Beloved

"Perfect Love casts out fear... But only perfect Love exists. If there is fear, it produces a state that does not exist." -- A Course in Miracles

The way of the Beloved is practiced in many spiritual traditions. The mystics in these traditions have referred to God, or to their own Self, as the Beloved. As St. Paul expressed it, the Beloved is, "Closer than breathing, nearer than hands or feet."

This time of year is celebrated symbolically as the birth of Love, a love that passes human understanding. In other words, Love that IS, but doesn't follow human laws or rules or traditions. Our human selves are very obsessed with looking like good, loving persons, and with giving the actions that are necessary to keep this appearance intact. What if all of it is simply a smokescreen?

A Course in Miracles tells us that whenever fear of loss of love or approval is our motivation, then it has absolutely nothing to do with Love. These actions are smokescreens that hide the guilt and manipulation of the human ego, the conditioned self that masquerades as our identity. Which of us has not gone overboard trying to please someone else, and called ourselves 'good' because of it? Jeshua ben Joseph, whose birth we now celebrate as Love ItSelf, said,"Why do you call me good? There is no man good, but only God." In other words, everything we tell ourselves a 'good' person would do is a smokescreen for the agenda of the egoic self. Our true Self IS Love... it needs no actions or justifications, needs no proof or approval. It IS.

The best way to see this is to think about babies, human or otherwise. All newborn creatures simply are... they don't do anything for anybody. They simply ARE, and the Love that shines in them and through them is recognized and magnetized and reflected in all that are open to it. Love simply IS... it radiates and warms all those around it, and they respond to it and reflect it according to their own openness.

The Beloved dwells in each of us. But we are so busy trying to be what we think we should be, trying to please the people around us so they will give us what we think we want, that we ignore the only Love that even exists. This Love so transcends our human concepts of caring that we dismiss it and call it selfish. And yet to know the Beloved as your own Self it is the most glorious, joyous gift you can give during this season of giving.

"The Master keeps her mind always at One with the Tao; that is what gives her her radiance." -- Tao te Ching