The Love Game

The Love Game

I want to play The Love Game.

If "work is love made visible", then playing The Love Game is my life's work.

The Love Plane exists at my core, at the deepest level of my soul. So, I only arrive there every once in awhile. But, when I do, I feel so so alive. Every time I descend, I realize it's always worth it in the end.

How does this game show up in my life?

• Love for my True Self

• Love for others

• Love for the moment

In a twisted way, I find this first one to be the hardest. Blocked by guilt, shame, self-doubt, uncertainty, & confusion, I consistently negotiate my own self-worth. I've convinced myself I'm forever "lesser than." How many times do I implicitly hate the person who I am? Then, I'm shocked to find that it's hard to extend love to others or the moment. I'm making this game so much harder than it needs to be. I'm trying to play the game in reverse...

Once again, give me some of that Ram Dass wisdom:

Ahhhh... now I see, I need to focus on loving my True Self from the very beginning.

I can see what's true, accept what's true, then act with compassion & forgiveness for the being who's there.

These are my acts of love towards my True Self.

Seeing & Acceptance.

Compassion & Forgiveness.

When I extend these acts of love to my True Self, it's not entirely self-indulgent, because I don't stop there.

This is just the beginning. As I practice this self-love, it becomes second-nature. When I'm loving towards my True Self, it becomes my instinct to share. When I'm on The Love Plane, I'm Here and I'm Whole. Suddenly, I see that I have nothing to protect, nothing more to hoard. I live in a state of abundance. So, my expansive love just flows outward.

However, sometimes, I tell myself that I don't deserve it. I'm stuck in this rut and I feel like I can't escape it. Then, what can I do? How can I ultimately remember what's true?

The next best thing is to show love to other people. Maybe it looks like shooting a stranger a smile. Maybe I send a thought of well wishes to someone who isn't here. Maybe I buy a gift for a friend. Whatever the form, dropping back to The Love Plane is the overarching, underlying intention. Because, the moment I do, I remind myself that love is always an option. And sharing love was the whole point from the beginning.

But then, I must remember to complete the circle & send this same love back to my being. I must remember that these acts of loving are not a 1-way street. It's NOT that I now carry the expectation that I'll receive love from the person I just helped. Not in the least. The wisdom I hope to uncover via this action is to see that loving is the ultimate responsibility.

I must use the act to rediscover my capacity for love. Then, I must bend it back to sharing this loving for my own being. This, this is the key.

I must move past the guilt I feel for being "selfish", "narcissistic", "irrational." No-no-no. No act of love is ever "wrong." Showing love for my True Self is not a sign of weakness. Showing love for my True Self is a display of strength.

The final way to return to play the Love Game is by loving the moment. To experience a mindful moment. To drop into this place of deep, undistracted presence.

Embracing what's here... now... is an act of love. It serves to pull me out of my small self. It quiets the chattering mind. In the process, it drops me into this alive experience. I jump into the One. Out of fear... into what's here.

The Love Plane is here, just waiting to be rediscovered.

The objective of The Love Game is to continually return to this Plane.

Even just for a moment, I am Here. I am Whole. I am Love… regardless.

So, there you have it. Below are the sub-games of this here Love Game that I'm playing:

• Love for my True Self

• Love for others

• Love for the moment

—> Unattached Love