As Valentine’s Day approaches, stores overflowing with cards, chocolates and expensive gifts serve as a reminder of its relentless commercialization. Images of the mythical Roman god Cupid, with his bow and arrow, are often used to convey that love can happen in an instant.
When the holiday first originated in 14th-century Europe, it wasn’t solely about romantic love − it celebrated the freedom to choose or reject love and marked the arrival of spring.
This Valentine’s Day, Jeremy David Engels, a mindfulness scholar at Penn State, encourages people to explore different ways of experiencing love. Loving-kindness, or “metta” – a form of love practiced by many Buddhists worldwide – expects nothing in return.
