We all greet people every day – lots of people. People we work with. Friends. Family. Strangers.

The average greeting occurs in less than five seconds – and what enormous love potential exists in those first five seconds. Unfortunately, those precious seconds are often stiff, routine or simply unthinking. How often to you feel loved by people who greet you? Or how often do others feel loved when you greet them? Simple questions, but very revealing.

So what creates true love magic in those first five seconds with anyone?

The first five seconds of love magic begins with intention and that occurs even before you encounter the other person. For example, what is your intention today when you greet a friend or fellow worker, a close family member, a lover or a stranger? Perhaps you don’t even have an intention or a clear intention. That would not be unusual. But the quality of your greeting is not likely to rise higher than your inner intention.

So, for example, when you buy groceries, do you have an intention for the cashier to feel loved or is your intention just to get the task done? And, in your family, is it your intention today that your partner, kids or family members feel loved when you greet them or have you thought about that today? Intention is the springboard to love magic in those first precious seconds. So put love magic into your greetings today. With everyone you meet, let your intention be to have them feel your love.

And after intention, it’s time for your beautiful eyes to look directly into another’s beautiful eyes. Are you kidding? That’s embarrassing and awkward. Perhaps it is, but let’s discover what might change your heart/eye habit. First, have you ever felt the glowing satisfaction of another’s loving, sustained eye contact, even for a few seconds?

Sustained eye contact, infused with love intention, melts and opens our hearts. Most eye contact lasts less than half a second. In other words, virtually no eye contact. If you want to create five seconds of love magic, get your intention aligned with love and then use those beautiful eyes of yours and sustain eye contact for at least 3 seconds. Don’t worry about feeling awkward or the other person feeling awkward. This is a moment for love alignment.

Yes, love alignment. That’s the third ingredient in creating five seconds of love magic. Let love do the looking through your eyes. Drop your façade and fears. Just let love itself pour through your intentions and your eyes. Such purity of love is irresistible and it feels wonderful for you too. So what if someone else’s eyes drop away from such direct heart linking. You have still loved them well. But you will be surprised how often others will respond and often with the fourth ingredient in love magic, the smile.

A smile flowing straight from love itself (love alignment), combined with clear intention and soft, direct eyes is the equivalent of the most beautiful flower on Earth. A smile by itself is lovely. A smile combined with direct eyes is even more loving. And a smile, with direct eyes, combined with love intention is pure love magic. Such greetings often lead to a gentle touch of someone’s arm or a hug.

How long does all this intention-eye-smile-touch greeting take? About 3 seconds. So we still have 2 seconds left in our love magic greeting.

And that leads us to the love message. Consider this the dessert of the five second love greeting. Rather than asking the typical, “How are you today?” with it’s typical answer, “Just fine,” offer a simple love message – something from your heart that you feel or appreciate about the other person. For example, “It feels good to see you today.” Or, “I’m very grateful to know you.” Or, “You have a lovely smile.” Or, “Thank you for being my friend.” Or, “I hope all is well within your heart.”

There are infinite ways to give a simple love message. The key is that your words are truly a message from love, however simple. Let them flow from your open heart with clear love intention. Don’t be afraid to be loving. It is simply love speaking and flowing through you. Welcome to the heart of love.

© 2005 by Scott and Shannon Peck

Scott and Shannon Peck are co-founders of TheLoveCenter, a non-profit organization dedicated to bringing all humanity into the heart of Love. Scott Peck is the author of The Love You Deserve: 10 Keys to Perfect Love. Shannon Peck has been a spiritual coach and healer for 19 years. The Pecks are popular speakers and media guests. For information call (800) 266-1525 or visit www.thelovecenter.com.