Today I want to pull you further into love from a spiritual perspective. Let's consider two quotes from two different spiritual traditions. From the 13th century Sufi poet and Islamic scholar Rumi: “Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it.”
Then we have Austrian Jewish and Israeli philosopher, Martin Buber who wrote: "Every lock has it's key which fits into and opens it. But there are strong thieves who know how to open locks without keys. They break the lock. So every mystery in the world can be unriddled by the particular kind of meditation fitted to it. But God loves the thief who breaks the lock open: I mean, the man who breaks his heart for God." (Ten Rungs: Collected Hasidic Sayings)
Both of these spiritual writers point us in the same direction; Love already resides in the human heart, but it is hidden and buried behind layers of armor. Each of us have our individual stories of love that include our feelings (and thoughts) toward ourselves, other people (romance, family, deep friendships, strangers), other creatures, life itself, and the spiritual realm. Each disappointing experience, or painful loss or rejection, adds it's own layer of what we accept, consciously or unconsciously, as protection from accumulated pain. But in doing so, we actually have less and less access to Love. We are further and further removed from Love's life enhancing, healing power. We are further removed from the source of creativity and connection. We are less alive, blocked in our capacity to both give and receive.
This time of Pandemic has brought fear, pain, loss and grief. It has also brought new heights of discovery, compassion, and giving. As cases begin to rise again, the pull to withdraw, to return to or remain in a shell of protection, can be strong. Can we lay aside the barriers of our heart, unlocking the power of Love, even as we put on our masks again, follow through with vaccines, and listen for the next step? This time Love can lead. (Susan Nettleton)