Spiritual Archetypes - The Lover
Linda Stern of The Convocation of the Divine Feminine
The Heroines’ Journey, Archetype of The Lover.
Welcome, dear ones, to our day in which we delve into the archetype of The Lover. If I had to choose only one archetype and action to define myself, it would be Love and The Lover. I feel I did choose this archetype for this journey this lifetime as I believe I usually operate from my Heart Space; with all the joy and sorrow that this brings. In fact, it has been my challenge to balance love with other aspects this lifetime.
Love is a state of Being, an energy, a force, the primary ingredient of the Multiverse. I am blessed, as I was deeply loved by my family, so it has been natural to extend this state of being out to the world. As a younger person, I thought that was how we all were brought up. Love is a way of Being that has allowed me to trust and be open to mystical moments and Love, in all its forms. Love, in all of its intricate and divine states, allows us to trust and believe and connect and heal in connection to All there is, including ourselves.
Love allows us to spread our wings and fly. I believe that Love is always complete but sometimes… we have forgotten it along the way. Sometimes our lives have been harsh and difficult to feel and see Love. But we are Love, all of us. Love exists in perfection in everything and everyone that is. It is thru different life experiences with Love that we experience the Divine. Love is not just a word – it is a feeling, a state of Being, an energy, an ecstatic connection with the Divine and ourselves. Somehow when we try to speak about Love, Love is smalled down and it does speak of its true essence. And the Love I speak about is not love but LOVE, the Love of the Divine that flows in all of us, that flows between all of us, that is a real, palatable Being of the Multiverse.
So, I thought---how can we, this morning, experience this feeling of Love today, here, together, this state of Being called Love, in 25 minutes? How?
Well one way, I thought.... was a way it has been done for thousands of years- using vehicles of Love- Music and Poetry. And who better than Rumi and The Beatles? Now granted, some people might say that this is an odd couple and the Love spoken about by both of these Lovers- Rumi and The Beatles- are very different but I say it’s all in the perception.
And that is because of one of my life experiences when a young child. When I was growing up, as a young child, we had lots of music in our house- and lots of love - so I heard many different love songs- old and new. Until I was about 12, I thought these love songs were all being sung to our Divine Creator which is not the usual interpretation of love songs. For me, when I think of most love songs- they can be thought about as songs to The Divine. Try it sometime!
It totally works! This is not because someone taught me of this, it was my perception as a child.
Here is a song that I knew many decades ago that shows this idea......“More than the greatest Love the world has known- this is the Love I give to you alone. More than the simple things I try to say, I only live to Love you more each day.” It is a human love song but to me, it has always been a Love Song to The Divine.
Choose any love song that you know or out of your memory and try it! Just think the song and feel singing it to the Divine. It works! Or think about singing the Love songs to The Earth, or to people who will never meet or to the birds or to the rain. It is a wonderful wrinkle to a love song formerly only sung to a human lover. It makes every love song a hymn to the Divine.
So today I would like us to try this idea that I have done forever this lifetime and send our feelings that come out of love songs to other destinations, to create a mystical moment here at Interfaith with poetry and music, to experience the Love, to be the Love.
We are going to touch on 4 varietals of love based on ancient Greek definitions. Just to be clear.... I don’t believe there are just 4 types of love- I feel there is one type really or a zillion but, in the Greek system, there are 4 and they are: Storgay: love of children, parents, family and to extend that- our family on the earth. Philia: love of friends – old, new and ones we may meet the world over. Eros: romantic passionate love. Agape- spiritual, Divine Love.
Each of these 4 Greek definitions of love will have poetry by Rumi accompanied by music on the tabla by Ed Coke, and then a piece of music by the Beatles on the played on the piano by Sally Jo Gilbert de Vargas. And....sung by you if you’d like. Followed by a moment of reflection about that specific type of Love.
Let’s deepen this experience by sitting in meditation for a short while before we start to open yourself up to The Divine and then let the Love flow to you and then from you to share it with the world.
Our first container of Love today is STORGAY,
the love of children and parents and families
either our own or our World family.
