What IS Love?

Greetings..

Love, as I understand the word’s fundamental meaning is ‘resonant frequencies of energy’.. resonance frequencies can be resonant between tangible manifestations or intangible feelings at any point on the spectrum, light to dark or positive to negative.. Those conditions that produce harmonic resonance also increase energetic coherence within our physical being and its own individualized complex energetics.. when physical and spiritual energies experience coherence, resonance, and entrainment., a transrational and transpersonal shift occurs, and we describe it favorably, often as ‘Love”.. by that I mean that the word ‘Love’, as I have observed its usage, is invoked when there are conditions that we favor, and that we find worthy of replicating and recommending..

Quoted below is a common understanding of the word “resonance” from Wikipedia, and I’m not inclined to facilitate a physics lesson, but.. I do want to point out an interesting relationship relative to resonance.. when energetic systems vibrate at “resonance frequencies”, the system stores vibrational energy and creating ‘good vibes’.. by storing the vibrational energy created from resonance, the system not only enhances its own energetic health and well-being, but.. stored resonance energy is more easily usable by system in other applications, such as healing, cooperation, and communication.. resonance is generally related to a system’s natural conditions, from which it is understandable that ‘Love’ would also be a natural condition..

In physics, resonance is the tendency of a system to oscillate at a greater amplitude at some frequencies than at others. These are known as the system's resonant frequencies (or resonance frequencies). At these frequencies, even small periodic driving forces can produce large amplitude oscillations, because the system stores vibrational energy.
Resonance occurs when a system is able to store and easily transfer energy between two or more different storage modes (such as kinetic energy and potential energy in the case of a pendulum). However, there are some losses from cycle to cycle, called damping. When damping is small, the resonant frequency is approximately equal to the natural frequency of the system, which is a frequency of unforced vibrations. Some systems have multiple, distinct, resonant frequencies.

To further add consistency to the exploration of a fundamental meaning of the word ‘Love’, I would like to offer some of my own understandings and the reasoning for the understandings.. I understand that matter, physical matter, is energy that is vibrating at frequencies that produce form, shape and mass.. I add this understanding to help understand the relationship between energetic resonance and ‘Love’.. below is the Wikipedia entry for “mass-energy equivalence”, included as a reference for the terms and phrases I use.. I favor Wikipedia’s entries as a reasonably accurate accounting of a subject’s common meaning, and its actual relationship with the Life in which are participatants..

In physics, mass–energy equivalence is the concept that the mass of a body is a measure of its energy content. In this concept, mass is a property of all energy, and energy is a property of all mass, and the two properties are connected by a constant. This means (for example) that the total internal energy E of a body at rest is equal to the product of its rest mass m and a suitable conversion factor to transform from units of mass to units of energy. Albert Einstein proposed mass–energy equivalence in 1905 in one of his Annus Mirabilis papers entitled "Does the inertia of a body depend upon its energy-content?"[1] The equivalence is described by the famous equation:

E=MC2[squared]

where E is energy, m is mass, and c is the speed of light in a vacuum. The formula is dimensionally consistent and does not depend on any specific system of measurement units. The equation E = mc2 indicates that energy always exhibits relativistic mass in whatever form the energy takes.[2] Mass–energy equivalence does not imply that mass may be "converted" to energy, but it allows for matter to be converted to energy.

From this description of the ‘mass-energy equivalence’, it is reasonable to conclude that the mass and matter that we identify as our body is in fact a symphony of energies vibrating at frequencies that behave in accordance with the influences that shape those energies, and.. the most notable and influential is the self-awareness of our individuality, our individualized Consciousness and its awareness of its relationship with Life.. our individuality is identifiable as a unique signature of energetic frequencies, or as I yield to a more artsy description, our unique ‘Soul Song’.. So we, our energetic signatures, exist in a sea of energy.. an undetectable medium, because we are it.. a useful conceptualization is that this ‘energetic signature’ is a cohesive unit of self-aware energy in a sea of undifferentiated energy.. like ice-cubes in liquid water, different states of the same substance, ‘water’..

This energetic resonance we describe as ‘Love’ is created from the experiences, the genetic inclinations, and the social and cultural programming of the experiencer(s).. Here’s the cool thing, ‘experiences’, direct personal pure experiences, will over-ride inclinations and programming.. experiences are the most random variable in this somewhat ‘sterile’ description (it gets better).. so, experiences, both spontaneous and crafted, are constantly modifying our ‘energetic signatures’, the ‘symphony’ of energies, our ‘Soul Song’, that is our unique perspective, our being-ness in this existence.. this ‘energetic signature’ is Who/What we are as manifested points of reference and perspective.. it exists in a sea of Cosmic Energy, like the ice-cube in water, same stuff/different energetic frequencies..

