--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Love is not an experience. Love is what…" description: "\"Love is not an experience. Love is what you are.\" — John de Ruiter" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed0/john-de-ruiter-2726_experience_love-is-not-an-experience-love-is-what-y_3139552.png" --- # Love is not an experience. Love is what you are. ![“Love is not an experience. Love is what you are.” quote by John de Ruiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed0/john-de-ruiter-2726_experience_love-is-not-an-experience-love-is-what-y_3139552.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed0/john-de-ruiter-2726_experience_love-is-not-an-experience-love-is-what-y_3139552.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ed0/john-de-ruiter-2726_experience_love-is-not-an-experience-love-is-what-y_3139552.png) > “Love is not an experience. Love is what you are.” [John de Ruiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-de-ruiter/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The statement defines love as an intrinsic identity rather than a fleeting feeling, emphasizing being over experiencing. **In simple terms:** Love is who you are, not just something you feel. Key Takeaway Embrace love as part of your identity. Themes spirituality self identity Mood reflective inspirational Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - personal development - therapy - meditation Key Concepts philosophy psychology mindfulness Questions to Reflect On - How does seeing love as identity change relationships? - What practices help embody love? A Different Perspective Love can be confused with temporary emotions, leading to misinterpretation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Love Experience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love-experience/) ## Related quotes > [“Acceptance is the opposite of judgment and the antidote to judgment, and acceptance brings us the experience of love. What is the experience of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-lake/acceptance-is-the-opposite-of-judgment-and-the-antidote-to-judgment/) [Gina Lake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-lake/) > [“You have shown me, along with that man over there, that life and love aren't as far apart as we think. They go hand-in-hand,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marilyn-grey/you-have-shown-me-along-with-that-man-over-there-that-life-and-love/) [Marilyn Grey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marilyn-grey/) > [The experience of love and the experience of death destroy the illusion of our self-sufficiency. The two are closely connected, and to become fully…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-steindl-rast/the-experience-of-love-and-the-experience-of-death-destroy-the/) [David Steindl-Rast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-steindl-rast/) > [Focus only on things you love, feel love, and you will experience that love and joy coming back to you - multiplied!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhonda-byrne/focus-only-on-things-you-love-feel-love-and-you-will-experience-that/) [Rhonda Byrne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhonda-byrne/) > [Well, for me, what I've learned at the very end of this, love is sharing, and I think that really is, for me, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-mraz/well-for-me-what-i-ve-learned-at-the-very-end-of-this-love-is-sharing/) [Jason Mraz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-mraz/) > [You can never understand why people do stupid things for love, Unless you, yourself experience how it is to be in LOVE...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-can-never-understand-why-people-do-stupid-things-for-love-unless/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm a big fan of IMAX/3-D films; I love that whole experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sylvia-day/i-m-a-big-fan-of-imax-3-d-films-i-love-that-whole-experience/) [Sylvia Day](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sylvia-day/) > [“I think falling in love should come with a warning label: CAUTION—side effects may include sporadic singing in public (specifically Celine Dion covers), emotional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-kacvinsky/i-think-falling-in-love-should-come-with-a-warning-label-caution-side-2/) [Katie Kacvinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-kacvinsky/) > [“There is this pain of love. You experience it some moments. It starts like a strange gnawing at your heart. It then slowly spreads.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avijeet-das/there-is-this-pain-of-love-you-experience-it-some-moments-it-starts/) [Avijeet Das](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avijeet-das/) > [Many writers do write about their families and their immediate loved ones and love experiences, either as children or as adults. And very often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-roiphe/many-writers-do-write-about-their-families-and-their-immediate-loved/) [Anne Roiphe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-roiphe/) > [“A woman in love, is what. In my experience, they got their own laws.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/a-woman-in-love-is-what-in-my-experience-they-got-their-own-laws/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [When I was younger, like 14...I was desperate to find that 'true love' experience, but really, if you have to ask yourself if you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claire-danes/when-i-was-younger-like-14-i-was-desperate-to-find-that-true-love/) [Claire Danes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claire-danes/) > [Love is one experience of life, which help you to discover the real meaning and enjoyment of life. Love is one beautiful journey, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paresh-patel/love-is-one-experience-of-life-which-help-you-to-discover-the-real/) Paresh Patel > [“Those without enough love experience rage, but love drives rage away.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wesley/those-without-enough-love-experience-rage-but-love-drives-rage-away/) [John Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wesley/) > [A bad love experience is no reason to fear a new love experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-hathaway/a-bad-love-experience-is-no-reason-to-fear-a-new-love-experience/) [Anne Hathaway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-hathaway/) ## More by John de Ruiter > [Your deeper sense isn’t a springboard; it’s a landing place. If you draw conclusions too quickly or too slowly, you’ll establish your self where…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-de-ruiter/your-deeper-sense-isn-t-a-springboard-it-s-a-landing-place-if-you/) [John de Ruiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-de-ruiter/) > [Relate to the little instead of relating to the big. The little is indomitable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-de-ruiter/relate-to-the-little-instead-of-relating-to-the-big-the-little-is/) [John de Ruiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-de-ruiter/) > [When you, awareness, are mastered by the deepest that you know the truth of, then you are no longer awareness. You are oneness aware…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-de-ruiter/when-you-awareness-are-mastered-by-the-deepest-that-you-know-the/) [John de Ruiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-de-ruiter/) > [The let-go of the last little bit is the biggest because, in that, there is no return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-de-ruiter/the-let-go-of-the-last-little-bit-is-the-biggest-because-in-that/) [John de Ruiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-de-ruiter/) > [If