Love is more than the pre-printed words in a hallmark card. It is more than the spoken affection offered between family and friends. Love is more than gifts exchanged, time spent, or physical touch. And while it underpins our day-to-day connection, shaping our human experience in the most joyful and meaningful of ways, love is something far greater. And that greatness is within us all.

Love is… US

The funny thing about our ‘human’ experience of love, is that we tend to look for it in something or someone. We have become accustomed to believing it’s ‘outside’ of ourselves. We seek to fill the perceived emptiness within us with external constructs and forms, people and places. A seeker from this space will generate needs and desires that satisfy them only on a material level - leaving the true calling of the heart forever muted. This endless pursuit makes us feel empty and fearful, and unconscious of the ‘river of life’ that is within us.

But if we go deeper into the true experience of love, we understand that love is within us. And while the people and places around us enable us to experience this feeling of love – that love that we’re feeling, we are feeling it within us and therefore IT IS US! When we truly know this, we realise that at any time in our lives we can CHOOSE to feel love and allow it to be the dominant vibration that makes our ‘river of life’ flow. If we allow it, it can be present in our thoughts, our intentions, our words and in our actions. And when one truly connects with this space of love within, and acts from this space, it is one of the most important gifts we can offer humanity.

Love is… A GIFT

Gifts come in many forms; an arrangement of flowers, a smile, a donation of money, the support and advice to a friend, time shared together or even a passing exchange of affirming words. When something is given with pure, unconditional love it brings the person receiving the gift into that same vibration. And then, from this space, the person gives love to others around them. Even if this exchange is fleeting, lasts for only a few minutes, it can be enough to remind them of the beauty in life and to ripple across the field of consciousness. Love begets more love and makes the River of Life flow!

A powerful way of manifesting and stabilising the energy of love is through offering a blessing. And the easiest place to start is with food. Maybe it’s a cake, or cookies you’ve just baked for a friend or neighbour, or perhaps it’s a bunch of grapes you’ve just taken from the fridge for a snack. Try blessing the food first before you offer it to others or plate it up for yourself. It will taste different! Food that is blessed will taste more whole and complete. Eat it with gratitude and mindfulness. Here’s how:

With the palms of your hands facing the food to be blessed (or hold the food with your palms and raise it above your head) and say the following blessing:

“To the source and fountain of life within me,
Thank you for the eternal life for my soul,
Thank you for the light, understanding and clarity for my mind,
Thank you for the love, purity and flow for my heart,
Thank you for this nourishment for a strong and healthy body.
May the love and blessings be anchored and stabilised in this food.
And may the love and life created by these blessings be felt by all.
Om Mani Padme Hum”

Love is always with us, for it is us. When we connect with the source of pure, unconditional love within, we understand that we are ALL connected by the same thread of divine consciousness. And when we give love to one, we give life to all.

Peace be with you,

Chiu Chi