Since ancient times humans have grappled with questions about the meaning of life. One consistent answer is that meaning is intimately connected with love, as Leo Tolstoy states in this short poem:
“I have now understood that though it seems to men that they live by care for themselves,
in truth it is love alone by which they live.
He who has love, is in God, and God is in him, for God is love.”
And what happens when we do find love?
“Once in awhile,
Right in the middle of an ordinary life,
Love gives us a fairy tale.”
– Anonymous
But how do we find love? The answer is that love and ego are incompatible, so to find love we have to become worthy of it by keeping our ego in check:
“And think not you can
Direct the course of love,
For love,
If it finds you worthy,
Directs your course.”
– Kahlil Gibran
But what really is love? The great philosopher and poet Tagore says:
“Love is the ultimate meaning of everything around us.
It is not a mere sentiment; it is truth; it is the joy that is at the root of all creation.”
And it all ties back to yoga because yoga takes us in a place where it stills our mind, silences our ego, and makes us one with our heart:
“What if our religion was each other
If our practice was our life
If prayer, our words
What if the temple was the Earth
If forests were our church
If holy water—the rivers, lakes, and ocean
What if meditation was our relationships
If the teacher was life
If wisdom was self-knowledge
If love was the center of our being.”
– Ganga White
Related: Effortless Love
Credits: This has been written by Raj Shah and edited by Ketna Shah.