Abode of the Beloved: The 5 Love Languages

The Five Love Languages

Some of the most insightful conversations I have had have occurred outside of the classroom including a conversation about the Five Love Languages. The 5 love languages include:

words of affirmation

acts of service

receiving gifts

quality time

physical touch

According to the philosophy of the 5 love languages people experience love in different ways. This includes the ways in which they show their love for others and the way that they perceive others expressions of love. There is an online test that one can take to formally determine which languages they identify with and implore the most. When I took it, I was told that my love languages are physical touch and quality time (although anyone that knows me could probably have guessed).

This theory was completely foreign to me however, I feel it is extremely insightful and have enjoyed thinking about the implications that it has. I believe that the relationships that we have with others are greatly determined by the coordination or dissonance of our actions and interpretation of those actions. Having a better understanding of the way you and those you interact with experience love and emotion is crucial to forming successful and meaningful relationships. In the end, even if conflicting traits create indestructible barriers in a relationship, keeping these languages in mind will help avoid conflict and animosity towards others.

Here is a link to the quiz online: http://www.5lovelanguages.com

Abode of the Beloved

Oh Companion That Abode Is Unmatched, 

Where My Complete Beloved Is. 

In that Place There Is No Happiness or Unhappiness, 

No Truth or Untruth 

Neither Sin Nor Virtue. 

There Is No Day or Night, No Moon or Sun, 

There Is Radiance Without Light. 

There Is No Knowledge or Meditation 

No Repetition of Mantra or Austerities, 

Neither Speech Coming From Vedas or Books. 

Doing, Not-Doing, Holding, Leaving 

All These Are All Lost Too In This Place. 

No Home, No Homeless, Neither Outside or Inside, 

Micro and Macrocosm Are Non-Existent. 

Five Elemental Constituents and the Trinity Are Both Not There 

Witnessing Un-struck Shabad Sound is Also Not There. 

No Root or Flower, Neither Branch or Seed, 

Without a Tree Fruits are Adorning, 

Primordial Om Sound, Breath-Synchronized Soham, 

This and That - All Are Absent, The Breath Too Unknown 

Where the Beloved Is There is Utterly Nothing 

Says Kabir I Have Come To Realize. 

Whoever Sees My Indicative Sign 

Will Accomplish the Goal of Liberation. 

~Kabir 

(Poet and essential philosopher for the Bhakti movement)