you die of cancer with only openness and softness in your heart, you will live and die integrating your self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-de-ruiter/if-you-die-of-cancer-with-only-openness-and-softness-in-your-heart/) [John de Ruiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-de-ruiter/) > [When you move as openness and softness of heart you’re moving in this life within your self in the same way that your being…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-de-ruiter/when-you-move-as-openness-and-softness-of-heart-you-re-moving-in-this/) [John de Ruiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-de-ruiter/) > [The more open you are within, the more capacity you will have to know, to see, and to love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-de-ruiter/the-more-open-you-are-within-the-more-capacity-you-will-have-to-know/) [John de Ruiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-de-ruiter/) > [When resistance no longer serves you, you'll no longer have it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-de-ruiter/when-resistance-no-longer-serves-you-you-ll-no-longer-have-it/) [John de Ruiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-de-ruiter/) > [While sincerity is to carry the weight of knowledge in the self, it is also to be the lightness of being clean.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-de-ruiter/while-sincerity-is-to-carry-the-weight-of-knowledge-in-the-self-it-is/) [John de Ruiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-de-ruiter/) > [When awareness believes what it knows is true, the truth of what awareness really is, moves. That movement is love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-de-ruiter/when-awareness-believes-what-it-knows-is-true-the-truth-of-what/) [John de Ruiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-de-ruiter/) > [Believe only what you know and all of what you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-de-ruiter/believe-only-what-you-know-and-all-of-what-you-know/) [John de Ruiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-de-ruiter/) > [For you to be free of your thinking mind, that will cost you the way that you've put your self together. It will cost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-de-ruiter/for-you-to-be-free-of-your-thinking-mind-that-will-cost-you-the-way/) [John de Ruiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-de-ruiter/) > [The formless cannot be based on the form. The form needs to be based on the formless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-de-ruiter/the-formless-cannot-be-based-on-the-form-the-form-needs-to-be-based/) [John de Ruiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-de-ruiter/) > [To really evolve as awareness, be just like your own being in a self like yours and on a planet like this one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-de-ruiter/to-really-evolve-as-awareness-be-just-like-your-own-being-in-a-self/) [John de Ruiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-de-ruiter/) > [When you lay down your life for what you are after you've died, you're clean.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-de-ruiter/when-you-lay-down-your-life-for-what-you-are-after-you-ve-died-you-re/) [John de Ruiter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-de-ruiter/) [Explore all 152 John de Ruiter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-de-ruiter/) ## More Experience quotes > [Experience makes a lesson to us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/experience-makes-a-lesson-to-us/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The Derby experience had not been good for me and the way it finished left a very bad taste in my mouth so I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-pearson/the-derby-experience-had-not-been-good-for-me-and-the-way-it-finished/) [Nigel Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-pearson/) > [Well, I've been politically involved for a really long time. Growing up in the segregated South, it was a very painful experience for me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cybill-shepherd/well-i-ve-been-politically-involved-for-a-really-long-time-growing-up/) [Cybill Shepherd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cybill-shepherd/) > [From my experience of having served for 3000 days, I can say that anything can be achieved.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/narendra-modi/from-my-experience-of-having-served-for-3000-days-i-can-say-that/) [Narendra Modi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/narendra-modi/) > [My favorite job is the next one. Its such a gratifying experience getting to creatively keep trying something new and push things in a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-craig-smith/my-favorite-job-is-the-next-one-its-such-a-gratifying-experience/) [Roger Craig Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-craig-smith/) > [I happen to think it's the politics that makes you electable, but the reason for that is politicians sometimes talk about electability as if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-blair/i-happen-to-think-it-s-the-politics-that-makes-you-electable-but-the/) [Tony Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-blair/) > [Iranians hate Arabs. They're a fairly well-educated population and they have centuries of experience with self-government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ledeen/iranians-hate-arabs-they-re-a-fairly-well-educated-population-and/) [Michael Ledeen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ledeen/) > [Education is a lifelong experience. Experience is a lifelong education. Education plus experience equals expertise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bugeja/education-is-a-lifelong-experience-experience-is-a-lifelong-education/) Michael Bugeja > [Prison experience puts distance between me and any person who hasn't been there, done that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-mcconnell/prison-experience-puts-distance-between-me-and-any-person-who-hasn-t/) [Patricia McConnell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-mcconnell/) > [Experience is a thorough teacher.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-jane-holmes/experience-is-a-thorough-teacher/) [Mary Jane Holmes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-jane-holmes/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) Ryan Newman > [I have no physical genius about me. I can't dribble a ball and run at the same time, I can't do lay-ups - I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-mullins/i-have-no-physical-genius-about-me-i-can-t-dribble-a-ball-and-run-at/) [Rich Mullins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-mullins/) > [I've had a great experience with pretty much everybody I've worked with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mia-wasikowska/i-ve-had-a-great-experience-with-pretty-much-everybody-i-ve-worked/) [Mia Wasikowska](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mia-wasikowska/) > [It wasn't a mistake, it was a fun learning experience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-wasn-t-a-mistake-it-was-a-fun-learning-experience/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I worked a lot in Chicago's theater scene as a fight choreographer. And so I do have a lot of experience in stage combat…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-offerman/i-worked-a-lot-in-chicago-s-theater-scene-as-a-fight-choreographer/) [Nick Offerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-offerman/) [Browse all 11,792 Experience quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/experience/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Love is not an experience. 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