What Is Spiritual Love? | The #WednesdayWisdom Show

Summary

This episode of the Wednesday Wisdom Show explores the concept of spiritual love, contrasting it with human nature's self-centered love. The speaker argues that spiritual love, unlike natural love, exists beyond personal fulfillment and is rooted in altruism. Spiritual love transcends human ego and self-interest, aiming to connect opposites, even amidst hatred or division. The idea is that true love arises when individuals prioritize universal good over personal desires. The speaker emphasizes that this higher form of love requires deep internal work, and offers to answer viewers' questions in future episodes.

Takeaways

• 💡 Spiritual love is fundamentally different from human love and does not exist within human nature.
• ❤️ Human love is often tied to personal fulfillment and self-interest, even in relationships that seem selfless, like between a mother and child.
• 🔄 Human love is triggered by natural systems, such as hormones, and tends to be temporary as it depends on factors like attraction and fulfillment.
• 🧐 We often love ourselves to the exclusion of others, which leads to self-focus and limits our ability to truly connect with others.
• ⚖️ Spiritual love requires a bridge between opposites, such as love and hate, and can only exist in the presence of disconnection or opposition.
• 🌍 Real, spiritual love means seeking the well-being of others, even those we may dislike or oppose, rather than focusing on self-interest.
• 🧠 Spiritual love transcends natural love and operates on a higher level, focusing on the greater good for everything that exists, not just personal gain.
• ⚡ Love, like electricity, can only be felt when it has something to work on, meaning that opposition is necessary for the true experience of love.
• 🚧 The spiritual path involves revealing and overcoming the limitations of human nature, including hatred and selfishness, to access a higher form of connection.
• 📘 Spiritual concepts, like those found in the Kabbalistic book 'Shamati,' teach that good things often appear first in their opposite form, meaning conflict can precede spiritual growth.

Q & A

What is the main difference between human love and spiritual love according to the script?

The script explains that human love is driven by self-fulfillment and is based on personal needs, such as attraction and pleasure. In contrast, spiritual love is selfless, transcending personal desires and focusing on the connection for the benefit of others, even in the presence of opposition or hatred.

How does human nature impact the way we experience love?

Human nature focuses on self-preservation and fulfilling personal desires. In relationships, even when we give, it's often to ensure that something is reciprocated. This self-centeredness prevents us from experiencing true spiritual love, as we are always concerned with how things affect us personally.

Why does the script suggest that spiritual love cannot exist in human nature?

The script argues that spiritual love is opposite to human nature because human nature is inherently self-serving. Spiritual love requires a selfless connection where personal benefits are secondary, which goes against the instinctual drive for self-protection and personal fulfillment that dominates human love.

How does the script describe the relationship between love and hatred?

The script explains that spiritual love requires the presence of hatred or opposition to exist. Hatred creates disconnection, and spiritual love acts as a force that bridges these opposites. The greater the disconnection, the more powerful the love must be to overcome it.

What does the script say about the phrase 'love others as you love yourself'?

The script challenges the common idea that one must first love themselves before they can love others. It claims that our inability to love others stems from an over-focus on self-love, where we prioritize our own needs and ego, preventing us from truly connecting with others.

What does the script suggest is the root cause of feelings like shyness and self-criticism?

Shyness and self-criticism are seen as manifestations of excessive self-love, where a person is overly concerned with protecting their ego and avoiding situations where they might feel inadequate or disrespected. This self-focus hinders their ability to connect with others.

How does the script define 'spiritual love'?

Spiritual love is described as a force that connects opposites and transcends personal interests. It is about maintaining a connection for the well-being of others, even in the face of opposition, hatred, or disconnection, rather than focusing on one’s own benefits.

What does the script say about the current state of the world and how it relates to love?

The script points to societal issues such as racism, economic inequality, and environmental problems as evidence that we lack true spiritual love. It suggests that if we could access spiritual love, which connects opposites, it could help solve these global issues by fostering unity and understanding.

What role does 'opposition' play in experiencing spiritual love?

Opposition, or hatred, is necessary for spiritual love to manifest. The script likens it to electricity, where a force must act against something for it to be felt. In the same way, spiritual love requires disconnection or opposition to act as a force that brings people together.

How does the script propose we can begin to experience spiritual love?

The script suggests that to experience spiritual love, we must go beyond our natural inclinations and learn to function at a higher level. This involves recognizing and transcending the limitations of our human nature, such as self-interest and ego, and focusing on creating connections that benefit others.