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Beatice of Nazareth: Seven Ways To Love

opinion Essay
1928 words
1928 words
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Beatice of Nazareth: Seven Ways To Love 1st way of love Traits: originates from love, not from fear. Goals: more connected through knowledge of God until equipped enough to be called by God; exist in purity and freedom in God’s image Methods: fully engage, guard against and shun what prevents progress, constant searching and demanding Ways it satisfies: God allows us to serve forever without impediment from the past, with a free consciousness and clear mind Ways it doesn’t satisfy: the heart never rests or subsides from searching 2nd way of love Traits: wants nothing in return, not even God’s mercy or bliss, burning desire to give God pleasure Goals: being allowed to serve God Methods: servitude beyond human idea and reason Ways it satisfies: finding pleasure in being able to do something/to help God Ways it doesn’t satisfy: 3rd way of love Traits: connected to pain and misery, sometimes violent desire, firm intent, superhuman impossible desires, inable to be moderated or quieted Goals: be completely committed to love and feel satiated Methods: determination to bear everything and suffer, thanks, praises, works and drudges for love Ways it satisfies: it often doesn’t at all Ways it doesn’t satisfy: constantly disappointed because you cannot do enough for love, and that so much is being kept from us 4th way of love Traits: strong domination, sweetness, associated with strength and heights Goals: a strong bond with God, clear spirit, noble freedom, unity of sensory experience Methods: without any help of human effort, love is awakened in the heart and soul; the body escapes, the mind plunges and the heart melts Ways it satisfies: the greatness of love absorbs us Ways it doesn’t satisfy: little to no dissatisfaction 5th way of love Traits: associated with being strongly overpowered, impetuosity and passion Goals: complete alliance with love Methods: ardent desire and search for love, being constantly busy on the search Ways it satisfies: soul is strengthened and mind is kept in suspense Ways it doesn’t satisfy: often strong sadness inside, great tensed expectation, anguished soul, heart feels painfully wounded repeatedly, feeling of an arrow going through the heart, strength is nullified; constantly striving for more. ‘The more she is given from above, the more she asks…nothing contents or excites her” 6th way of love Traits: associated with heights or climbing, purity and clearness, “climbed up to greater salvation” Goals: to be closely connected with higher knowledge, sweetness of heart, and purity of morals and heart, and nobility of the soul, and sublimity of the mind and principle of eternal life. Methods: conquer all internal resistance and master oneself

In this essay, the author

  • Describes the goals of , which are connected through knowledge of god until equipped enough to be called by god; exist in purity and freedom in god’s image
  • Explains that god allows us to serve forever without impediments from the past, with a free consciousness and clear mind.
  • Explains that traits wants nothing in return, not even god’s mercy or bliss, burning desire to give god pleasure.
  • Describes the traits associated with pain and misery, sometimes violent desire, firm intent, superhuman impossible desires, inable to be moderated or quieted.
  • Describes the reasons why love isn't satisfied, and why so much is kept from us.
  • Explains how without human effort, love is awakened in the heart and soul.
  • Analyzes how strong sadness inside, great tensed expectation, anguished soul, heart feels painfully wounded repeatedly, feeling of an arrow going through the heart, strength is nullified; constantly striving for more.
  • Opines that higher knowledge, sweetness of heart, purity of morals and heart and nobility of the soul, and sublimity of mind and principle of eternal life are the goals.
  • Explains that sufism is a relatively recent event, starting with people from the east india company.
  • Explains that sufis were called from the greek word for a sage or from their woolen mantle, which they used to wear in some provinces.
  • Explains that fundamental tenets are, that nothing exists absolutely but god: that the human soul is a emanation from its essence, and will be finally re-united with it.
  • Analyzes how the last part of this reading bashes it as not being a real religion.
  • Explains that legal schols are valued for their ability to explain obscurities in texts, to "illuminate paths, unravel the densely packed and evaluate" judiciously.
  • Explains that when there is disagreement among sufis, traditionists and scholars, they relegate to the other groups because they value agreemetn and affirmation.
  • Explains that sufis are united in faith yet are no different than any other human, needing food, sleep and ordinary cares. they have ultimate insight and godly knowledge.
  • Opines that sufis have experiential knowledge of uprightness, sincerety, avoidance of negative qualities, which is "necessarily greater than legal scholars."
  • Cautions against criticizing or drone on about someone's spiritual state we don't understand. ignorance leads to a bad end.
  • Explains that acts of the heart are the highest experiential knowledge. to obtain complete knowledge we must have both inward and outward knowledge, which are completely independent of each other.
  • Opines that we should not make decisions until we have attained experiential knowledge, because those will be educated decisions.
  • Opines that anyone can read and translate the texts; god assists those ‘specialists’ with deep understanding. those who are not worthy have ocks on their hearts.
  • Explains that everone who speaks of utlimate reality differs in their interpretation of it due to the nature of their personal experiences. this enriches the definition of reality.
  • Explains that there are three types of ilm: legal knowledge that is accessible to all, knowledge just for companions of god, and knowledge reserved for god’s one prophet.
  • Opines that it is pleasant to practice love, reaping the benefits of being a good caretaker of oneself, and the soul will be protected.
  • Describes the traits associated with great heights, noble highness, desire to live above, stay up among the spirits, and a sublime love that is higher than anything humanly achievable.
  • Explains that mysticism is the pursuit of achieving unity with god, also called the other, dvinity, or the spiritual truth.
  • Explains that the book of flashes was written by abu nasr as-sarraj and is an explanation of what sufism is and how it is practiced.
  • Explains that traditionists say the meaning of religion is understanding and transmitting god's message by electing knowledgeable scholars to speak the word. they are more passive in that they think instead of act.
  • Explains that sufis live by the verses in the book of god most high, which call for high morals and noble deeds.
  • Compares the different faces of experiential knowledge to water in different colored translucent containers. though we have bodily limits, we can understand god through experience, because we cannot have direct encounter as humans.
  • Explains that a believer is one who sees with the light of god and recognizes god. a mystic can not only see god but finds peace in nothing but god
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