Love is the Answer

Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive. Dalai Lama
Read more at https://www.brainyquote.com/topics/love-quotes

Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive. Dalai Lama.

 Life without love is like a tree without blossoms or fruit. Kahlil Gibran. 

Love is like a beautiful flower whose fragrance makes the garden a place of delight. Helen Keller. 

We are most alive when we are in love. John Updike. 

You know you're in love when you can't fall asleep because reality is better than your dreams. Dr. Seuss. 

Who, being loved, is poor? Oscar Wilde. 

A loving heart is the truest wisdom. Charles Dickens. 

One word frees us of all the weight and pain of life. That word is love. Sophocles.

Love and compassion are necessities, not luxuries. Without them humanity cannot survive. Dalai Lama.

All of these fine quotes point to a universal truth; love is our most important virtue, emotion, and experience. Many would say that since love is our greatest lesson and asset it should have come first in the Sanity Files. Indeed one of our favorite sayings is "first, last, always love", but we feel love is not only our "top line", but also our bottom line; the final, total, underlying, and ultimate outcome.

Perhaps the one thing everyone wants to be happy. Why not love? For many love was soured, embittered, and denied growing up. These unfortunate ones find it hard, if not impossible to trust, care, and love again. This is why we are so keen on recovery, which is defined as "to recover what was lost or stolen, and returning to a full state of health, mind, or strength", and may we add "a full state of heart".

Too many kids missed out on this crucial lesson, or had love only to have it squashed and destroyed. This is why we consider love our most important teaching. Let us take a moment to give another definition - education: from the Latin word "educare" meaning "to draw forth". We can't do it for you, but we hope to help you to draw forth the spark of love within you that never goes out, and fan it into a fire to warm your heart and soul.

Our first "lesson" is Matters of the Heart: The Secret and Science of Love. Here we explore how western civilization has chosen the head over the heart. This viewpoint often sees putting love first as weak and childish. You can also learn how the stresses of modern life sicken and damage the heart, and how a change of lifestyle can make huge improvements.

Next, researcher Brene Brown went in search of love, belonging, and connection, but found folks struggling with with heartbreak, suffering, disconnection, and shame. All is not lost, as she also found community, intimacy, and vulnerability can bring us back to Love and Connection. Brene has many great books, C.D.'s and videos linked to the post for you to enjoy.

We find music very moving and powerful, even just the titles can be inspirational, as in Love Broke Thru.This post covers a wide range of recovery starting with personal stories, and moving on to encompass much of the recovery experience in post. Here many of the Sanity Files are addressed and linked into a holistic slice of what we are trying to achieve.

The post Homecoming is definitely one of our favorites as our founding father tells how inner child workshop and guided meditation enabled him to get a very real and dynamic experience of his inner child (actually his many inner children). It was a pivotal, emotional, and life changing event we hope inspires you to make an authentic and moving connection to your inner child (or children).

This next post is taken from the Super Powers Sanity File where we explore basic virtuous principles as holding incredible power (handed down from our Higher Power). In fact loving kindness is the first aspect of a seven thousand year old tradition of "the Four Infinite/Immeasurable/Divine Qualities". Click on Loving Kindness  to see how you can access this most valuable of Super Powers.

Besides being a super powers, love is an integral part of many favored sayings and slogans such as: love conquers all, love is all you need, and love like crazy! We find these Super Sayings and Slogans very comforting and inspiring so offer them here for your benefit. There are categories for Higher Power, passion, meditation, and others, but it all begins with LOVE!

It seems we have chosen the head over the heart in the west, as love is often considered weak or foolish, whereas in the east it is considered our greatest asset as outlined in the preceding link; Loving Kindness. Yet this tendency towards facts and reason has motivated many scientists to uncover scientific evidence for the value of compassion.

Although more imagination than science, this next post explores how love could answer the most intriguing of scientific questions; what is the unifying theory of the universe? Why not love? Love is often used a a unifying power to bring us together as religions, cultures, races, and so forth. Take a look at Love Force  and see what you think, feel, and most of all believe.

As mentioned we use many paths to increase our feeling and experience of love, and songs are one of the most inspiring. For this reason we have a music Sanity File of Super Songs. Like the Super Sayings and Slogans there are also categories for Higher Power, passion, meditation, etc, but LOVE comes first! Below are a few of those songs to jump right in. Enjoy!

I Believe Love is the Answer   Power of Love   Give Me Love   Love is the Answer   I Want to Know What Love Is   Your Love Keeps Lifting Me Higher    It's All About Love   I Believe in Love   Love is Here   Cry for Love   Can't Keep It In . 

Twelve Step Super Powers

1. We know we are powerless over others, That our lives become unmanageable.

     Principles: Powerlessness and Surrender

2. We believe a power greater than ourselves restores us to sanity.

       Principles: Open-mindedness and Clarity

3, We make decisions to turn our lives and our wills over to the care of God.

      Principles: Willingness and Accepting Help

4, We make searching and fearless moral inventories of ourselves.

      Principles: Self Honesty and Courage

5. We admit to God, ourselves, and others the exact nature of our wrongs,

      Principles: Honesty and Trust

6, We are entirely ready to have God remove these defects of character.

      Principle: Willingness

7. We humbly ask God to remove our shortcomings.

      Principle: Humility

8.  We make lists of all persons we harm and are willing to make amends to them all.

       Principles: Willingness and Self Forgiveness

9. We make direct amends to such people wherever possible.

      Principles: Forgiveness and Courage

10. We continue to take personal inventories, and when we are wrong promptly admit it.

        Principles: Honesty and Discernment

11. We seek through prayer and meditation to increase our conscious contact with God,

          praying only for God's will for us, and the power to carry that out.    

