9 Spiritual Meanings Of Valentine’s Day
Want to know the true spiritual meaning of Valentine’s Day? If so, read our article and find out everything about February 14th.
Everywhere in most parts of the world, people usually set aside days to celebrate, extend and show love to their spouse, family members and everyone around them.
This is usually done on Valentine’s Day. Religious bodies put together activities and different get together to celebrate Lover’s Day.
“The United States government recognizes February 14 as Valentine’s Day. Learn about the significance of this date here.”
9 Spiritual Meanings and Messages of Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s day is a day to show love and affection and is celebrated in many countries of the world.
Valentine’s day is no doubt one of the most memorable festive celebrations for mankind, and is embellished with many unforgettable moments.
The question we are seeking to answer however, is “What is the spiritual significance of this day?”
1) Love
Valentine’s day is a reminder for us to love one another. Though the celebrations often portray it as a day for couples, it really is a time for us all to reflect on love.
Not just to receive love, but also to be a giver of love. As many religious scholars have noted that love is the ultimate spiritual energy.
And yes of course, if you are still single, it is a reminder that love is coming your way. A reminder that you too will find love.
2) Gratitude
As it is a day to receive and show love, it is also a time to be grateful. Valentine’s day calls for a sense of gratitude for just how far you have come in life.
Gratitude helps you rightly position your heart and mind for bigger and better things, and Valentine’s day is a great time for you to be grateful.
3) Forgiveness
We can’t fully express love when we harbor hatred and unforgiveness. As it is believed that forgiveness is a spiritual practice, what better time to choose to forgive those who have offended you than on Valentine’s day.
4) Self Value
Valentine’s day serves as a reminder that you are of great value to the world. It is a day for you to remember that you are indeed special, and that you mean something to someone.
It is also a reminder for you to give value to yourself. So, start looking at yourself with more respect and love.
5) Practice of giving
A lot of us at times do not know the value of giving. We only love it when others give it to us, which is why we love birthdays.
Valentine’s day is a day for you not to think of what you will receive from others, but what you can give to someone. It enriches us with the practice of doing to others as we wish that they do to us.
5) Loyalty
On this day we are reminded of loyalty to our spouse, partner, friends and family. Are you a married couple? Then Valentine’s day is an opportunity for you to reaffirm your vows and loyalty to your other half.
5) Reflection
One of the more spiritual practices of love is reflection. Valentine’s day is a time for couples to reflect together on their growth, their adventures and the goals they seek to achieve together.
8) Finding Love
Like the use of cupid arrows suggests on such a blissful day, Valentine’s day is believed to be a blessed day for match-making.
At once, you can be shot with an arrow of love and become united with your soulmate. Research has it that single people are more likely to fall in love on Valentine’s day, so get ready to meet your own match.
9) Healing
It is possible to heal from all your past trauma and experiences. On Valentine’s day, the universe reminds you to let go of the hurt and injury that your heart has suffered, and to embrace love and affection.
Spiritual Meaning of Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s day is a rich day for love, but this love has implications for the singles and the couples. Are you single or married? Let’s observe some of the spiritual meaning Valentine’s day possesses for you.
For Singles:
On Valentine’s day, those who are single are reminded that love is special, and the first person you can truly love is yourself. Being single has never been a crime, and on Valentine’s day you should enjoy it all the same.
How do you celebrate Valentine’s day as a single person?
- Refresh your heart on the good things that are happening around you.
- Appreciate those who show you love and kindness all around.
- Prepare to meet your own soulmate (if it is in your intention).
For committed:
Yes, Valentine’s Day is a day prepared for couples to treat each other to romantic moments. But there are many other ways to enjoy the day together.
- Revision of goals and purposes. Couples can make use of the season of love to relook at plans and set goals for the rest of the year.
- It is a time to strengthen the spiritual bond that exists between couples.
- Valentine’s day allows couples to reaffirm their love for each other.
Valentine’s Day and Spirituality
The question remains how did we start to celebrate Valentine’s?
