By:
Virginia Iversen, M.Ed
It
is a cold and snowy Valentine’s evening in the Northeastern United States. This
year, Valentine’s Day fell on a Saturday. Saturdays are traditionally viewed
as “date night.” So, not only does Valentine’s Day fall on “date night” this
year, it is also too snowy for many of Yogis and Yoginis in the Northeast to
drive around safely on this evening! If you are a die-hard romantic and
sentimental to boot, this combination of factors might bring on a degree
of despair or frustration. If you are single but wish you had a date this
evening, but you are spending the evening alone or with friends, you may also
be struggling with feelings of loneliness and sadness.
In
the same vein, if you are involved in a romantic relationship that is not quite
what you had hoped for, Valentine’s Day may generate ambiguous feelings in you.
However, there are many different types of love. The ancient Greeks even had
several words to describe some of these different types of love. One such word
is “philia,” which refers to brotherhood, friendship or other non-sexually
based love. The ancient Greek word for romantic love is “eros.” This is the
form of love that most often comes to mind when we are thinking about
Valentine’s Day celebrations.
Eros
is also the kind of love that can bring great pleasure, beauty, happiness, and
a sense of effervescent lightness of heart. However, doggedly being focused on
acquiring and maintaining an erotically or romantically based connection,
regardless of the consequences or the situation, can also cause great pain and
frustration. In fact, by continuing to chase a romantic connection that may
cause you distress, you are separating yourself further and further from the
joy that lies at the heart of your own being.
Another
form of love that was well known to the Greeks and the early Christian Church
is “agape.” This form of love refers to the divine love that flows unimpeded
between God and humankind. It is considered to be the highest form of love and
is based on a deep sense of awareness of God’s love for all of us and a humble
state of gratitude for the grace that surrounds us when we connect to this
unfathomable source of love - This form of love is also considered to be
selfless and focused on the well-being of those around us, which is a wonderful
virtue to aspire to if you are a Yoga teacher.
In
the 4th Chapter of the Gospel of John, John succinctly states, “God is love.”
The form of the word love that John uses in this context is agape. By focusing
on romancing divine love through Yoga, you will free yourself from constantly
searching for a loving connection outside of yourself. The divine love that
pulsates in the cave of everyone’s heart is the spark of divinity that animates
each one of us - By romancing and deepening your connection with your own
divinity, which lies at the very core of your being, you will be filled with
the love and enthusiasm of God’s grace, in whatever form you conceive God to
be. The practice of chanting the names of Hindu Gods and Goddesses, as well as
the repetition of divine mantras and syllables, is an especially effective way
of romancing divine love through Yoga.
A
well-known Christian author, Thomas Oord, has defined agape as an intentional
response to nurture well-being in the face of that which has generated a state
of ill being. On a day-to-day level, romancing divine love through Yoga has
very practical applications. For instance, if you are commuting to work, and
you are feeling rushed and frustrated by a long traffic jam, you can opt to
chant along with a cd or your iPod, instead of steeping in an endless stream of
negative thoughts. This will allow you to spend your time sitting in traffic in
a productive and uplifting way, so that when you do arrive at your destination
you will be able to offer your love and compassion to those around you, whether
it is a Yoga class that you are scheduled to teach or a date with a potential
new romantic partner.
Virginia
Iversen, M.Ed, has been practicing and studying the art of Yoga for over twenty
years. She lives in Woodstock, New York, where she works as a writer and an
academic support specialist. She is currently accepting Yoga and health-related
writing orders and may be contacted at: enchantress108@gmail.com.
