Buddhist Catholic Contemplative Evangelical General Christian Hindu Jewish Latter-day Saint Muslim New Visions Progressive Christian

Beliefs

Topics

Columnists

Resource Library

Research Tools

Video

Podcasts

Thought Readers

Faith In Media Tracker

Newsletters

Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In Subscription Support

Follow Patheos

Strategic Monk

Home
Contemplative
Practices From the Inside Out: Practicing the Power of Love

Practices From the Inside Out: Practicing the Power of Love

Last updated on: February 11, 2018 at 11:30 am by Greg Richardson

Practices From the Inside Out: Practicing the Power of Love 2018-02-11T11:30:51-08:00 Greg Richardson

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

The Power of Love

We talk about the power of love. It can be a challenge for us, though, to appreciate the practical, everyday power of love in our lives.

Sometimes it is easier for us to see how powerful hate can be. Hate often appears to be better equipped and better organized than love.

Love can seem to be warm and gooey, accompanied by lush strings and soft harmonies. We think love is emotional and romantic, maybe familial, and a little naive.

Love brings to mind balloons shaped like hearts and flowers and Valentine’s Day cards. Hatred reminds us more of weapons both personal and those of mass destruction.

It is easy for many of us to think people probably would not love us if they really knew us.

Love seems to be beyond our ability to understand or explain. We can grasp why some people might hate each other. Love often feels less comprehensible to us.

How powerful is love in our everyday lives? Do we really believe love can overcome hatred, or indifference, or fear? How well is love integrated in spiritual life?

What are we really celebrating on Valentine’s Day?

It can be easy for us to miss or ignore the power of love in everyday life. Hatred tends to get a lot more coverage. We pay more attention to the dramatic results and ramifications of hate.

Hatred can be shocking and immediate, while love often works in the long term.

Have we experienced love’s power in meaningful ways? What does the power of love look and feel like in our lives?

How can we share the powerful ways love shapes our lives when we do recognize them?

What does the power of love really mean to us?

Experiencing the Power of Love

When have you experienced the practical power of love?

My life has been, and continues to be, blessed with opportunities to experience powerful love. Knowing the joy and struggle of love may be the most inspiring thing ever.

We are fortunate when people in our lives demonstrate their love for us. They may show us the power of love through their words or actions.

It may be giving us their honest truth, whether we appreciate it at the time or not. They may help us experience the power of love through any of our senses. We may share a handshake, something with our favorite flavors or aromas, or a smile. They may express their love in words or in their stillness.

I am supremely grateful for people who show me the power of love.

We may also experience the power of love in solitude.

I recognize love as I reflect on where I have been. Walking along an ocean beach, in a forest, or in the mountains I am surrounded by love. Love is a central element of spiritual life and it fills me when I take time to listen.

There are also the ways we love ourselves.

I reflect on other people, the world around us, and the love within myself. The pieces fit together to teach us lessons about spiritual life and the power of love.

I appreciate the deeper truths about the everyday power of love when I take time to listen.

Love’s power is not a theoretical concept or a philosophical position. Love strengthens and sweetens the way we live each moment, each day.

Would we even want to continue our lives if we did not experience the power of love? Is life without love worth living, or even possible?

Sharing the Power of Love

The loves of our lives come to us in many forms. They may be primarily emotional or intellectual, physical or economic.

When we experience the power of love we want to share it. Love shapes how we connect to other people, the rest of the world, and our deepest selves. Spiritual life, a relationship based in love, fills us and draws us closer.

Traditionally romantic expressions of love are too limited to do us much good. The love of spiritual life overflows in us, spreading out through us.

One of the most significant challenges for me is learning to love myself. As I become more able to love who I am there is more love within me for others.

My experience has been overcoming obstacles to treating myself in loving ways. Loving myself becomes more possible as I learn not to hold myself to unrealistic expectations.

As I realize I am not likely to be perfect, I find myself more lovable.

It is not loving, or fair, for me to hold other people, or nature, to a standard of perfection. How can it be loving to expect ourselves to be perfect?

My relationship to myself has taught me deep lessons about how love works. The power of love works within us to help us become better lovers.

Practicing the Power of Love

For me, practicing the power of love begins with loving myself. As I discover new possibilities in the way I love myself, I grow in how I am able to love others.

Nobody wants to be held to impossible standards. As I started to recognize what I was doing to myself I began to see how unloving I was being.

We learn to love by practicing over time. It is not loving to expect ourselves to do it well the first time we try. We explore, trying new patterns of behavior. When we make mistakes we discover new opportunities to grow and learn. Our new understanding takes us in new directions.

The power of love is building on itself as we practice. We are beginners, taking each new step forward.

Practicing the power of love shows us how to become better at loving. Love is not a vague theory or idea.

We practice the power of love every day.

Where will we discover the power of love today?

How will we practice the power of love this week?

[Image by renaissancechambara]

Greg Richardson is a spiritual life mentor and leadership coach in Southern California. He is a recovering attorney and university professor, and a lay Oblate with New Camaldoli Hermitage near Big Sur, California. Greg’s website is StrategicMonk.com, and his email address is [email protected].

Blog

Spiritual Practices

Previous Post

February 8, 2018

Reading Like a Monk: Lectio Divina & Harry Potter and the Sacred Text

Next Post

February 13, 2018 Listening to Sacred Stillness: The Stillness of Ash Wednesday

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Blog Book Reviews Everything Else Guest Posts Leadership Monastic Strategies Neighborhood Pilgrimages Sacred Stillness Spiritual Direction Spiritual Practices Work

Select a Month May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What does the Black Horse in Revelations represent?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Death War The End Times Famine