Is loving unconditionally a spiritual practice or a Spiritual Bypass?

What do humans need more than water, food, and air? Beyond these basic necessities, we need love, connection, and the feeling of being seen, heard, and cared for. We require both physical and emotional safety, and many would argue that we need unconditional love.

But what exactly is unconditional love?

Some describe it as love without any strings attached. It means accepting someone fully and completely for who they are, without hidden agendas, and embracing them in their entirety. While most of us find it easier to extend this kind of love to our children and pets, doing so with ourselves and our romantic partners is often more challenging.

Unconditional love doesn’t mean tolerating abuse, harmful behavior, or broken vows. Sometimes, even when we deeply love someone, we must remove them from our lives for our own emotional or physical well-being, or at the very least, establish strong boundaries.

There are people in my life whom I truly love unconditionally, and I am grateful every day for the love and support we share, even on the days when we must have difficult conversations.

Conversely, there are also people I love unconditionally but limit my interactions with to “homeopathic doses” for my own emotional well-being.

As mature adults, we have the privilege of deciding who we spend our time and energy with. While the Beatles sang “All You Need Is Love,” the reality is more nuanced. Yes, we need and want love, but we also need peace, harmony, and, most importantly, self-respect and alignment with our own values.

Blessings,

Arielle