READING BY RUM
Last night I was lying on the rooftop thinking of you, thinking of you.
I saw a special star and summoned her to take you a message.
I prostrated myself to the star
and asked her to take my prostrations that Sun of Tabriz
so that with his light
he could turn my dark stones into gold.
I opened my chest and showed her my scars, and
I told her to bring me news
of my Blood thirsty Lover.
As I waited,
I paced back and forth, back and forth,
Paced back and forth
until the child of my heart became quiet.
The child slept, as if I were
rocking his cradle.
Oh Beloved! Give milk to the infant of the heart,
and don't hold us from our turning.
You have cared for hundreds,
don't let it stop with me now.
At the end, unity is the place for the heart.
STORAGE MUSIC BY BEATLES.
In My Life.
There are places I'll remember
All my life though some have changed
Some forever not for better
Some have gone and some remain
All these places had their moments
With lovers and friends, I still can recall
Some are dead and some are living
In my life I've loved them all
But of all these friends and lovers
There is no one compares with you
And these memories lose their meaning
When I think of love as something new
Though I know I'll never lose affection
For people and things that went before
I know I'll often stop and think about them
In my life I love you more
Though I know I'll never lose affection
For people and things that went before
I know I'll often stop and think about them
In my life I love you more
The second container of Love today is PHILIA-
the love of friends –
ones we know and love or those we have yet to meet
on our journey!
READING BY RUMI-
A moment of happiness,
you and I
sitting on the verandah
apparently two,
but one..... in soul, you and I.
We feel the flowing water of life here, you and I,
with the garden's beauty and the birds singing.
The stars will be watching us, and we will show them
What it is to be- a thin crescent moon.
You and I unselfed, will be together,
Indifferent to idle speculation, you and I.
The parrots of heaven will be cracking sugar
as we laugh together, you and I.
In one form upon this earth,
and in another form, in a timeless sweet land.
PHILIA BY BEATLES:
With a Little Help from my Friends
What would you think if I sang out of tune,
Would you stand up and walk out on me.
Lend me your ears and I'll sing you a song,
And I'll try not to sing out of key.
Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends,
Mmm, I get high with a little help from my friends,
Mmm, I'm gonna try with a little help from my friends.
What do I do when my love is away?
Does it worry you to be alone?
How do I feel by the end of the day
Are you sad because you're on your own?
No, I get by with a little help from my friends,
Mmm, get high with a little help from my friends,
Mmm, gonna to try with a little help from my friends
Do you need anybody?
I need somebody to love.
Could it be anybody?
I want somebody to love.
Would you believe in a love at first sight?
Yes, I'm certain that it happens all the time.
What do you see when you turn out the light?
I can't tell you, but I know it's mine.
Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends,
Mmm I get high with a little help from my friends,
Oh, I'm gonna try with a little help from my friends
Do you need anybody?
I need someone to love.
Could it be anybody?
I want somebody to love
Oh, I get by with a little help from my friends,
Mmm, gonna try with a little help from my friends
Ooh, I get high with a little help from my friends
Yes, I get by with a little help from my friends,
with a little help from my friends
The third container of Love today is
romantic, passionate love: EROS
READING BY RUMI
The Lovers will drink wine-
night and day, day and night
They will drink until they can
Tear away the veils of intellect and
Melt away the layers of shame and modesty.
When in love
Body, mind, heart, and soul
don’t even....exist.
Become this
Fall in love
And you will not be separated again.
Love rests on no foundation-
It is an endless ocean
With no beginning or end.
Imagine-
A suspended ocean,
Riding on a cushion of ancient secrets.
All souls have drowned in it
And now dwell there.
One drop of that ocean is hope
And the rest is fear.
A true Lover doesn’t follow
any one religion
Be sure of that.
Since in the religion of Love
There is no irreverence or faith.
When in love
Body, mind, heart, and soul
don’t even exist.
Become this!
Fall in Love!
And you will not be separated again.
Love came-
And became like blood in my body!
It rushed through my veins and
Encircled my heart.
Everywhere I looked,
I saw one thing.
