The seeker

[Spirit of Light]

“The path to the truth is a labor of the heart, not of the head. Make your heart your primary guide! Not your mind. Meet, challenge and ultimately prevail over your nafs with your heart. Knowing yourself will lead you to the knowledge of God.”

 

[blü 2]

“The path to the truth is a labor of the heart, not of the head. Make your heart your primary guide! Not your mind. Meet, challenge and ultimately prevail over your nafs with your heart. Knowing yourself will lead you to the knowledge of God.”

I don't use the word 'love' in that context, but I think if you treat others with decency, respect and inclusion (and common sense), you'll be more likely to encounter decency respect and inclusion in return.

Belief in a god may help some people do this, and that's fine, but as you know that doesn't always work.

 

[Spirit of Light]

I don't use the word 'love' in that context, but I think if you treat others with decency, respect and inclusion (and common sense), you'll be more likely to encounter decency respect and inclusion in return.

Belief in a god may help some people do this, and that's fine, but as you know that doesn't always work.

Thank you for your reply
All of those aspects you mention is a part of unconditional love, But as you know, the word love has many meanings in religious texts, And all of the aspects of love come from the heart in some form.

 

[blü 2]

Thank you for your reply
All of those aspects you mention is a part of unconditional love, But as you know, the word love has many meanings in religious texts, And all of the aspects of love come from the heart in some form.

Except perhaps for my children, 'unconditional love' is too big an idea for me.

But yes, love, lovingkindness, charity, have different colors in their religious contexts. I'm far from disapproving, but I'll stay with my mantra of decency, respect and inclusion.

 

[Rival]

I will have to profoundly disagree. Religion is to me as much a matter of the intellect as it is of emotion. My religion must make sense and be clearly truthful.

 

[Spirit of Light]

I will have to profoundly disagree. Religion is to me as much a matter of the intellect as it is of emotion. My religion must make sense and be clearly truthful.

The good thing about life, is that we are allowed to disagree from time to time

 

[Alienistic]

Mankind’s best helpmate is the mind. (When it’s more free and not under control by other authorities that have built up real estate/power in ones head.)

Then again, the heart can be considered a mini brain/mind as well.

 

[Spirit of Light]

Mankind’s best helpmate is the mind. (When it’s more free and not under control by other authorities that have built up real estate/power in ones head.)

Then again, the heart can be considered a mini brain/mind as well.

The heart in the context from a Sufi P.O.V is not about the physical heart or physical body at all It is about the spiritual heart and spiritual being (some call it soul)

But I do understand what you mean

 

[Spirit of Light]

In Sufi psychology the heart refers to the spiritual heart or qalb, not the physical organ. It is this spiritual heart that contains the deeper intelligence and wisdom. It holds the Divine spark or spirit and is the place of gnosis and deep spiritual knowledge. ... The qalb mediates between the Nafs and spirit.

 

[sun rise]

“The path to the truth is a labor of the heart, not of the head. Make your heart your primary guide! Not your mind. Meet, challenge and ultimately prevail over your nafs with your heart. Knowing yourself will lead you to the knowledge of God.”

That reminded me for some reason of this from Rumi

Those who don't feel this Love pulling them like a river,
those who don't drink dawn like a cup of spring water
or take sunset like supper, those who don't want to change,
let them sleep.
This Love is beyond the study of theology,
that old trickery and hypocrisy.
If you want to improve your mind that way sleep on.
I've given up on my brain.
I've torn the cloth to shreds and thrown it away.
If you're not completely naked wrap your beautiful robe
of words around you, and sleep”

— Rumi

 

[PureX]

As I get older, i find that love for a stranger becomes an easier choice. They are human. They suffer. They rejoice. They dream, and aspire, and fear, and fail, as we all do. They are reflections of myself. And I am pleased that I am not experiencing this gift of being me, alone.

 

[PearlSeeker]

From the glossary of Philokalia:

HEART - (καρδιά - kardia): not simply the physical organ but the spiritual centre of man’s being, man as made in the image of God, his deepest and truest self, or the inner shrine, to be entered only through sacrifice and death, in which the mystery of the union between the divine and the human is consummated. ' “I called with my whole heart”, says the psalmist - that is, with body, soul and spirit' (John Klimakos, The Ladder of Divine Ascent). ‘Heart’ has thus an all-embracing significance: ‘prayer of the heart’ means prayer not just of the emotions and affections, but of the whole person, including the body.