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Blink 3 of 8 - The 5 AM Club
by Robin Sharma
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Original Love summary
Henry Shukman
The Four Inns on the Path of Awakening
16 mins
Brief summary
Original Love by Henry Shukman delves into the spiritual journey of self-discovery and inner peace, guiding readers through Zen practices and personal experiences to uncover the profound essence of love and fulfillment.
Table of Contents
Original Love
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Key idea 1 of 5
Love beyond self
A radical shift in life is possible. A shift that brings you closer to fundamental truth and new heights of wellbeing. And the key to this shift? Understanding that our ordinary sense of being a separate self is an illusion – a dream from which we can awaken, into a boundless, unconditional love.
What does this mean? It means that, when examined closely, the self we take ourselves to be – the "me" at the center of experience, with all of its history, hopes, and fear – isn’t the full story we thought it was. Like a mirage shimmering over hot pavement, it has a kind of reality – but it lacks the solidity we typically attribute to it. It is conjured into existence as a feeling and a narrative, the story of "my life", woven out of memories, imaginings, and sensory details.
Waking up means seeing through this construction; realizing experientially that the separate self is more fabrication than fact. Shedding the self may sound scary. But contrary to expectations, this recognition – this seeing through the illusion – is experienced as profoundly healing and transformative.
Different traditions call this phenomenon by different names. It is known as non-dual awareness, Buddha nature, nirvana, or even God. But according to the author, the core insight is the same: Beneath the surface appearance of separation lies a more fundamental reality. We are not isolated entities moving through a world that’s external to us. Rather we are inseparable parts of an indivisible whole.
But one thing is critical to understand. This insight isn’t an intellectual or conceptual one. It’s a shift that must be experienced directly and viscerally. But when we do experience it, the implications are tremendous. It unleashes a love without limits – an original love that’s unconditional and imbued with a sense of limitless wellbeing.
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What is Original Love about?
Original Love (2024) presents a fresh approach to spirituality in the modern world. Replacing the concept of original sin, it offers a practical guide based on four elements – “inns” – of contemplative practice to help people find inner peace and connection.
Who should read Original Love?
- Meditators and spiritual seekers looking to deepen their practice
- Those drawn to Eastern contemplative practices
- Anyone curious about meditation and its benefits
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