So, here we are, cohesive units of self-aware energy vibrating at frequencies that produce form, shape, and mass.. As this energetic being that we are experiences its existence, those experiences inspire energetic resonance or energetic dissonance along a scale ranging from the total rejection of dissonance to the total acceptance of resonance, and.. we have cultivated various idiosyncrasies of language to account for the ‘feelings’ we have when we experience resonance or dissonance.. from the descriptions of resonance previously, where there is a stored excess of resonance energy, that stored excess promotes a cascading energetic effect on the being that is experiencing the resonance energies, and it inspires a blissful, joyful, healthy, holistic feeling, which we have crafted words and phrases to describe, like ‘Love’.. ‘Love’, as various levels of energetic resonance, can be as simple as the resonant experience with a pet, or a taste (I ‘Love’ a juicy ripe peach).. ‘Love’ can also be a whole being resonance with another unique being, a ‘soul-mate’ relationship.. or, as so many seek, ‘Love’ can be resonance with the ‘prime’ Universal frequency, the Om/Aum Cosmic vibration.. in each case, the fundamental cause is an alignment of energetic frequencies that result in a coherent and resonant energetic relationship, and the feelings of bliss, and joy, and well-being, and sense of Life lived in a symbiotic relationship with itself..

While there are genetic inclinations, externally programmed influences, and your life’s history of personal experiences.. ‘You’ are free to choose how you apply these influences, you are free to suspend the effects of these influences.. you are free to experience your relationship with this physical existence and with other unique beings however you choose.. Consider those relationships where there is an initial ‘resonance’, where you have an energetic attraction, but there is also some dissonance.. you ‘choose’ to alter your actions/energetic signature to either produce higher resonance/coherence, or to maintain status quo, or to reject the relationship.. but, you ‘choose’. This same choosing applies to every aspect of our existence, even the choice to not choose.. Love is a choice as much as it is a natural happening, a choice to modify our energies to bring ourselves into alignment with the Life we choose to be, with the truth we choose to see.. and, for some, there is a deep and abiding stillness, a silence at the core of Being, it is with this stillness that the bliss and joy, and completeness find resonance with the energies that we ‘are’, it is from this perspective at the center of our individual Being that we radiate out into our Wholeness..

There is so much variety, diversity, depth and unmanifested potential in our perspectives and understandings, that I am eager to look for creative and diverse ways to use language for describing the variations of resonance and the bliss, joy, and excitement of exploring the Great Mystery of Life.. ‘Love’ seems like such a dimensionless broad-brushing of such a powerfully delicate exploration of the Human Experience, and.. given the range from chaotic dissonance to resonant coherence, as a description, ‘Love’ is both inaccurate and inadequate.. when and why is it appropriate to distinguish between the inspirations for resonance, from the deeply intimate interpersonal relationships, to the silent depths of stillness, to the brilliance of a fall sunset.. what we feel is ‘Love’, what we are is the Energy that inspires the ‘feeling’..

And, it has been my experience and my training that, through understanding this unique energetic signature and the pattern of ‘forces’ that manifest it, we are capable of maintaining the unique energetic ‘pattern’ beyond the physical manifestation.. we, as self-aware cohesive units of conscious energy, can adapt our ‘Soul Songs’ to maintain our self-awareness and our conscious unique relationship with Life beyond the limitations of physical manifestations..

There is no turning back, now that you Know..
Life is the Experience, there's nowhere to go..
you're already there, and there's nothing to fear..
each becomes the other, it's all perfectly clear..
we are just whirlpools, in Life's eternal flow..

Be well..

[hybrid]

love is the ability to raise one's frequency so that it will resonate with all.

I'm sure I've never put this sentiment in words before, but I should like to say, TzuJanLi, I resonate with you. :)

[hybrid]

Originally Posted by DulcePoetica

I'm sure I've never put this sentiment in words before, but I should like to say, TzuJanLi, I resonate with you. :)

resonate?
Does it mean you love tzu or you agree with him.

Originally Posted by hybrid

resonate?
Does it mean you love tzu or you agree with him.

It takes all the fun out of it, but I'll tell you. It was a playful, poetic and flattering word toy I made with the essence of his post.

[7luminaries]

Originally Posted by DulcePoetica

I'm sure I've never put this sentiment in words before, but I should like to say, TzuJanLi, I resonate with you. :)

The resonance of soul songs is a powerful and beautiful thing indeed ;)

I very much like the lyrical labels Tzu uses to capture the essence of what he is working through.