         Principles Seeking and Listening

12. Having spiritual awakenings as the result of these steps, we try to carry this message to

         to others and to practice these principles in all our affairs.   

         Principles: Love for Others and Self

Lower Powers (Character Defects): Resentment, Fearful, Over-Responsible, Approval Seeking, Caretaking, Controlling, Fear of Abandonment, Fear of Authority Figures, Frozen Feelings, Irresponsible, Isolating, Low Self Esteem, Repressed Anger, Raging, Inappropriately Expressed Sexuality, Dishonesty, Disease, Dysfunction, Insanity.

Jedi Super Powers

Jediism is based on the observance of the Force, a ubiquitous and metaphysical power that a Jedi believes to be the underlying, fundamental nature of the universe. Jediism finds its roots in philosophies similar to those presented in an epic space opera called “Star Wars”.

The Jedi religion is an inspiration and a way of life for many people throughout the world who take on the mantle of Jedi. Jedi apply the principles, ideals, philosophies and teachings of Jediism in a practical manner within their lives. Real Jedi do not worship George Lucas or Star Wars or anything of the sort. We accept myth as a sometimes more practical mean of conveying philosophies applicable to real life.

Jedi Believe

In the Force, and in the inherent worth of all life within it.

In the sanctity of the human person. We oppose the use of torture and cruel or unusual punishment, including the death penalty.

In a society governed by laws grounded in reason and compassion, not in fear or prejudice.

In a society that does not discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation or circumstances of birth such as gender, ethnicity and national origin.

In the ethic of reciprocity, and how moral concepts are not absolute but vary by culture, religion and over time.

In the positive influence of spiritual growth and awareness on society.
 

In the importance of freedom of conscience and self-determination within religious, political and other structures.
 

In the separation of religion and government and the freedoms of speech, association and expression.

The Three Tenets

Focus Knowledge Wisdom

When used correctly, the Jedi Tenets allow us to better ourselves and overcome any obstacle. They help us improve the world around us and fulfill our purpose in life as a Jedi. Wisdom is the sound application of accrued knowledge and experience through patient, good judgment. Knowledge can be acquired by focusing on the task at hand. Focus is the art of pruning the irrelevant and pouring the best of your mind into what you are doing.

The Code

Emotion, yet Peace.
Ignorance, yet Knowledge.
Passion, yet Serenity.
Chaos, yet Harmony.
Death, yet the Force.

The 16 Teachings: 

1. Jedi are in touch with the Force. We are open to spiritual awareness and keep our minds in tune with the beauty of the world. We are forever learning and open our minds to experiences and knowledge of ourselves and others.

2. Jedi maintain a clear mind; which can be achieved through meditation and contemplation. Our minds can become unduly troubled and concerned with the happenings of the world. We must work on overcoming our individual issues through training and diligence.

3. Jedi are aware of the future impacts of action and inaction and of the influence of the past, but live in and focus on the Now. We let ourselves flow like water through the events around us. We embrace the ever changing and fluid world, adapting and changing as it does.

4. Jedi are wary of attachments, both material and personal. The obsession over possessions and people creates the fear of losing those possessions and relationships which can cause ourselves to be trapped in a state of depression and loss.

5. Jedi understand that well-being consists in the physical, the mental and the spiritual. A Jedi trains each to ensure they remain capable of performing their duties to the best of their ability. All of these are interconnected and essential parts of our training in becoming more harmonious with the Force.

6. Jedi use their skills to the best of their ability. We do not use our knowledge and skill to boast or be prideful. We are mindful of the ego and mindful of our actions, exercising wisdom and humility.

7. Jedi understand their limitations. We recognize, and take responsibility, for our failures and develop a level of modesty about them. We respect the right for others to disagree and understand that they themselves are not perfect.

8. Jedi are patient. We work on training ourselves not to precipitate events around us. We know that becoming a Jedi is long and hard and requires rigorous dedication and commitment. Jedi train to act with a conscientious state of calmness.

9. Jedi have integrity. We are authentic to what we believe and are open, honest and true to our purpose and our minds. We remove all masks to reveal ourselves as courageous and noble of heart. We do not hide from fear of damage to our image because we know that our image cannot be blemished from the words and actions of others.

10. Jedi serve in many ways. Each action performed, no matter the scale, influences the world. With this in mind Jedi perform each action with peace, caring, love, compassion and humility. So it is that each Jedi improves the world with each deed they perform.

11. Jedi are mindful of their thoughts. We recognize the beauty in others and we provide help to those who come seeking it. Through our benevolent actions we strengthen not only ourselves but also our communities. Jedi act without prejudice.

12. Jedi believe that love and compassion are central to their lives. We must love and care for each other as we must love and care for ourselves; by doing this we envelop all life in the positivity of our actions and thoughts. We are providers and beacons of hope.

13. Jedi cultivate empathy. We try to view things from anothers perspective making us sensitive listeners. We provide the confidence people need when talking through their difficulties and we share our learning with those who would benefit. We do this to help create a more harmonious society.

14. Jedi are guardians of peace. We believe in helping all those that are in need, in whatever form, to the best of our ability. We recognize that sometimes providing help requires courage in the face of adversity but understand that conflict is resolved through peace, understanding and harmony.

15. Jedi believe in eternal life through the Force. We do not become obsessed in mourning those who pass. We may grieve at their passing but we are content, knowing that they will forever be a part of the Force and so always a part of us.

16. Jedi make a commitment to their cause and to humanity. Our ideals, philosophies, and practices define the belief of Jediism and we take action on this path for self-improvement and to help others. We are both the witnesses and protectors of the Jedi way by the practice of our convictions.