Discovering Love Through Meditation
Exploring the connection between meditation and love has been a fascination for me after years of practicing Buddhism. In my studies, meditation and love were often seen as separate concepts that needed to be integrated. Buddhism offers practices focusing on loving kindness and compassion, as well as techniques for emptying the mind and concentration. But how do they come together?
After much contemplation, I realized that during a thought-free meditation, I experienced a profound sense of warmth, bliss, and love flowing outwards. The empty state of mind was not void but filled with radiant love.
Meditation Masters liken the essence of mind to space – boundaryless and immaterial. Inner awareness is described as brimming with qualities like intelligence, intuition, love, and bliss.
In Vedic scriptures, our true self is referred to as Satchitananda, embodying pure being, consciousness, and bliss. Similarly, Buddhism speaks of Buddha Nature as luminous awareness filled with unconditional love and wisdom.
The empty space of awareness is, in essence, pure love. Love resides in our inner space. The Dalai Lama suggests that love is the absence of judgment. By being present with others without judgment, a deeper form of love can emerge. This natural love arises when the mind reaches a subtle state of stillness.
This love is not romantic in nature but rather the core essence of ourselves radiating outward. Touching the essence of our being means touching the essence of all beings. It is a sense of unity without separation, where love shines freely without the hindrance of a dualistic mind.
Our thinking mind tends to divide and separate us based on superficial factors like appearance, gender, or beliefs. However, our core awareness unites us as it was never truly separate to begin with. Our core awareness represents a unified field of clear awareness and universal consciousness connecting all living beings.
Like the term Namaste implies – recognizing the divine essence in oneself and others – the essence is singular, not dual. It is the universal essence of being that unites us all.
Only in complete emptiness can one be truly fulfilled, as Zen Masters suggest. An empty mind can love every being unconditionally, embracing imperfections and fostering acceptance. This non-conceptual love requires no effort and naturally radiates towards all beings.
To access this ever-present source of love through meditation is the ultimate goal. Discovering the true Self, the unconditioned awareness within, allows for a view unclouded by judgments or beliefs. It is about recognizing the perfection in every moment, embracing Oneness without division or effort. Love naturally emanates from this core essence.
Authored By Chad Foreman
Chad Foreman, the founder of The Way of Meditation, has been sharing meditation practices since 2003. His mission is to introduce authentic meditation techniques to a wide audience in today’s world. As a former Buddhist monk, Chad spent six years immersed in meditation practice and now boasts over two decades of teaching experience. He conducts regular
Meditation Retreats
on the Sunshine Coast of Australia, offers
Online Meditation Coaching
, and provides three online programs –
The 21 Day Meditation Challenge
to lead individuals from mindfulness basics to profound awareness.
Breath-work
for stress management and deeper meditation, and
The Bliss of Inner Fire
– a Buddhist tantric method for energy purification. Chad also offers a free e-book titled
Insights Along the Way
.