Real Love

 by Donna May

Nothing real can be threatened. Nothing unreal exists. Herein lies the peace of God.
A Course in Miracles

If you look deep within yourself, beneath all the roles you play, who are you, really? The first principle of Attitudinal Healing which is based on A Course in Miracles states: “The essence of our being is love.” That part of us, which is an extension of God or Spirit, is pure love. “God, being love is also happiness.” We are most connected to this reality when we are experiencing the positive feelings such as appreciation, happiness and love. These feelings feel good because they are natural to the authentic, real self. Our emotions tell us how connected we are to the essence of love, our source energy. So-called negative emotions, that cause us discomfort, signal a disconnection or pinching off of this energy. We are never really separate from our life force or source energy, but we can restrict the flow. It is like blocking the flow of water running through a hose by tying a tight knot in the hose. If you untie the knot, the water will again flow. If we connect with our good feelings we again experience the energy.

I remember observing a young couple who showered love on each other with every glance. As they appreciated the many positive traits in the other, they were connected to the real part within, the essence of love. That was real. It was beautiful to watch. Months later, I noticed a coolness had set in. This couple who once were focusing on what they loved and appreciated about each other were now unhappy as they began noticing and even focusing on what they didn’t like in the other. Now they were into anger, blame, criticism and judgment. These negative emotions caused a disconnection from the real, spiritual essence of love within. Since they were no longer connected to the real part of themselves, what they were offering up to each other, according to A Course in Miracles, was not real. Only the love that they extended early in their relationship was real. Everything else was an illusion, because it did not reflect who they really are as spiritual beings.

Recently, I heard a man speaking highly of one of his spiritual teachers. He was commenting on how good he felt in her presence. His teacher was fully connected to her source energy as she spoke and exuded that love to her audience. It is a nurturing experience to be in the presence of love.

At times when with my family, I feel so incredibly blessed to have all of them in my life. Appreciating them triggers strong feelings of love. One evening as I read a story to my grandchildren, I wanted to savor that moment. As we interacted with each other, so much love was present. Just thinking about those precious moments allows me to re-experience some wonderful feelings now. There is something about being in the presence of a baby or seeing a young child smile that warms our hearts. Small children are connected to the love within, bring out the best in us and make us smile.

As you think about your life with the people you are closest to, can you remember the special moments when they showered you with love? Maybe it was a special glance. It may have been something they said that caused you to know that you were loved. It may have been a special touch. Can you remember the times when you were the one showering others with love? These are the moments that are real. Have you noticed that appreciation for another triggers love?

The wonderful thing about extending love to another is that in the process, we feel the love within ourselves. When it comes to love, giving and receiving is the same.

I have also found that appreciating beautiful scenery or some awesome sight like a sunrise or a sunset can trigger a feeling of love within me. There is so much beauty in nature and so much to appreciate in life. We often take so much for granted. What if you could see the world with new eyes as a child does? What could you appreciate right now that will warm your heart?

O. Carl Simonton, MD writes: “The more I can love everything – the trees, the land, the water, my fellow men, women and children and myself – the more health I am going to experience and the more of my real self I am going to be.”

Donna May MA Ed, is a Certified Clinical Hypnotherapist, Stress Management, Pain Relief Specialist, practitioner of NLP, Reiki and Yuen Energetics. She utilizes spiritual principles and “A Course in Miracles” teachings. Available for classes, public presentations or private consultations. (248) 626-4859 or DonnaMay27@comcast.net.