Musing on Love

I’ve been musing about love, and what better day to share than today, Valentine’s Day?

But before I begin, let’s do some conscious clearing. Let’s disengage from old thoughts, outdated beliefs, firmly entrenched attitudes, and allow some spaciousness to expand both our hearts and our minds.

I like to think we’re being asked to reconsider everything in our world these days to make them more inclusive and supportive, more vibrant and creative, and definitely more multidimensional.

We needn’t be stuck in old paradigms. Like my favorite image of late, I invite us to consider all things as fair game as palimpsests. Palimpsests is defined as “a manuscript or piece of writing material on which the original writing has been effaced to make room for later writing but of which traces remain.”  Let’s layer over the old with our new insights, our new visions, foundationed on what once was but using that as a marker for what wants to unfold now, not as some kind of magnet pulling us back into a world that needs revision.  

The history of Valentine’s celebrations is long and complicated.  What if we began with dismantling the ridiculous over-commercialization of the holiday, and reclaimed it as a holy day?  What if we gave simple, but heart-felt tokens of love and connection to everyone, not just those we’re in intimate or erotic relationship with? What if it were as simple as kind words, or genuine smiles, or even small tokens of sweetness to encourage more sweetness in other’s lives?

What if we honored Valentine (who the holiday is named after) for his heart and conscious that led him to marry those who were not legally allowed at that time to wed, and who married others in an effort to keep them from being drafted into the army? What if no one was ever killed again for their actions or beliefs? If we insist on having saints, why not living ones and not those martyred?

What if we remembered that the recognized original roots of Valentine’s Day are  back in the days of ancient Roman history’s Lupercalia celebrations? These celebrations honoring Juno and Pan, were far more connected to awakening the Earth from her winter’s slumber and reminding her of her fecundity and  celebrating all her generous gifts. What if we allowed ourselves to hold love this way, as love of life and nature, and not necessarily tied so tightly to our current expressions of relationship love that, in truth, is far more conditional by our collective social standards?

What if we actually expanded our definition to let go of the conditions? We have a term for this – unconditional love, but I don’t think we actually give thought to what that means, let alone practice it.  In my mind an even more accurate definition is neutral beneficence. What if we loved everyone and everything? Saw them with the eyes and heart of what Namaste is meant to remind us of – seeing the divine in one another? Allowing us to release human judgment and separation? Isn’t that the most worthy of goals  – one that would shift EVERYTHING? What if we could hold that, anchor that, express that, and what if it shifted something in another, and then another and then another? What would be the tipping point where we understood this, and then there would be no more war, no more struggles for power over another, no separation? We certainly have a long way to go before that can be a collective reality, but why can’t it be a personal reality for enough of us to make a real difference?

And when we bring love down to the relationship level, why aren’t we widely celebrating the large numbers of souls who are unapologetically leading the way in transitioning societal’s strict insistence on firm boxes? What if we not only accepted but celebrated everyone refusing to bend themselves into rigid categories and instead embodied their gender identifications with great understanding of the fluidity and vast range of choices that can be precise right-fits? What if no one ever had to be one iota less than who they truly were and everyone was loved for exactly that? Isn’t that a worthy goal?

More than a decade ago I fashioned my 100-year vision for this world, and periodically I return to it see if we’ve made any progress towards it. What I wrote is this:

I envision a world where:

All beings are operating with conscious connection to Divine Source and embodying their Divinity.

Unity consciousness and celebration of diversity are the foundational principles that are expressed fully as harmony, peace, love, and joy.

There is equitable sharing of resources and unified commitment to caring for the Earth.

Gratitude, beauty, grace, kindness, and inspired action are everyday currencies and all beings know they are greatly loved and infinitely supported.

While I don’t imagine I’ll be around for the remainder of those decades I allotted for the full expression of my vision, I can’t help but wish that I’ll live long enough to see at least large parts of it established. And while I’m still here, I’m dedicated to holding the vision, and consciously connecting, amplifying, embodying and anchoring the frequencies of Love and Light. 

In the meantime, I’m imagining each one of you indulging in a delicious piece of honey-sweetened chocolate and sending you wishes borne on a fragrant flower; and I’m imagining looking you in the eyes and telling you, I see you, I know you, I love you.

What about you? What vision are you passionate about? What new expansion can you bring into something that is collectively mired in duality, rigidity, and stagnation? How can you open your heart even more to radiate your own brilliant frequency? What love wish would you offer to the world? Do tell, you know I’d love to hear.