Love’s name written on my limbs,
On my left palm,
On my forehead,
On the back of my neck,
On my right big toe….
Oh! my friend,
All that you see of me-
Is just a shell,
And the rest belongs to Love.
EROS MUSIC BY BEATLES:
Here, There, Everywhere-
To lead a better life, I need my love to be here...
Here, making each day of the year
Changing my life with a wave of her hand
Nobody can... deny that there's something there
There, running my hands through her hair
Both of us thinking how good it can be
Someone is speaking but she doesn't know he's there
I want her everywhere and if she's beside me
I know I need never care
But to love her is to need her everywhere
Knowing that love is to share
Each one believing that love never dies
Watching her eyes and hoping I'm always there
I want her everywhere and if she's beside me
I know I need never care
But to love her is to need her everywhere
Knowing that love is to share
Each one believing that love never dies
Watching her eyes and hoping I'm always there
To be there and everywhere:
Here, there, and everywhere.
The fourth container of Love today is
Sacred Spiritual Divine Love: AGAPE
READING BY RUMI
THE ALCHEMY OF LOVE
You come to us
from another world
From beyond the stars and the void of space.
Transcendent Pure
Of unimaginable beauty,
Bringing with you
The essence of love.
You transform all who are touched by you.
Mundane concerns, troubles, sorrows
dissolve in your presence,
Bringing joy
to ruler and ruled
To peasant and king
You bewilder us with your grace.
All evils transform into goodness.
You are the master alchemist.
You light the fire of love in earth and sky
in heart and soul of every being.
Through your love
existence and nonexistence merge.
All opposites unite all that is profane
becomes sacred again.
AGAPE MUSIC BY BEATLES:
I Will
Who knows how long I've loved you?
You know I love you still
Will I wait a lonely lifetime?
If you want me to, I will.
For if I ever saw you
I didn't catch your name
But it never really mattered
I will always feel the same.
Love you forever and forever
Love you with all my heart
Love you whenever we're together
Love you when we're apart.
And when at last I find you
Your song will fill the air
Sing it loud so I can hear you
Make it easy to be near you
For the things you do endear you to me
And you know, I will
I will.
And then because Love is the most powerful energy
in the Multiverse, Love asks for a little bit more......
and my soul and my always heart says.........Yes!!
READING RUMI
All through eternity
Beauty unveils Her
Exquisite form
in the solitude of nothingness.
She holds a mirror to Her Face
and beholds Her own beauty.
She is the knower and the known,
the seer and the seen.
No eye but Her own
has ever looked upon this Universe.
Her every quality finds an expression:
Eternity becomes the verdant field
of Time and Space.
Love- the life-giving garden of this world.
Every branch and leaf and fruit
Reveals an aspect
Of Her perfection.
The cypress gives hint of Her majesty,
The rose gives tidings of Her beauty.
Whenever Beauty looks,
Love is also there
Whenever beauty shows a rosy cheek-
Love lights Her fire from that flame.
When beauty dwells in the dark folds of night
Love comes and finds a heart entangled in tresses.
Beauty and Love are as body and soul.
Beauty is the mine Love is the diamond.
They have lived together
Since the beginning of time-
Side by side, step by step.
FINAL MUSIC BY BEATLES:
All You Need Is Love
Love- All You Need is Love-
Love, love, love,
love, love, love,
love, love, love.
There's nothing you can do that can't be done.
Nothing you can sing that can't be sung.
Nothing you can say but you can learn how to play the game
It's easy.
There's nothing you can make that can't be made.
No one you can save that can't be saved.
Nothing you can do but you can learn how to be you in time
It's easy.
All you need is love, all you need is love,
All you need is love, love,
love is all you need is Love, Love.
Love is all you need.
There's nothing you can know that isn't known.
Nothing you can see that isn't shown.
Nowhere you can be that isn't where you're meant to be.
It's easy.
All you need is love, all you need is love,
All you need is love, love,
Love is all you need.
All you need is love (all together now)
All you need is love (everybody)
All you need is love, love, love is all you need.
Thank you to everyone who has increased
the amount of Love today in the Multiverse.
I Love You!
Linda