“What’s love got to do with it?” Although the question sung by Tina Turner caught our attention, it is not so easily answered. Yet, I believe it has everything to do with it—everything to do with just about everything.
Did you know that when you are in love, which has been said to take a fifth of a second, according to Syracuse University, your body chemistry changes, as if a veritable pharmacy were at your disposal? We get a euphoric high of dopamine, adrenaline, oxytocin and norepinephrine. We may blush, have sweaty palms and racing hearts—and, furthermore, we like it. Did you know that kissing gives women a dose of testosterone from our manly lover? This can increase our sex drive. B esides being a mood elevator, hormones can actually help us to bond better. Love increases our lifespan, too. B eing in love reduces the risk of cancer, high blood pressure, strokes and depression. Having sex once a week builds immunity and reduces colds. We even sleep better after having sex. When we have love on the brain, according to University College in London, even viewing pictures of loved ones increases our dopamine. Ever see grandparents flash their grandchildren’s photos from their iPhones? It can happen minutes after meeting them for the first time.
Of course, we all know that love goes through many phases—sometimes obsessive, intrusive and all-consuming to the point that we can’t eat or sleep. We fear rejection and abandonment. Yet, if love lasts, we form new levels of attachment that involve more sophisticated means of interacting. Love is the great equalizing teacher of humility and ultimately spirituality. If God is love, then perhaps learning to love is a path to God.
There are many provocative stories about love and many questions to ponder. Some popular questions often asked are: “Can you love someone without loving yourself first?” “Are we born knowing love?” “Can we love our neighbor as we love ourselves?” “What does it mean to truly love someone?” “What can we do when we are feeling unloved?”
Many of my clients come with these challenges. They want to foster more intimacy in a safe way; not just with a significant other, but also with family, friends, co-workers and people they meet in general. We often hear about someone speaking intimately to a person seated next to him or her on a plane or bus; precisely because he or she doesn’t anticipate meeting that person again. We open up to strangers but hide our true needs and wants from the very people who may be able to grant them. Everyone wants to be loved. Everyone wants to give love. We forget this basic law, because we forget that the Universe is run by love.
If we truly desire to open our hearts to love, we can use spiritual and compassionate guidance, meditation, prayer and practice. Therapy with a caring therapist allows us to learn about our true feelings. Meditation and prayer pave the way for being with fluctuations of the mind, as well fostering awareness of our soulful needs. These conscious awakenings lead to inner peace. Practicing what we have learned makes life more fulfilling and enjoyable. Learning about love can be a very enjoyable task as well.
May you love and be loved.
Meredith Narissi, MS, RPP, is a new practitioner at Pure & Simple Health who does polarity, reflexology and cranialsacral therapy. Pure & Simple Health is located at 128 N. Long Beach Rd., Rockville Centre. For more information, call 516-203-7442. See ad on page 11.
