What is Love? – feelings and needs

1 Comment / Brain Have Fun / By

In this funny dialogue [@59:50] Marshall Rosenberg, the author of bestselling “Nonviolent communication: A language of Life”, illustrates misunderstanding that happens between a jackal and a giraffe. A giraffe sees love as an essential human need and a jackal limits the notion of love to a certain feeling. In harmony meditation terms the jackal represents a small egocentric self, and the giraffe – a Bigger Self.

Dr. Rosengerg:

Watch this jackal ask a very dangerous question, but notice that the giraffe is too smart ever to answer this question.

  • “Do you love me?” – asks jackal.
  • “Jackal, before I can answer your question honesty, I need to get some important things clear. Are you using the word love as a feeling?” – asks giraffe.
  • Yes, of course.
  • Well, I needed to get that clear. So you mean am I feeling a certain warm cuddly tender feeling toward you?
  • Yes!
  • Okay, I needed to get this clear because we, giraffes, do not use the word love as a feeling, it’s much too important to us to get it confused with a feeling. It’s a need for us. But since you use it as a feeling, okay, I am glad to know that. So now that I know that, would you please ask that question again?
  • Do you love me?
  • When?
  • When???
  • Well, I want to be honest. I can see how important this is to you, but how can I be honest with you about what I feel toward you without reference to a specific moment? Feelings change every few seconds. Life is changing, feelings are part of life, so I have to know specific time and place to ever answer your question of how I feel.
  • What about right now?
  • No. But try me again in a few moments.

I’ve recognized myself in both roles. Do I love me? When? And when can I love myself deeply enough to share that love naturally with others?

I’ve been a jackal and a giraffe,

I’ve had misfortunes and misgivings.

I craved for love and recognition,

And gave according to my feelings…

A gentle voice from bigger self

Speaks out softly, with wisdom and love:

“I feel your pain and here I am.

Forever present, loving and bright.”

Limited Limitlessness

1 Comment / Brain Have Fun / By

Has the entertainment industry exhausted its ideas on limits of human potential? The last two movies I watched portrayed the limitless human potential as the power to kill, control, dominate. In “Limitless” the main character’s highest aspiration after attaining improved abilities was to run for a position of power to gain more power. In Luc Besson’s “Lucy” the main character played by Scarlet Johansson killed numerous people (including innocent victims) in order to survive and gain 100% of her abilities. With her powers to control others, she could have just as easily make her enemies feel human again and surrender their evil ways instead of causing a massacre. This would not have made a good movie, though.

We are so used to thinking that improved abilities mean more control and dominance, more physical and mental power over others. How about the power of love? Is it not the  best kind of power transcending time and space?

What abilities would you like to have if you were limitless?

Scroll to Top