Prema

Prema is selfless. In a state of true love, one almost melts away. This is not a negative erasure of the self, but rather a joyous uniting that seems to blur the boundaries between the self and something or someone of great value.

Prema heals. There are many hurts we receive even before we are able to walk and talk, and they contnue throughout life. The strength of our species is that we somehow manage to weather them and preservere. Love can heal those hurts, no matter how long ago the wounds were inflected or how deep the scars.

Prema leads to Karma Yoga. Eventually the power of love so unites us with everything and everyone that we are compelled to work toward the fulfillment of others. Such work that seeks to aid others is called the yoga of service, or Karma Yoga. In Buddhism, it takes the form of Bodhisattva Vow.

Prema is bliss. Whether on the giving or the receiving end, this love embodies complete acceptance. We may find this in another person or in God. While only the perfection of God can completely accept all of our faults and frailties, love with another person can come close, as the joy of sexual union instinctively tells us.

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