February sure invites a lot of attention about love, right?!
Beyond the marketing of all the material aspects of love and valentines this month, what is your relationship with love? Not your relationship with someone you love, but with love itself.
What is the language of your own heart, and how do you express your feelings of love out into the world? Some of us are physically affectionate, others prefer to work behind the scenes with little (or not so little) acts of love and service.
Our world is enveloped in so many different, wonderful types of love. There is the love between parents and children, between siblings, friends, partners, lovers. Yet all are connected by a common thread, our heart yearning to connect deeply and closely with those we care about.
One of life’s great journeys is learning to truly listen to and understand our own hearts. It is a journey that takes time, for our hearts are constantly swirling, changing landscapes. At times they are tranquil and still, filled to the brim with love and peace. Other times they are tempests, frightful storms from which there seems to be no shelter. Yet both are us, both are the language of our hearts.
The best thing about this journey is we do not walk it alone. Everyone walks this path, and some of the greatest minds (and hearts) in history have left teachings as signposts to help guide our way.
Here are some inspiring quotes followed by some prompts for your own contemplations. While contemplating it may help to write things out, or you can even try pulling out your GROK cards to accompany and inspire your connected conversations on these words of wisdom ~ ~
“The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart” – Helen Keller
How do you experience love as a feeling? As a felt sense in your body?
How does love connect you with those you love? What are some connections you have in your life that you cherish?
All works of love are works of peace. – Mother Teresa
How do you experience giving love, receiving love, ‘being love,’ living love?
What are some acts of love you can do, maybe tomorrow or next week, for those you care about?
I know the way you can get
When you have not had a drink of Love:
Your face hardens,
Your sweet muscles cramp.
Children become concerned
About a strange look that appears in your eyes
Which even begins to worry your own mirror
And nose.
Squirrels and birds sense your sadness
And call an important conference in a tall tree.
They decide which secret code to chant
To help your mind and soul.”
– a segment of the longer poem by Hafiz
How do you experience love as a need, a longing, desire, or wish? As fulfilled, and/or wanting more fulfillment.
How do you respond to this need in its absence?
“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.”
-Anonymous
What is your relationship like with yourself? Do you truly love yourself, as much as you love those closest to you?
What are some things you can do to nurture this relationship with yourself and grow in self-love?
Take some time with these reflections, they can be valuable exercises in learning the language of your heart. Being more mindful about how you experience, express, and give love to others (and yourself) will deepen and strengthen your relationship with love itself.
After workshopping some wonderful quotes, we’d like to end with one more that we feel conveys how foundational love is in human life.
Love is the bridge between you and everything. – Rumi
Wishing you endless love in all the ways it shows up inside and outside of you,
Jean, Christine and Claire, your GROKtheWORLD team
I love the reflective questions and quotes in your beautiful post! Especially the last Rumi quote and the segment by Hafiz. Thank you so much for sharing! ♥♥ All the best to you and yours!