Beneath everything that separates the world from itself, love holds us firm to one another. Here are ten perception-changing quotes on the concept and practicality of love – taken from some of the world’s great spiritual teachers.

“Love is like the flame of a lamp or candle. It cannot help but give light to others.” – Hazrat Inayat Khan, Sufism

“Love is the reality, and it is not a mere emotion. It is the great Truth that lies behind all of creation.” – Rabindranath Tagore, Hinduism

“One who loves all the world as if it were his own flesh and blood, can be relied upon to rule an empire.” – Lao Tzu, Taoism

“To truly understand the meaning of compassion means to understand the interdependence of all living beings. We are all part of one another.” – Thomas Merton, Roman Catholic

“Love implies that you are dividing yourself between the lover and the beloved. But if you find that place inside of you that is love, you will no longer even love yourself. You will just be love.” – Osho, Mystic

“I’m not interested in being a lover, I’m only interested in being love.” – Ram Dass, Hinduism

“My religion is simple and has no need for temples or philosophy, other than the philosophy of love. No matter what the person’s religious beliefs or lack of, there is no one who is not grateful for kindness and compassion.” – Tenzin Gyatso, The 14th Dalai Lama

“In truly loving others, one can more naturally acquire the ability to let go of the world.” – Ramakrishna, Hinduism

“The source of love is deep in us and we can help others realize a lot of happiness. One word, one action, one thought can reduce another person’s suffering and bring that person joy.” – Thich Nhat Hanh, Zen Buddhist

Reflection:

As we see from the wisdom of spiritual teachers, love is something every single human is capable of embracing, giving and receiving. And being able to practice it requires no training or special knowledge – only the realization of each of our desires to improve one another’s lives.