Love is such a vast part of life, whether
because it brings sheer joy such as almost nothing else is capable of doing, or
because ultimately it may lead to agonizing suffering (more often than not it
is a harbinger of a bit of both). It seems quite absurd to ask if you are “in
love”, or if you love, since one appears to automatically imply the other.
Or does it?
Being in Love (Is it all just raging hormones?)
Being in love brings to mind that
heart-pounding, mind-jolting passion we feel when the person we say we are in
love with enters the room, touches us, or unexpectedly smiles or looks at us.
It refers to the moments when we feel most alive, when we can not imagine what
life would be like without the other, when we most fear being abandoned by the
other, when we are capable of surviving on two hours’ of sleep, need little food,
and no matter what else occurs in our existence, we gaze benignly on life,
because we are in love. The sun shines brilliantly in an impossibly azure-blue
sky, even in fog, wind, rain, and storms. We pity ordinary mortals who do not
share in our sublime experience, and in the rosy haze of our over-powering
state of being in love we fail to see those small or large shortcomings in the beloved
that are clearly and utterly obvious to others…because we are in love. Being in
love – and being reciprocated in the feeling - is nearly unequaled by any
other experience in life.
Loving – Freedom - Strength
Loving, on the other hand rarely goes about
doing so by wearing rose-colored spectacles. Loving may have begun by the less
conscious state of being in love, but loving implies – you guessed it –
consciousness and awareness of the reality of the other. That, in turn, implies
being very aware of yourself, your thoughts, feelings, actions, and reactions. And
this self awareness implies an individual who strives to take total
responsibility for him or herself, who is not with another person because he or
she needs the other person, but
because the two people, by loving one another, complement one another from a position of individual freedom and
strength. Loving is a state of affairs that is as different from being in love
as day is to night. Loving, if it really is
loving, is so much more awe-inspiring and endlessly magnificent than being
in love.
What is the difference?
Imagine the pleasure you feel as a light
summer breeze touches your skin. Now imagine your most mind-blowing orgasm.
Imagine the satisfaction you feel after you have tidied up your office or your
home after having procrastinated about it for days. Now imagine the
satisfaction you feel after having published your first bestseller. Imagine the
happiness you feel when a puppy cuddles on your lap. Now imagine the indescribable
happiness you feel when you hold your newborn in your arms the first time. I
leave it up to you to guess which of each of these extremes in each sentence
pair is an analogy for being in love and which is an analogy for loving.
What About Sex?
I can sense some readers squirming
uncomfortably in their chairs. What about sex? Being in love makes it sound as
though sex is a lot more passionate and fun than the kind of sex you might get
when you love. Somehow loving seems more laid back, less erotic, less ardent,
these readers seem to be saying. Nothing
could be further from the truth. The consciousness factor; in other words,
being aware not only of oneself but of the other in this very conscious way is
what makes a relationship of love (as opposed to a relationship of being in
love) so extraordinarily more passionate, more erotic, and more sexually
stimulating in the long term, rather than the typical short term crazy passion
most of us have experienced when we are in love. Truly knowing the other makes the difference. Truly seeing the other makes the difference. Truly loving the other the way he or she really is rather than the way
you want them to be makes the difference. Obviously this implies being loved
back in the same way. Having a loving relationship between two people who know
themselves as they truly are makes the difference. And truly not needing the other for one’s own
well-being, and therefore being with the other out of pure love and
complementarity rather than need makes the difference. Being in love implies
dependence on the other for sustenance; in loving there is independence and
freedom, and yet the desire to be and share with the other.
How is it possible to move from being in love to loving?
So how do we get there? Clearly almost everyone
starts on the “being in love” side of the coin. Hardly anyone is conscious in
the way described above, at the beginning of a relationship. Getting to the
other side of the coin basically requires an understanding that the two kinds
of love do exist, that the one implies dependence and the other freedom, and
above all, it requires a desire to become aware and conscious of the self and
of the other. I know, I know…easier said than done. But you see, once you know
that this is what it requires, you can never go back to the old way of thinking
without deceiving yourself. So now you have a choice to make, and by making it,
you have the power to begin to change all your relationships.
For much more about understanding how love and loving are very different, and how awareness of this can help you find deeper love, and move towards spiritual partnership and inner peace, see my new book The Tao of Spiritual Partnership in paperback format. (The Kindle version is available here)
To download the first chapter, click here
To see the Table of Contents click here
This ground-breaking book addresses:
• relationship patterns that hold you back from a truly fulfilled life
• the strong connection between sexuality and spiritual partnership
• communication leading to true connection & lasting transformation of your relationship
It is precisely at the problematic crossroads so often encountered in relationships that we are offered the opportunity to create a new foundation based on mutual complementarity rather than need; a free relationship between two people who want to be together, rather than two people who need to be together. Needing another, we are told, is the measure of love, but for a fully conscious individual nothing could be further from the truth. And therein lies part of the secret and healing power of spiritual partnerships.
Praise for The Tao of Spiritual Partnership
“All humans seek the illusive touch of another's Soul, which opens us to the sense of belonging to something bigger than the self. Dr. Kortsch has given us the true "tao" of relationship in this brilliant exploration of emotional tapestry. We will be grateful for this illumination of spiritual partnership for generations to come."
Chris Griscom: Spiritual Leader, Author (among others) of Time is an Illusion and Ecstasy is a New Frequency
REWIRING THE SOUL
For more about understanding the path towards life meaning and the inner quest, also have a look at my earlier book Rewiring the Soul: Finding the Possible Self
(paperback or Kindle).To download the first chapter, click here
To see the Table of Contents click here
From the Description on Amazon: Ask anyone, whatever their circumstances, if their life is vibrant, fulfilling, harmonious and happy. An honest reply is likely to be 'no', because to answer a truthful 'yes' is no mean feat. Only to grow psychologically and emotionally is not enough. And only to grow spiritually is not enough either. All three dimensions need to be developed in order to realize your full potential. If you are willing to assume total responsibility for the self and to start what is an on-going journey, you will quickly begin to glimpse the first fruits of the ultimate goal: inner well-being, freedom, peace, harmony and joy. This book sets out the pathway to self-mastery and self-discovery and walking that pathway will be the most exciting adventure of your life.
Reviews From the Back Cover:
A revelation of insight into the foundations of human suffering & transcendence. It not only lays out essential steps for inner freedom & joy but illuminates the way to true human potential. Dr. Kortsch is a spiritual master for our time. Paul Rademacher, Executive Director, The Monroe Institute; author: A Spiritual Hitchhiker's Guide to the Universe
"The masterwork of a profoundly gifted healer of the soul. Dazzling, challenging, wondrously useful." Peggy Rubin, Director, Center for Sacred Theatre, Ashland, Oregon; author: To Be and How To Be, Transforming Your Life Through Sacred Theatre
Note: If you are wondering why this blog only appears on alternate days (excluding Sat/Sun), it is because I post on my other blog on the others days. That other blog is Rewiring the Soul, so named for my earlier book. Click here to visit the blog and/or to sign up for the feed.
No comments:
Post a Comment