In earlier classes, we learned to Stop the World—pausing the inner chatter, quieting external distractions, recapitulating our lives, and resolving misunderstandings from our history—we are now ready to Love.

According to my teachers, Love is more than a feeling. It is a state of heightened awareness in which we experience ourselves as part of the larger cosmos. Instead of seeing ourselves as separate, we recognize that our lives are intertwined with all those who cross our path. Each interaction becomes an opportunity to learn, to appreciate challenges, and to grow different aspects of ourselves. It is through our relationships with others, the environment, and nature that we evolve—expanding into new ways of thinking, moving, acting, and even cooking a meal. We may look back at entrapments like codependency, addiction, loneliness, or separation and see them for what they are: illusions. We are part of a multilayered, multidimensional cosmos, and awakening to this reality is a natural outcome of growth.

In this series, we will read chapters from The Art of Dreaming by Carlos Castaneda.