Happy day of love

So it is Valentine's Day today, the day of love! So yes OK, it has now become a horribly commercialised affair these days, a huge business in itself what with all the heart shaped merchandise and flowers and chocolate galour, BUT, it is an opportunity for us all to open our hearts and come together in a collective consciousness of love. So that is pretty cool.

As I said in my previous blog entry, maybe all this potential vibration of love will help to raise the vibration of our beautiful world, help the planet to heal a little. Well at least it may help to bring a smile to our face when we receive a card from someone we love, secret or not.

So how did the day get its name? Well apparently it comes from a famous Saint although there are various stories about who he was. The most popular belief is that St Valentine was a priest from Rome in the 3rd century AD.

Evidently Emperor Claudius II had banned marriage because he thought married men were bad soldiers. Valentine thought this was unfair, so he broke the rules and arranged marriages in secret.

When Claudius found out, Valentine was sentenced to death and thrown in jail. There, he fell in love with the jailer's blind daughter. His love and belief in God cured her blindness, and when he was taken to be killed on 14 February he sent her a love letter signed "From your Valentine".

Valentine's Day didn't become popular in the UK until the 17th century. By the 18th century it was traditional for people to swap handwritten messages of affection. Nowadays we also swap chocolates and flowers and all things heart-shaped!!!

I figure today is a good day to share some Sufi poetry with you - this is my favourite poetry and while I shouldn't need an excuse, it is appropriate as it is all about love...

Trading in Love's Currency
Reason said, "We live in a world
of six directions - and that's it!"

Love replied, "There is a path beyond,
and I have travelled it many times."
reason saw a market and set up shop,
but love trades in another currency altogether.

Rumi

Sweep out the stable
Be watchful - the grace of God appears suddenly.
It comes without warning to an open heart.

Sweep out the stable of your existence
and the king will gladly enter.

Rumi

The Missing Sun
You are like the sun -
Come!

Without your face, the garden is yellow and pale -
Come!

Without you, the world is like dust -
Come!

Without you, the circle of love turns cold.
Come!

Rumi

The Glowing of Your Presence
Where have you taken your sweet song?
Come back and play me a tune.

I never really cared for things in this world.
It was the glow of your presence
that filled it with beauty

Hafiz

On that note have a wonderful day, open the heart and spread the love!!

Love xx