Three concepts of love
The important subject of love. What is love, how is it gained and how is it lost? Different aspects: love, friendship, desire. Is love universal or limited? Does everyone have pure love within their nature?
Pure Love
Pure love expressed through the creation. The effect of pure love being governed by wisdom, attachment or delusion. Thomas à Kempis: the nature of love in overcoming all limits.
Constancy in Love
The expansion and strengthening of pure love. Constancy in love. Shakespeare’s sonnet: Let me not to the marriage of true minds. Love is the natural in-between. Boethius, Consolation of Philosophy.
Object of Love
Directing love to the true essence. Viktor Frankl. The absence of love and its effect. The Upanishad’s view of love.
Causes of Conflict
Limiting love to a small circle. Ramatirtha’s story. The desire to control. Meeting people as if for the first time.
Gratitude. Marcus Aurelius
The nature and effect of gratitude. Marcus Aurelius, Meditations. Where is love experienced? A model of the structure of mind and heart.
Sufi mysticism
Rumi: love poetry. Mikahil Naimy: Book of Mirdad.
Epictetus
His influence on CBT. Vice Admiral Stockdale, held in captivity in Vietnam in 1965, survived by remembering Epictetus. Ficino on love.
Law and Love
The relationship between law and love. The commandment to love one another. Freedom of law and love together. Do we work for love, duty or reward? What is it to work with love? Kahlil Gibran. Alexander Solzhenitzyn – the realm of the last inch.
Love and Knowledge
How are love and knowledge related? Can we work with both of them together? Khalil Gibran. Review.