Guru Bhai Highlight: How can we cultivate unconditional love in our daily lives?
In the quiet corners of ashrams, the vibrant circles of satsang, and the deeply personal transformations of Western seekers, a single message echoes through the years: “Love everyone.”
These words, spoken with gentle insistence by Neem Karoli Baba—affectionately known as Maharajji—are simple, yet they contain a universe. To live them is to walk the path of the heart.
What Is Unconditional Love?
Unconditional love isn’t sentimental. It’s not about always feeling affectionate or agreeing with everyone. It’s something far deeper—the natural state of the soul. Ram Dass often said, “Love is the emotional color of the soul, and unconditional love is the color of enlightenment” (Be Love Now, Ch. 1).
When Maharajji looked at you, he didn’t see your failures or achievements. He saw your soul. That gaze had the power to wash away guilt, self-hatred, and the illusion of separateness. And it taught, silently and powerfully, how to become love itself.
How Do We Practice This in Daily Life?
Here’s what the great devotees of Maharajji shared through their own journeys:
1. See the Divine in Everyone
In Be Here Now, Ram Dass recounts how he was transformed by simply being seen through Maharajji’s eyes. That experience showed him that each being is, at their core, a soul.
“Over time, the instruction took hold. My identification with ego shifted… From the point of view of my soul, I was able to look at everyone as souls, and I loved each one of them.” (Be Love Now, Ch. 1)
The practice? When you meet someone—especially someone who triggers you—pause. See beyond their personality to the light within. As Ram Dass would whisper to himself, “I am loving awareness.”
2. Serve Without Expectation (Seva)
Dada Mukerjee, who lived with Maharajji in Allahabad, often recalled Baba’s insistence: “Whoever comes is your guest.” That wasn’t about social politeness—it was a spiritual instruction. To treat every visitor as God is to train the heart in selfless love.
Service dissolves the ego’s need for recognition. Whether it’s making tea for a friend or caring for a stranger, seva becomes a vehicle for transformation.
3. Chant the Name of God
Krishna Das shares in Chants of a Lifetime how he turned to kirtan—chanting the names of God—as his lifeline to love. He says:
“Even when you don’t feel devotional, you show up. You chant anyway. That’s how the heart opens.”
Repeating the Name, whether silently or in song, is like dipping a cloth into dye over and over. Slowly, it becomes saturated with color. In this case, the color is love.
4. Join Satsang (Spiritual Community)
We can’t do it alone. The support of fellow seekers—people who remind us of our highest intentions—is essential. In satsang, we practice love not as an idea, but as a lived reality.
Larry Brilliant, in Sometimes Brilliant, reflects on the miracle of being among those moved by Maharajji’s love. It wasn’t always easy, but it was always sacred. Together, they bore witness to each other’s growth—and each other’s humanity.
The Path Is Subtle… but Real
“Subtle is the path of love,” wrote Ram Dass in Miracle of Love. It’s not linear. We forget, we fall, we judge—and then we remember. Again and again. And in each act of remembrance, we are loving a little more purely.
Unconditional love isn’t a destination. It’s a daily choice, a whisper from the heart: Come home.
This content includes AI-generated reflections created as part of our ongoing exploration into digital tools that support spiritual engagement and learning. While inspired by the teachings and spirit of Neem Karoli Baba, the words shared here are not direct quotes and are not intended to imitate or represent Maharaj-ji’s actual voice or teachings.
Our intention is to offer creative interpretations that honor his legacy and inspire deeper connection through seva, love, and devotion. As always, we encourage each reader to connect with Maharaj-ji’s teachings in their own heartfelt and authentic way.
