An epistemology of love as a sacred way of knowing: A heuristic self-search inquiry

Rilke (1975) posited that that those of us who live out of an epistemology of love are endowed with the gifts of rich natures, composure, and an ability to unite wide and deep divides between others. This research odyssey into my childhood experiences of love as a way of knowing uses the term epistemology in a nontraditional manner and refers to a self-transformative way of understanding and knowing that may lead to a new way of being. This self-transformative inquiry and the manner in which I use the term epistemology may be seen through The Meaning of Three: The Mask (2008) by Sela-Smith. The paradox of love and fear are believed to be polar opposites and freedom to live as a creative being depends on my ability to grow in love of self and to radiate outwards as an example to others. Thus this study calls for a radical shift from emphasizing love as an object of research to my personal experiences of love in relations to all others as a sacred way of knowing through understanding and, appreciating myself. Love as a way of knowing is a spiritual journey, and I use Sela-Smith's (2001) heuristic self-search inquiry (HSSI) as my chosen pathway into the heart of myself as researcher-participant. The question of this study is: What is my experience of love as a way of knowing? In an email, Burneko explained that "genuinely loving may be defined as being genuinely authentic and attentive" (February 26, 2010) to self and others. The study is addressed to the academic community and the larger society, as well.;At the conclusion of this inquiry, I find that self-transformation in our current ways of life is a sure path to becoming a wholesome and fully human being. This implies that as a consequence of this research I recognize myself as an interdependent life-envoy from Divine Love with social responsibilities. I find that to serve Divine Love responsibly implies that I do so out of ethics which reflect this Spirit; or, out of an epistemology of love as a sacred way of knowing.