In the previous article (this one), I explained the difference between love and rationality. Distinguishing them frees us from spiritual struggle related to love.
To deepen your understanding, let’s answer various questions you may have about it in a Q&A format today.
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How to resolve our inner complexity
Sometimes, we want to eliminate our mental confusion, which can also be called an inferiority complex, an inner struggle, and mental complexity.
They prevent us from understanding our values, make us overly emotional, trap us in past events with frequent flashbacks, erode our confidence, cause stagnation in the development of life, and make our lives painful.
That motivates us to learn spirituality.
However, we frequently encounter incomprehensible teachings. One example is love. Although some religions tell us that we are already loved, we cannot comprehend it.
In the previous article, I explained my new understanding of love. Love is not something we feel. In other words, our greatest misconception is the desire to feel love. Clearing the association between fear and love removes our confusion.
However, since it is abstract, you may have various questions. To handle love more appropriately, I will add explanations in the Q&A format in this article. They may help you comprehend what love is and control your mind more properly.
(There are 8 questions in total below.)
Q.1: The more concrete method
Question: How can I clear the association between fear and love? Please describe the methods more concretely.
Answer: Rely on rationality instead of love.
All your troubles can be solved by reasonableness. In other words, love cannot solve your problems. It provides us only with the direction for living, not the criteria for judging.
For example, emotions, including guilt, anger, sadness, and joy, should be handled by rationality, not by love. Try to process them as reasonably as possible.
That enables you to properly use your mind, including how to handle love.
Q.2: About giving love
Question: I think that giving love helps others. Is it wrong?
Answer: It should be called kindness or sympathy, not love.
We have to use vocabulary properly. Mistaking the names of things, including emotions and concepts, confuses us.
For example, if we mistake excitement for happiness, we will pursue only stimulation. Misunderstanding the emotional upsets with anger will make us always angry, even if we feel joy.
Naming things is the first step to using our logical sense effectively.
Q.3: Does love exist?
Question: Is there no love in this world? Is there no love between parents and children or among loved ones?
Answer: Love is just a concept—a product of logic. In other words, it is not something perceptual; it is for logical processing.
It is like the concept of ‘group.’ Asking whether there are groups in the world is meaningless. The answer is ‘There is no answer.’ A concept differs from an instance.
The bond between parents and children or among lovers should be called trust or reliance. Love is a concept beyond them.
Q.4: Love vs. freedom
Question: If everyone, including criminals, is loved, does it mean people can do whatever they want in the name of love?
Answer: Love forgives all actions; rationality doesn’t.
You can do whatever you want. However, you need to consider moderation as long as you live socially. Anything that requires judgment, which determines punishment and reward, is a matter of rationality.
Q.5: Love and money
Question: Is money love?
Answer: Money is not love. Love lies at the foundation of the decisions of people who spend money.
Each decision contains love. However, whether it is reasonable is another matter.
Q.6: People who give love
Question: Should I doubt people who say they are giving love?
Answer: Recognize words properly.
We sometimes need to translate it, even if we use the same language. The instance of their ‘love’ is often different from the one I mean.
Since everyone has love in my definition, insisting on giving it is pointless.
Rather than their words, consider the moderation of their attitude. Some people who try to give love take unreasonable measures.
Q.7: Committing suicide
Question: Is committing suicide the least burden on society, logically speaking?
Answer: Don’t link love to evaluation. That is proof of your confusion.
Associating love with fear makes you doubt your worth. All people, including you, can never understand the true value of love. It means that no one can say for certain whether your life is valuable or not. ‘No correct answer’ is appropriate.
Value is something that can only be judged by rationality. Love is beyond evaluation. The healthy mental state is believing in love while not knowing one’s worth. Believing in a specific value will make you overly arrogant or humble and struggle mentally.
Q.8: What should I do?
Question: So, what should I do for my mental health?
Answer: Make judgments based on rationality rather than love.
Some questions have no answers. It provides moderation.
Understanding it will help you grasp the true meaning of love.
Conclusion
Those are my additional explanations about love.
All your troubles can be solved by reasonableness. In other words, love cannot solve your problems.
That understanding may help you comprehend what love is and control your mind more properly.
Thank you for reading this article. I hope to see you in the next one.
