Love is the word we use to explain what human beings feel when they are loved by someone. We all have different ways of defining love and what it means for us. On the most basic level, love is a powerful emotion, and the intensity of love can vary widely from person to person. Love encompasses a broad range of positive and constructive emotional and psychological states, from a pure virtue or deeply religious habit, to the most mundane pleasure. In our world of fast paced living, it is difficult to find the time to devote purely to feelings of love.
At the heart of romantic love is an intense desire to connect with another person. It often involves feelings of intimacy, or of being needed and desired. People also sometimes connect feelings of romance and love to an awareness of their physical connection. People can be connected in a deeply spiritual way through their connection with another person, although sexual union is often not at the root of that connection.
Many people connect their experience of love with personal happiness, which often makes them happier overall than they would be otherwise. However, there are many other important benefits to encountering romantic love. A central benefit is found in health and well-being. Connections with another person are often physically and emotionally healing, as they work on restoring a sense of balance to the self. In some cases, people who experience romantic love are able to transcend their own pain and suffering in order to heal others.
Another important benefit of having romantic relationships is that they are extremely supportive for people in various relationships. Connections with someone with whom you have deep affection can be an especially nurturing experience, as they offer support and security that can help reduce stress in other areas of life. The special connection with another person, whether affectionate or not, can make a big difference in your emotional, physical, psychological, and spiritual well-being. You may feel completely connected to your spouse, child, or child in a way that you wouldn’t if you only had the physical connection.
People who are newlyweds or engaged often report feeling especially close to their soon-to-be exes or partners. Some people think that romantic love is a kind of addiction – people get hooked on the notion of being drawn to another person and are unwilling to let go once they have met that person. However, when someone becomes so deeply in love with someone that it becomes “like” a drug, then it is likely that person has experienced genuine and significant compassionate and supportive attraction. Real compassion and love can be more powerful than anything that you can experience while in a relationship, and is certainly easier to cultivate than any kind of addiction.
The concept of agape and karma is closely related to the concept of love and romance. Agape is the virtue of kindness, which most often involves giving rather than receiving. Karmas are the negative feelings experienced by those who are involved in romantic relationships. Although there is some overlap between compassionate love and karmas, they are two very different concepts and can sometimes occur simultaneously. When you practice kindness, compassion, and forgiveness with another person, you are practicing agape – the virtue of love.