The Five Essentials of Genuine Love

Unconditional love happens best within a context of plentitude rather than neediness.

Such inner fullness overflows spontaneously into the five essentials of genuine love, which offer a blueprint for openness. When we are present in these five essential ways, we find ourselves opening. And when we give these five essential of genuine love to ourselves, we grow in self-esteem.

Discover here the all-important five attributes of genuine love:

The Five Essentials of Genuine Love

Attention (of ourselves and/or others)

Acceptance (of ourselves and/or others)

Appreciation (of ourselves and/or others)

Affection (of ourselves and/or others)

Allowing (of ourselves and/or others)

In order to full receive others’ feelings and help them to move through their emotions, we need to stay present with the five essential ways of genuine love and without the mind-sets of ego: fear, attachment, control, judgment, complaint, blame, contempt, or censure.

Intimacy means the exchange of our feelings with the support shown in the five essentials of genuine love without interfering mind-sets. An adult relationship that has made even one of the four feelings verboten does not allow the full monty of intimacy.

Read more: Spirit, Inspiration

Adapted from The Five Things We Cannot Change, by David Richo (Shambhala, 2005). (c) David Richo, 2005. Reprinted with permission of Shambhala.
Adapted from The Five Things We Cannot Change, by David Richo (Shambhala, 2005).

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Holly L.

2:00PM PST on Jan 10, 2012

Ahhh..sweet love! So true .. thanks!

send a green star

Siobhan J.

7:01AM PST on Jan 6, 2012

Aspiring is also key. To aspire and achieve feats in your relationship is also key. I like Desiring as well

Asiatic L.

12:45AM PDT on Sep 12, 2011

the reasons to stay....

Sonny H.

12:55AM PDT on Sep 7, 2011

nice!

Ida J.

5:16AM PDT on Sep 6, 2011

thanks

Abbe A.

3:24AM PDT on Sep 6, 2011

nice

Melinda offline K.

7:26PM PDT on Sep 5, 2011

One important point missing - choice! In each moment you can choose to love or reject or whatever else outside of the realm of love. If you dont know love, get a pet!

Robert O.

1:22AM PDT on May 3, 2011

Thanks very much Annie.

Teresa Wlosowicz, just because you don't believe in it or haven't experienced it doesn't mean it does not exist. Maybe you need to look deep within yourself to why you feel that way and why love is not coming your way. That would probably be a more constructive use of your time rather than disparaging the articles andinformation contained within them.

Lindsey W.

8:49AM PDT on Apr 2, 2011

Very true thank you!

Jenna B.

9:29AM PDT on Mar 31, 2011

This article could use a lot of editing. The grammar mistakes and self indulgence make it quite cumbersome to read.