Interconnectedness

Love is strong and resilient. It springs from the truth of our interconnectedness.

- Sharon Salzberg

I’ve been thinking a lot about interconnectedness since I’ve been practicing and sharing The Work That Reconnects over the past two years. It seems clear to me that waking up to the truth of our interconnectedness isn’t just a nice idea - it’s the most important spiritual work of our time.

The evolution from seeing ourselves as separate, isolated individuals to realizing our fundamental interexistence with all of life is the pivotal identity shift that’s essential to foster a life-sustaining, just, and peaceful future for generations to come.

In my experience, love emerges as the natural outcome of this shift. For what is love if not the cohesive force that fosters kindness, compassion, respect, and so many other benevolent qualities urgently needed in our world?

In Buddhism, the notion of bodhichitta - sometimes described as “the mind of love” – manifests as an unwavering desire for the welfare of all beings. It is considered an innate human capacity that arises from acknowledging our interconnected reality.

Similarly, the heart-centered yoga philosophy known as Bhakti Yoga recognizes love as the force that stands at core of who we are and as the fabric of existence itself.

Granted, this can be tough to see with all that’s going in the world. And yet, for those of us committed to forging a new way forward, cultivating an outlook of love is a powerfully clarifying force and a life-affirming response to the demands of our time.

By nurturing a genuine experience of love, yoga empowers us to live into the truth of our interconnectedness.