How did we choose the particular date for this celebration that it ñ has become a memorial on February 14 most people around the world get together to bond with their loved ones, some even go as far as wearing red, organising cocktail parties and sharing chocolates.
1) Lupercalia
Although there are many accounts as to how Valentine’s day came to be, it has been traced by historians and religious scholars back to the ancient Roman practices.
Valentine’s day actually stems from a Roman celebration called Lupercalia, which was done in honor of the deity Lupercus.
It is interesting to note that the celebration of Lupercalia was actually in respect of the nearness of spring.
2) Festival
Lupercalia is a festival of fertility. There were many occasions and sacrifices made during the time of the celebration, but its most notable activity is the pairing of men and women by lottery.
The paired couple would end up staying together till the end of the feast. The spiritual implication of this celebration was to ward off infertility.
3) February
The celebration was usually carried out in mid February. It was mostly done on the 15th of February.
4) Pope Gelasius
The Lupercalia festival was abolished in the 5th century by Pope Gelasius I forbade the practice of such rites. Some accounts also accord him the honor of replacing it with the feast of St Valentine.
5) Saint Valentine
There are many accounts as to why it is named Valentine’s Day. The most popular of them is the story of the martyr Saint valentine, who was allegedly killed during the reign of Emperor Claudius II after being imprisoned for secretly helping Christians suffering from persecution, and wedding Christian couples.
His act of rebellion got the emperor enraged, and led to his imprisonment. The Emperor then charged him that he would deny his Faith or face death by beheading. He refused denial and was beheaded on the 14th of February.
Some accounts recall that Saint Valentine penned a note down to his jailer’s daughter Julia, and in the note he wrote “From your Valentine”.
The feast was therefore named after Saint Valentine for his bravery towards the church in times of persecution.
5) Romance
The valentine’s day celebration as we know it today got its popularity in the 14th century, after the feast of St Valentine evolved into a day of love and romance.
The celebration was initially done in respect of the sacrifice of Saint Valentine, but soon became much more commercialized, now involving the distribution of cards and gift items.
The most traditional way to celebrate Valentine’s day today is with the purchase of jewelry and chocolates.
What is the deeper meaning of Valentine’s day?
The word Valentine comes from the Latin word Valens which means worthy, powerful or strong. This is significant to the deeper meaning that the holiday represents.
What is the deeper meaning behind Valentine’s day?
We must constantly be reminded that Valentine’s day is not the commercial sharing of chocolates and jewelry, romance or the search for love.
Regardless of how it is viewed, Valentine’s day goes beyond a show of love. It is the celebration of sacrifice and honor, remembering the sacrifice of Saint Valentine and how he laid down his own life for love to continue.
Valentine’s day should be celebrated with the consciousness of pure love, not seeking anything in return.
What does the Bible say about Valentine’s day?
Love is thoroughly emphasized in the Bible. There is a constant reminder from the scriptures for us to love one another.
In the Bible, Jesus admonishes us to “love one another, even as I have loved you”, a clear revelation that love is of God. The practice of showing love to others on Valentine’s day is fully acknowledged in the scriptures.
A few examples of such Bible passages where the Valentine spirit is encouraged are;
“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another”.
“Owe no man anything, but to love one another: for he that loveth another hath fulfilled the law”.
“For this is the message that ye heard from the beginning, that we should love one another”.
From the Bible, we come to understand that the first person we are to show love to is God.
Jesus calls this the greatest of commandments, after which he says we are to love our neighbor as we would love ourselves. This is the entire purpose of Valentine’s day, to pass on love as we do to ourselves.
Final words
Romance and passion are the more common attributes that people give to Valentine’s day. However, the celebration of love is more than that.
It is a day that oozes of kindness and tenderness, with the whole of nature joining to express love as it should be.
It shouldn’t be that all we think about are the gifts and the outings and the fun. There is also a spiritual side to this celebration.
As much as we take out the time to show care and affection to our loved ones, flash our red and white clothes and send out our gifts, it is important that we also remember that it should be a day where we also appreciate ourselves, reflect on ourselves and truly try to build a better world for everyone around us.
o action for each individual to commit conscious time sacrificing our own convenience for others.
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