and who isn't (bad). I don't think that being "spiritual" means being a "loving" person. And, definitely, if you feel hate of any kind, you aren't "spiritual" yet!

For some time already I've been searching for why we are here, what are we supposed to do, what do we have to learn and improve. At first I had no clue. Over the years I started to form opinions, I adjusted and changed them, and I feel I made progress. I don't like to take others' word for it based only on faith, or if it sounds nice.

Being mistaken with the best intentions still adds to your negative karma.

[shivatar]

lol, so you think you understand karma eh?

[H:O:R:A:C:E]

karma is easy enough to understand; it's the spiritual equivalent of
Newton's 3rd law of motion: For every action, there is an equal
and opposite reaction.

[shivatar]

Originally Posted by H:O:R:A:C:E

karma is easy enough to understand; it's the spiritual equivalent of
Newton's 3rd law of motion: For every action, there is an equal
and opposite reaction.

Maybe that's enough for understanding as a concept, but practical understanding needs a little more depth than that.

[H:O:R:A:C:E]

baro-san, (unconditional) Love is all inclusive; it excludes nothing.
that is why/how it is the basis for anything.
such a love is synonymous with Source energy, which shines on the just
and the unjust without discrimination.
love is the binding force which holds things together.
all things that are are composed of love.
even things which seem antithetical to love are merely love in disguise.

[shivatar]

Similarly there isn't much specific advice to be given about what enlightened existence should be on
Earth, and I am reluctant to make glowing predictions about what is possible. As we have seen, as soon
as we are completely willing to create a condition, it changes into something else if our minds are
blocked to alternatives. On our mass level, that "something else" is often likely to be unpleasant, and
as soon as we try to withdraw from our feelings about it, we are stuck with it. That's one way to
explain why ideal and beautiful events vanish from our lives, and bad and dull ones last, and the same
applies in predicting a rosy future.
But no matter how vague and unwieldy that process seems, love will overcome it. It can be safely
predicted that, as you grow more loving of yourself and others, you will in this lifetime begin seeing
every person and object as a perfect form, just the way they are now. You will feel a rich pleasure in
every moment. And since beauty really is in the eye of the beholder, your vibrations will be beautiful,
too.


(quotes from text)The-Lazy-Mans-Guide-to-Enlightenmentby-Thaddeus-Golas

---

On battlefield earth love is the most powerful weapon

[running]

Originally Posted by H:O:R:A:C:E

karma is easy enough to understand; it's the spiritual equivalent of
Newton's 3rd law of motion: For every action, there is an equal
and opposite reaction.

Yes. Unless you dissolve it. Think of an anger or what not running into laughing gas. It gets stuck in the room with it. Never to leave it again. So then what does it do? Laugh. Lol

[shiningstars]

Originally Posted by H:O:R:A:C:E

baro-san, (unconditional) Love is all inclusive; it excludes nothing.
that is why/how it is the basis for anything.
such a love is synonymous with Source energy, which shines on the just
and the unjust without discrimination.
love is the binding force which holds things together.
all things that are are composed of love.
even things which seem antithetical to love are merely love in disguise.

A Lover!

I've heard the bolded part many times and can see why, on some days, I really cannot.

[shiningstars]

Originally Posted by running

Yes. Unless you dissolve it. Think of an anger or what not running into laughing gas. It gets stuck in the room with it. Never to leave it again. So then what does it do? Laugh. Lol

How can you escape what is in motion? I imagine some things can be changed, others cannot.

Laws.

[shiningstars]

OP: baro-san

I believe the Love spoken of in spirituality refers to what H:O:R:A:C:E speaks of - True Love, Genuine Unconditional Love.

This is not a feeling or a state of mind, it is the result of the removal of ego-consciousness and arises through clear seeing, removal of obstruction of ignorance.

It is not an emotion, therefore, nor is it emoted.

This is why in society's standard definition of "love", one can love someone one day and hate them another day or why people profess to "love" some people, yet will not help them, or others.

In my belief system, that is not the Spiritual Standard of True, Unconditional Love. This can only be achieved through the genuine elimination of ego and the gradual removal of the dominance of egoic mind - which is the cause of suffering in our world.

Unconditional love is not blind. You may not identify it in those that live this, for it does not have the usual hallmarks of what society considers "love" - which is viewed mostly as an emotion or passion or gestures of friendship.

Overall, this is why spiritual journeys are valuable, because, when authentic, they take the Aspirant through the journey of Self-Discovery towards Truth, a Truth which is shared across many religions and Spiritual Pursuits, but shares the same sweet taste of the nectar found.

In my experience, True Love is real, but it's a hard standard to come to. But worth the price of admission, as some might say.