Excerpt from the book - Chapter Four - The Realization Of Selfless Love

THE REALIZATION OF SELFLESS LOVE

From "The Power Of Serenity And Peace System" by Keith A. Shaw

It is said that Michelangelo saw in every rough block of stone a thing of beauty awaiting his master hand to bring it into reality. Even so, within each and every one of us, there sleeps a divine image awaiting the master hand of faith and the chisel of patience to bring it into view. That divine image is revealed and realized as pure and selfless love.

It is not always easy to find, but it is there. It is the truth in man. It is that which is real and immortal. All else changes and passes away. Hidden deep in every human heart, it is frequently covered up with a mass of hard and almost impenetrable stone. To realize this love by continuous effort and practice of goodwill to others, to live in and become fully conscious in it, is to enter into a state of serenity, peace and happiness.

Divine love is distinguished from human love in this supremely important way — it is free from partiality and prejudice.

"If you judge people, you have no time
to love them."
— Mother Teresa

In contrast, human love is different in that it clings to material objects while excluding everything else. The attachment becomes so strong that when a material object is taken away or denied, the result is great and deep suffering.

Divine love embraces the whole universe without clinging to any part of it. Those who achieve divine love come to it by gradually purifying and broadening their human loves until all the selfish and impure elements are removed. Because human love is narrow and confined and mingled with selfishness it causes suffering. No suffering can result from divine love as it is so absolutely pure that it seeks nothing for itself.

To reach, understand and experience this love, you must work with great persistence and diligence upon your heart and mind. You must be patient and keep your faith strong. As with a sculptor's block of marble, there is much to remove and much to accomplish before the beautiful image inside the marble block is revealed.

"Energy and persistence conquer all things."
— Benjamin Franklin

When you strive to reach and to achieve both patience and wisdom, expect to be challenged along the way. And, it is absolutely necessary that you are. A couple of things to expect:

1) Realize that no one arrives there on the first attempt, and

2) At times, as you proceed, all your work will seem to be futile.

Now and then a setback may discourage you, and perhaps when you think your work is almost completed and you have been successful, you will find what was imagined to be the beautiful form of divine love did not appear. When this happens, you must tap into your indomitable spirit, and begin again with your prior experiences to guide and help you. You must recognize that there is no such thing as defeat. All failures are deceptive and not real. Every slip, every fall, every return to selfishness is a lesson learned. Gain from your experience and utilize the failures as stepping stones on your pathway to higher things.

These failures are like guiding voices that tell you plainly and simply where you are weak and need improvement. When you begin to carefully watch your actions, you will learn from your experience what you need to work on, and what needs to be removed out of your heart to move closer to the goal of selfless love.

As you proceed each day, you will gradually detach yourself from your inner selfishness. The love that is selfless will gradually become revealed to you. For example, when you are growing patient and calm, your anger and irritabilities pass away from you and the more powerful negative desires and prejudices cease to dominate you. It is then you will know that the divine is awakening within you. You will draw nearer to the eternal heart and selfless love, the possession of which is peace and serenity.

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