The Reiki Cafe 

Hello friends,

Here is my latest personal puzzle. As far as I can tell, the major religions all have some of entreaty to love other human beings selflessly. Since I do not take the wording to be the collection called humanity, but instead, individual persons we encounter.....I wonder, how is this done? How do you look at people you do not know, and love them as you would someone very close to you? Is it possible? Is it just a metaphor?

Very perplexed,
Roxy

Dear Roxy,
Have puzzled over this many times, especially as it is not easy to maintain a sense of compassion for everyone you meet, let alone love them!
Have come to realize that love in this sense is more about "respect" than the common definition of love. The word love obviously conjures up romance but also "feelings" and "attachments" to those we care about. We "love" those we have a history with ( or want to have a history with :); we know them & our feelings grow out of relationship or proximity to them. There is no way to have the same attachment for a stranger whom we know nothing about. But respect for other individuals is possible. Recognizing that others have the same needs for survival and the same rights as we do forms a groundwork for treating them with dignity. Love means wanting the best for the other person, wanting them to be happy, etc. It gets all confused because the intensity of feelings we have for those we know is so acute but with strangers, it is just so much easier to turn away & not even see them. This ability is not 100% negative as it allows us to cope with living in a savage world. If we felt attachments to everyone around us we would likely suffer a great deal more than we do. When we see someone else through their own experience, as much as that is possible, we can walk in their shoes a bit and understand them. We dont have to like or love someone to treat them with the respect we ourselves expect from others.
Treat others as you would like to be treated; to me that explains the message of "love they neighbor". I believe there is a Bible phrase that basically says its prety easy to love people you like, big deal! Most of us, myself included, fall into this category and the world pretty much supports that view. Perhaps that is one reason we are told to be "in the world" but not of the world!
One trick Ive learned is to find just one "thing" in another that you can relate to & it becomes more difficult to dismiss them. When we take the time to see into someone, it is easier to have respect for them as a fellow human being. The more we do that, the easier it becomes to accept that everyone deserves respect.
holobon

One thing that helps me is to realize that we are all pretty brave in coming here, and that we don't always see the lessons being learned by another. What we see about others is so much on the surface. And it may just be that those who really aggravate us may have chosen the more advanced lessons here! We just don't know. I like what Holobon had to say about attachments......that does muddy up the word "love" a bit. I guess where I am in my journey with this issue is in "Namaste", that to love another is to honor the Divine spark within.
Namaste,
Feather

Otoharo!

Roxy, so good to hear you here. The quote has more to it, Love thy neighbor as you love yourself. The crux is loving oneself. Once we are able to really and truly love our selves, that state of mind and set of feelings extends out to include all others. We are indeed ONE. There have been times when it was indeed hard to love myself. So I can not feel troubled by not desiring to associate with any other person. It is temporary. In the long run we love others as we love ourselves.

finality

Hi Finality,

Good to see you, too.

Love,
Roxy

Roxy,

/*\ Namaste :-}}

- familiarity does not guarantee nor = "love"

- perhaps it is Compassion to which is being referred?

>:-}}

Reiki All Around,

All Blessings,

Firekeeper

Roxy,

Namaste. I just look at this phrase as a reminder to treat who ever I come across everyday with respect and compassion. Try to help them whenever I can- the simplest example would be to let a driver in! Ofcourse, some people are easier to love than others and I have experienced that this attitude helps a long way towards a peaceful existance for ourselves.

Mal

Hey Rox, *hugs**

Try meditating on loving the world. Just embrace all of humanity as One. As you know there is no one else in the room but you. Or should I say, we are all one.
This is a facet of the Christ Consiousness that I teach. Just a name for knowing that we are all connected.
That you cannot harm another, a part of the earth or yourself without harming the whole.
The vibrations to move out into the world.
Self acceptance and Love are a start. So start by doing kind works for yourself.
I perceive that your a bit rough on yourself.
Take a bit longer in that shower, put on that lotion, meditate when you want, buy that candle, self love acts.
Your kitties aren't all that need love and affection, you need it just as much you know. :}

So, if you want to love the world start with you. That is my answer to your question.
I hope that this is helpful.

I love you Rox,

Susan-J