Motivation: Why are we moved to do what we do? Ð Part III

By Sanderson Beck

Love and Compassion

The heart in many ways is the center of our body and our levels of consciousness. Here the life force pulses through our system. I consider love, which is the basis of this whole philosophy, to be not only the central motive in human life but also the most important and most divine. Here we focus on love as a motive.

Actually all motivation has its origin in love, whether it be love of life (survival), love of pleasure, love of power, or loving to love, express, understand, or feel oneness. Here we look at unconditional love or love for its own sake rather than love of something else. Although everyone needs love and care to survive, wants love in order to feel good, and strives to be loved by exerting power, the motive of unconditional love and compassion is to give love to others or oneself. True loving is caring for another as we love ourselves. In giving love in this way we cannot help but experience love ourselves even if the recipient is not giving back. The heart overflows, and the spirit of love fills us with inner joy. The manipulating mind may think about what return may be received, but love itself is detached from those considerations. One key is that we can only love others as much as we love ourselves, for the love we have for ourselves is what we are able to give to others. Thus love begins with ourselves and then can expand outward. When we are able to take care of ourselves, then we become capable of caring for others also.

Compassion and empathy enable us to feel what is going on with others as though it were ourselves. When we identify with other people in this way, we cannot help but love them; because there is nothing more natural and spontaneous than self-love. The conscious self can transcend the personal ego and become conscious of others. When our personal problems are handled and balanced, we can expand our awareness through this love and compassion. Love respects the individuality and freedom of others, as we would want our own liberty respected. Thus in love we do not act for that person, robbing her or him of choices, but we love unconditionally. Thus we love them spiritually regardless of what they or we do; this is the spiritual essence of openness. In the practicality of caring, love finds a harmony between how they wish to be treated and how we wish to treat them. This love respects both their freedom and ours. Regardless of these personal choices, love remains the sustaining energy of good will and uplifting joy.

Love and compassion are the basis of friendship, gregariousness, and various human associations. Social organizations, formal and informal, enable us to share our love and care for each other as individuals and groups. Intermingling our consciousness allows us to love each other and give of ourselves. Love is a positive expression whereby our consciousness is able to liberate itself from our personal concerns and thus expand in awareness and joy.

Growth and Expression

The motive to grow psychologically by experiencing new things and expressing oneself is a natural tendency of life and is not based on deficiency but is a positive expression of Spirit. The spirit of adventure, play, art, style, etc. is spontaneous and unstoppable in human beings. To live is to grow and express ourselves. Expression is not experienced as a need or lack; because if one avenue of expression is blocked, we simply shift to another. Attachment to one particular mode of expression is a desire for that particular pleasure, but the urge to grow which moves us to express in some other way often can lift us out of such a depression.

We express ourselves with our whole body and consciousness, but especially important are the voice and the gestures of the arms and facial expressions. Expression describes who we are to other people. Smiles, handshakes, and hugs communicate our love and joy to others. Human beings are by far the most expressive creatures on earth, as we transform our environment to suit our purposes. We create music, art, architecture, drama, dance, crafts, sports, technology, etc. as expressions of who we are and how we want to live. As children and adults we play just for the fun of it without any other ulterior motive, although other motives can and do insinuate themselves into these activities.

Creativity is the essence of this level of motivation. We create our life experience by expressing ourselves. Even procreating and raising children, which is one of the most creative activities, is an extension of our self-expression and our genes. The arts and the activities of play, whether they be sports, hobbies, crafts, or arts, are usually motivated by self-expression. However, the passive watching and listening to others is not expression, which is active and positive, although such observation can give understanding and be a preparation for expression.

The spirit of adventure often moves us to go out and explore, travel, or try something new. Expression can be a great release for tension, anger, sadness, or overwhelming joy, especially through crying or laughing. These and less obvious expressions of relief can be very therapeutic and balancing. People in modern society have a tendency to take in more than they give out, causing greed, exploitation, and conflict, etc. Expression is a way of sharing ourselves and our abundance with others.

Expression is the extrovert or outgoing side of the personality, while the next section on understanding describes the introvert side. Both are important, and a continual and balanced flow in and out is most self-actualizing.

For more writing by Sanderson Beck see http://www.san.beck.org/.