It is interesting to me that the modern Taoist philosophical tradition has chosen to ignore many of the basic needs that motivate human existence. Despite this very modern trend, Taoist love wisdom is well understood in Taoism in general and in the 4 Ascendant sect in particular.
Let’s define the desire for love.
You want someone in your life that fulfills the emotional compulsion we call love. You want love.
That is natural. You see it throughout our species. It is a simple truth.
We must start at that simple truth to understand the not so simple parts of it.
In coming to understand Love, people consistently have questions that fall into one of the following four areas:
Big 4 Questions About Love
+First, how do you get Love?
+Second, what makes Love satisfying or dissatisfying?
+Third, why can Love be painful and difficult?
+Fourth, why does it seem that so many religions are against Love? Why does it seem that religions, through ascetic traditions, recommend avoiding a love relationship with a partner in order to grow spiritually?
Let’s address these important questions by looking first at love itself.
Taoist Love Wisdom–A Start to Better Love
Much of the confusion surrounding love comes from having your desire for love jumbled up.
There are actually three major forms of love that you need.
- Parental Love
- Love of a Partner
- Universal Love
Parental love provides a feeling of support and nourishment from others and will shape your perspective on love. If you are struggling to overcome a poor parenting relationship, you will need to learn love from scratch. It is unfortunate, but you will be able to compensate for the loss.
Love of a Partner refers to romantic love–the emotional sense of being in love with someone else.
Universal Love refers to the love that flows through the Tao and connects all things. It is often times called spiritual love or brotherly love.
Clearly Understanding Your Love Needs Is Important to Answering the First 3 Love Questions
To become happy and satisfied in love, you need to start by understanding these three loves. That understanding allows you to unjumble your different types of love desire. Serious relationship problems emerge when you confuse the three loves or attempt to blindly satisfy the craving for one type of love with another.
Asceticism and Love
As for the ascetic compulsion of avoiding love, from the 4 Ascendant perspective one must journey into self-understanding, and that can warrant a short sojourn through Not Doing, but not abandonment of love.
By developing an understanding of love and your own drives, you can move toward relationships that satisfy your needs, and bring you happiness.
Happiness is, of course, one of the major Taoist objectives.
Warm Regards,
Master Mikel Steenrod
Keeper of the Gate of Man and Heaven
(Lineage Holder of the 4 Ascendant Spheres Purity Adept School of the Tao)
www.the-taoism-for-modern-world.com
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