Forgetting, So that We Can Experience Love
When we meditate, we connect with our true Self, with a capital “S” and we experience the truth of what is. From the Vedic perspective the truth of what is, is the oneness of everything. Put in very simple terms, we are all one thing. During meditation, prayer, or maybe even while surfing, painting, gardening, or doing something you really enjoy, you experience this feeling of oneness with nature and it feels good!
Eventually we open our eyes, fall from the wave, or finish the painting and this feeling of oneness leaves. We return to a state of feeling separate from other people and other things. When we feel separate from them, we are forgetting the truth of what we really are, one thing. This forgetting is important though, because in this forgetting, we are able to experience the greatest joy there is, love. If we were to always feel like “one,” we would never be able to experience the coming back to “one.” The coming back to “one,” is what we call falling in love.
Love occurs when we recognize ourself in others. It is like coming home. We search for it in the eyes of people we meet, in the hobbies we partake in, in the pets and plants we care for, and sometimes something magical happens and we find it. We sense something in them that is also in us. When the other is enough like me, but also different enough to remain intrigued, we are able to go beyond the ego to a place of safety, comfort, and authenticity. It is a beautiful experience! When this happens, we let our guard down and we relax into the flow of life. We allow the current to take us where it may. During this process, the Self in me is seeing the Self in you and recognizing itSelf.
The attention we place on discovering oneness with everyone and everything we encounter is what makes it possible to experience love and enjoy life. The love and attention that flows from one person to the other, like electricity flowing between two poles, is the divine. Our only job is to continue to place our love and attention on the Self, with a capital “S.” Another way of saying this is, “to love thy neighbor as thySelf.” Go out and LOVE!