Unconditional Love

When we consider what it means to experience unconditional love, we first think of the importance of being compassionate and giving love to others. All too often, we believe that by caretaking others and pleasing others we connect to love. While this can be true, it is perhaps more important that we permit ourselves to be loved. In fact sometimes exercising compassion or kindness is a way to avoid receiving love ourselves. A bigger challenge is to know that we are loved entirely for who we are. That we do not have to accomplish anything, to appear a certain way or be anyone special. But we get lost in a blind spot where we cannot imagine that “lowly little me” could be worthy of real love. We do not trust ourselves enough. Or we have never felt the unquestioned presence of love. Often self judgement, a mean voice or shame inhibits and stifles the experience of a love. Can we trust that we are deserved, despite our foibles, inconsistencies and shortcomings? The direct experience of love unconditional is a radical kind of acceptance. Seen through the eyes of a pet, a god, a friend, we are able to let our guard down and stand naked in front of the other fully witnessed. In this way love is revelation as we allow ourselves to be fully seen.