I also like what hybrid says about raising the vibration. '

peace & blessings
and a happy new years to all...
7L

[Gem]

To know love is to be in it, and although people have preference for holiness, they still wake up in the morning, and ideal love becomes the sword which opens the heart, but by so doing, wounds it.

All who lived and loved experience it, yet would live in denial, while continuing to find that love given brings pain proportionate to the ammount gifted.

Knowing this, by having suffered it, there remains little mystery, yet such preference is given to the pleasure of it... leaving such disdain for it's agony, but perhaps this verse speaks more in balance, as the poem was a gift to me.

I saw grief drinking
a cup of sorrow and called
out, "It tastes sweet,
does it not?"
"You've caught me." Grief answered.
"And you've ruined
my business."
"How can I sell sorrow
when you know it's a blessing?"

Rumi.

[7luminaries]

Originally Posted by Gem

To know love is to be in it, and although people have preference for holiness, they still wake up in the morning, and ideal love becomes the sword which opens the heart, but by so doing, wounds it.

All who lived and loved experience it, yet would live in denial, while continuing to find that love given brings pain proportionate to the ammount gifted.

Knowing this, by having suffered it, there remains little mystery, yet such preference is given to the pleasure of it... leaving such disdain for it's agony, but perhaps this verse speaks more in balance, as the poem was a gift to me.

I saw grief drinking
a cup of sorrow and called
out, "It tastes sweet,
does it not?"
"You've caught me." Grief answered.
"And you've ruined
my business."
"How can I sell sorrow
when you know it's a blessing?"

Rumi.

Beautiful poem and sentiment. There is such beauty in truth. Truth being simply what is. Thanks for sharing Gem.

On the topic generally...
As with any topic as (literally) all-encompassing as love, there are many levels from which to address it. Yes they all connect and Tzu drew a very nice descriptive picture of sorts in the OP along these lines.

We often focus on one or another aspect or level in discussion.
Many here like to explore the "macro" level, or Love as the All, perhaps because it can seem so remote or detached, and therefore both mysterious and also removed from the pain of mortal existence.
But discussion of the "micro" level, the realm of love at the level of self and selves, working outward, is equally important.
The truth of what is, is to be found in all of who we are, in love as well as in Love.

That is no less real or true than the all encompassing Love, where both light and dark, "good" and "bad" are Love.
As the poem by Rumi suggests, the same is also true at the level of self, or love.
But at this level, we are endowed with the ability to choose light and love where we can...even if darkness and pain are interwoven.
That is not selfish or wrong...it is the expression of Love at the level of collective interbeing.
As long as we all have the courage to be who we are.
And to be honest about our preference for love and light, for compassion and kindness.

The various mystical traditions nearly all hold that Love is affected by love, and "needs" love, just as we the many need the Love and communion with Source.
Love at any level is equally true and powerful, and love flows in all directions, including "up"

peace & blessings,
7L

Originally Posted by 7luminaries

...
We often focus on one or another aspect or level in discussion.
Many here like to explore the "macro" level, or Love as the All, perhaps because it can seem so remote or detached, and therefore both mysterious and also removed from the pain of mortal existence.
But discussion of the "micro" level, the realm of love at the level of self and selves, working outward, is equally important.
The truth of what is, is to be found in all of who we are, in love as well as in Love.

That is no less real or true than the all encompassing Love, where both light and dark, "good" and "bad" are Love.
As the poem by Rumi suggests, the same is also true at the level of self, or love.
But at this level, we are endowed with the ability to choose light and love where we can...even if darkness and pain are interwoven.
That is not selfish or wrong...it is the expression of Love at the level of collective interbeing.
As long as we all have the courage to be who we are.
And to be honest about our preference for love and light, for compassion and kindness.

The various mystical traditions nearly all hold that Love is affected by love, and "needs" love, just as we the many need the Love and communion with Source.
Love at any level is equally true and powerful, and love flows in all directions, including "up"

Beautiful post 7L.

I do not concern myself much with love (lower case) on these boards, but you are quite right - it is love, as the human expression of Love (upper case) that moves us generally in life. It is the Love that flows 'down', manifested as love, which when realized fully does indeed flow back 'up'.

Something very profound there which I'll have to think on some more. Thanks!

Originally Posted by 7luminaries

The resonance of soul songs is a powerful and beautiful thing indeed ;)

I very much like the lyrical labels Tzu uses to capture the essence of what he is working through.

Phew! I was beginning to think nobody 'got' what I was doing there and that I was merely a choir of one, clapping one hand all by myself in a proverbial forest of falling trees. :)