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Is self-love the key to transformation?
What is faith, if not the ultimate love story?
When examining the world’s great religions, one might anticipate finding a list of profound concepts at the forefront. These could include the nature of the divine, the origins of the universe, or the meaning of life. Yet, it is often the case that when it comes to matters of great significance, the ultimate truth can be found in something astonishingly straightforward: love.
Yes, that most human of emotions-the source of our greatest joys and anguishes-is paradoxically the beating heart of dogma and doctrine across the spiritual traditions of humanity. From the Judeo-Christian commandment to love one’s neighbour as oneself to the Buddhist concept of metta (loving-kindness towards all beings) to the Sufi ideal of ishq (spiritual love), the importance of love resounds across the ages and cultures.
What is faith, if not the ultimate love story, between humans and the divine? The great spiritual texts read like romantic epics, with the soul cast as the devoted lover pining for a reunion with the Beloved. From the ecstatic poetry of Rumi to the transcendent “love calls” of the Hindu mystics, the language of religion is filled with love notes.
Yet, for all this exaltation of love’s sublime nature, its true importance lies in its sheer mundanity. After all…
