What We Were Never Taught about LOVE

I recently had the privilege of working with a client going through a challenging relationship phase, which led us to ponder one of life's most profound questions:

What is love?

Many people believe that love is an emotion, a state of being, or a connection we feel with others that evolves over time. 

But, here's the truth: 

Love simply is. 

It exists without you or relationships.

Love is not an emotion or a state; it's a fundamental force that exists independently.

Think of love like the vast, endless ocean, and our relationship with it is the ever-changing tides. 

The ocean remains constant while we experience it in countless ways—sometimes calm, sometimes tumultuous, but always there in some form.

Love also is evolutionary in the same ways–it strengthens, diminshes, and calms throughout pleasure, abuse, and unexpected experiences.

However, the essence of love never dies out.  

Ever wondered why, even after the end of a toxic relationship, or even one that ends amicably, you may still love that person?

This is because love is a fascinating paradox-

It’s messy and complicated, yet it can also be nurturing and kind. It's capable of being both expansive and gut-wrenching, even in the same few breaths. And it will always outlive hate or sadness.

So when you’re struggling with love, remember:

Love is always going to exist, because it is always there, circling around it like an endless merry-go-round. You don’t create it or ruin it. It simply is.

If you’re finding yourself in a relational transition or searching for open love, here's a simple exercise you can try:

• Bring to mind someone you love. Feel the sensation of that love in your body; focus all your attention there.

• Imagine that feeling of love growing larger. (You can even give it a shape and color for visualization purposes! Watch + feel it expand throughout your entire being.

• As you bask in this state of love, consider the situations or challenges in your life. See if any insights or nurturing thoughts emerge. Challenge yourself to remain in this state as long as you can.

This practice is a journey toward finding love from the inside out, and it has the power to transform your perspective on love and life.

Love, and the relationships in your life, holds the power to teach you many of the greatest lessons you can learn…

If you’re open to looking inward and receiving them.

So, here's to love 🍻, the eternal, ever-present force that we can always access, regardless of the tides of time.