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If love means to possess someone or something, then that is not real love, not pure love. If love means to give oneself, to become one with everything and with humanity, then that is real love. Real love is total oneness with the object loved and with the Possessor of love. Who is the Possessor of love? God. Without love, we cannot become one with God. Love is the inner bond, the inner connection, the inner link between man and God. We must always approach God through love. The first step is love; the second step is devotion; the third step is surrender. First let us love God; then we have to devote ourselves to Him alone; third we have to be at His Feet and fulfil ourselves. So if we go throughout our journey with absolute love, we can never fail to reach God or fulfil Him in our own lives and in humanity. Love is the secret key to open the Door of God.
Sri Chinmoy, Beyond Within — A collection of writings 1964-1974, Agni Press, 1975