Buddha and countless other contemplative figures can attest to the experience of unconditional love, be it toward ourselves and others. This is a relationship way bigger than what our normal day-to-day interaction could achieve. This phenomenon is absolutely deeper than any of our provincial ways of talking about it in the context of religion.
There's a deeper truth, a gem, of human psychology and the nature of consciousness. It is crucial to explore it in ways that we don't lie to ourselves or others about the nature of reality, that we don't succumb and indulge in divisive manner of picking sides as to whether this religion is better than that. Self-transcendence can be explored without having us to believe in anything without concrete evidence.
One of the ways is through various techniques of meditation and mindfulness being. Mindfulness is the ability/state of mind which allows us to pay attention to the slightest sensations, sounds, sights, or even thoughts, without being lost in the sea of overloading thoughts that would always crowding our mind. Mindfulness help us in navigating these thoughts, arranging them in a proper manner so we can notice them.
Thinking is a thought process which requires a lot of inner energy and this doesn't mean that we should stop ourselves from having to think. It is the art of thinking; knowing what our thoughts are, how these thoughts were created, and perceive them with clarity.
Meditation and mindfulness is the gateway to self-transcendence. This is not some spiritual rah-rah or cult-like ritual but this is an exercise, a practice to strengthen both internal and external reality of our life.
To know the outer shell, you must first find the inner core.
(Pic: Pinterest.com) (Gif: glamour.it)