The Ultimate Love Practice: Seeing the Divine in Everyone
- Chuck Roundtree
- May 1
- 3 min read
Love, in its highest form, is not just an emotion—it is a sacred practice. It is the ability to look beyond the surface, beyond the stories, beyond the wounds, and recognize the divine essence within every being. To see the divine in everyone is to embody love at its most transformative level, shifting from judgment to witnessing, from separation to oneness. This is the path of unconditional love and spiritual awakening.
Recognizing the Sacred in Every Soul
When we begin to recognize that every person carries the spark of the divine, we move from judgment to reverence. It means seeing beyond behaviors and personalities to the eternal essence within each individual. This shift in perspective allows for deeper empathy, as we start to understand that each person is on their own unique journey of growth and healing. Even those who trigger us are, in a way, sacred messengers helping us see where we have yet to soften into love.
Practice: The Sacred Witnessing Exercise
Choose someone in your life—whether a loved one, a stranger, or even someone you find challenging.
Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and imagine them as a divine being, filled with light.
Silently affirm, "I honor the divine in you as I honor it in myself."
When you interact with them, practice deep listening and presence, as if you were in the presence of the divine.
The Oneness of Love
Love is not just something we give or receive; it is the very fabric of our existence. The deeper we cultivate love within, the more we naturally extend it outward. When we recognize the divine in others, our sense of separation dissolves, and we begin to experience the interconnectedness of all things. This is where love transforms into a spiritual practice rather than just an emotion.
Example: The Ripple Effect of Compassion
Imagine someone who is having a rough day—a barista who seems distracted, a driver who cuts you off, a coworker who snaps at you. Instead of reacting with frustration, take a deep breath and choose to see them through the eyes of compassion. Offer a kind word, a smile, or simply a moment of understanding. Small acts of love create ripples that extend far beyond what we can see.
Practices for Embodying Divine Love
Eye-Gazing as a Spiritual Practice
Eye-gazing is a powerful way to connect with the divine in another person. Try this with a loved one or even yourself in the mirror:
Sit across from each other and gently look into their eyes without speaking.
Hold their gaze and simply witness them without judgment.
Notice any emotions or resistance that arise, and breathe through them.
After a few minutes, share what you felt and experienced.
Loving-Kindness Meditation
Metta, or loving-kindness meditation, is a practice that expands our capacity for love and compassion. Try this simple meditation:
Close your eyes and take a deep breath.
Silently repeat: "May I be happy. May I be healthy. May I be free from suffering."
Next, bring to mind someone you love and repeat the phrases for them.
Expand further to someone neutral, then to someone you find challenging.
Finally, extend it to all beings, recognizing our shared divinity.
Deep Listening as a Path to Love
Listening with presence and an open heart is one of the greatest gifts we can offer. When in conversation:
Put away distractions and truly focus on the other person.
Listen without formulating a response—just be present.
Reflect back what they’ve said to show you truly hear them.
Hold space without needing to fix, judge, or change them.
A Beautiful Reminder
To see the divine in everyone is to see with the eyes of love. It is a practice that elevates our relationships, our communities, and ultimately, the world.
Affirmation: "I choose to see the divine in all beings, recognizing love as our truest nature."
By making this a daily practice, love becomes not just something we experience, but something we embody.
The more we honor the sacred in others, the more we come to know it within ourselves.
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