The Key of True Love: A Journey Beyond Right and Wrong
Our Universe, Our Guide
Every single one of us walks this journey called life. During this journey we nurture a sincere question in our hearts, and the universe never fails to offer us an answer. However, to recognize this guidance, one must demonstrate personal virtues such as openness, vulnerability, bravery, resilience, and an appetite for repetition. There is no taking shortcuts in this dense labyrinth of existence; we must traverse it one step at a time.
By individually threading our paths of purpose, we collectively weave a grid of benevolence, shaping our collective ascension into a more peaceful world where we can safely come into self-actualization. My personal journey was sparked by a quote from the great poet Rumi: "Beyond wrongdoing and rightdoing there is a place….I'll meet you there”. This stirred a longing within me, one that would lead me to a powerful realization: I unlock solutions with the key of true love.
True Love: A Paradigm Shift
The concept of true love often seems elusive, with many of us being more familiar with the idea of "unconditional love". However, it was through the teachings of Thich Nhat Han, the renowned Vietnamese Buddhist monk, that I found the essence of true love. He describes it as a composition of four elements: loving kindness, compassion, joy, and equanimity. This understanding added a profound layer to my comprehension of love and self.
But to truly embody these elements, we must embark on a journey to know ourselves deeply, unflinchingly acknowledging the good, bad, and ugly within us. In essence, we must voyage into the unknown.
The Journey To Understanding
This expedition into uncharted territories is crucial to cultivating deeper understanding not just within ourselves, but also with others. It is this expansion that opens us up to new dimensions and lets us transcend the plane of right and wrong. Yet, this task is not without its challenges. Our minds often cling to the familiar in an attempt to feel safe, hindering our journey towards enlightenment.
A personal encounter with a client, an HR manager dealing with a complaint of bullying, perfectly illustrates this dilemma. The individual in question, deemed the “bully”, operated purely within his own context, his systemic bias. His actions were based on his understanding of "normal", but resulted in unintentional harm. This situation was a stark reminder of the power of understanding each other's contexts. Walking in the other's shoes, following their roadmap, often completely alien to ours!
Upon realizing the impact of his actions, the man began his awakening process, expressing gratitude for the newfound understanding and eagerness to make things right. This moment of revelation was a pure embodiment of Thich Nhat Han’s concept of Loving Kindness for me.
Forging Ahead: A Commitment To Hold The Vision
At present, men and women are seeking ways to understand each other better. Despite the vulnerability, pain, and hidden insecurities that come to the surface, it is through our shared human experiences and common ground of suffering that we can unite in true love. This is the vision we need to hold and come back to over and over again.
However, the journey is especially challenging for women navigating the double burden of understanding their own context and standing in their unique power, and the context of the existing patriarchal system that inherently favor the context of men. Women are tired! Yet, by keep on braving these uncomfortable territories, we can start cultivating equanimity in our relationships. It is crucial to recognize that "Everyone is right, no-one is to blame," and "no-one is right and everyone is to blame.”
Cultivating Joy In Relationships
The journey towards joy in our relationships requires a collective decision to own our pain and suffering and to place trust in life's benevolent intention. We should embrace the unknowable with an open heart, for it is only by unlocking solutions with the key of true love that we can truly enjoy each other's unique presence.
As we continue on this path, here are two pieces of music that beautifully resonate with the theme of right and wrong:
"The End of Suffering" by Gary Malkin and Thich Nhat Han.
"Islamo-Christian AVE" by Tania Kassis.
These songs will help keep our hearts in touch with the principles of love and understanding as we all strive to unlock the solution with the key of true love.
About the Author
Lead True Global Leader Andrea Henning’s vision is that when people discover their authenticity and dare to follow their bliss they are happier and more successful in their lives while serving as an inspiration to their communities.
Read more from Andrea Henning below.
After the tragic deaths of black and brown Americans, followed by the wave of outrage and pain that rose into a global outcry, I realized that I know nothing about the systemic racial inequity and injustice in the United States.