the purification of love

"know thyself" was already way back in the ancient greek times the key word which would later be extended by Jesus Christ to "love others as you love yourself".
Well, by reading this as "love yourself as you love others" we come to a point which is to my mind more important and appropriate for our times.
You can only love yourself if you "know thyself". Not loving yourself and therefore not being able to fully love, with all that you are, others, or not being loved and therefore never learning how you could love yourself, is a vicious circle. If you know yourself, however, there is no way you cannot love yourself, in my opinion, because only superficial and unhumble knowledge can make you hate yourself even more.
So what does "knowing" mean then. You can know yourself in many different ways and levels. The physical part is the easiest and nowadays often most stressed level. If you don't know your body, you will not reach the possible heights of love making.
Then, entering into the realm of emotions things get more tricky. Emotions are not easily fixed, they are not static and ever flowing. However, learning how to distinguish between mere "lust-based" emotions and deeper emotions that are true to the "voice within" is possible and this ability can guide you on your way through the valleys and mountains of your soul.
Spiritually, intellectually you have to know your own mind. And as this is as everything also not static but developing, growing, the most important thing is, I suppose, to know your potentials and your weak points. Love, mind-sex, inspiration, conceiving new, creating a third subject out of two loving ones, is the most exciting and fulfilling and striving experience and force that we can access through that knowledge only.
Because, if you deny and refuse your potential you close all doors through which the "other" can enter to be loved in a pure way.
Pure love is, in my opinion, stripped off any concealed jealousy, pittying sense of ones own inferiority and the other ones glorification,- it is the admiration, the true-seeing, the enthusiasm and deep concern and interest for the other. On all levels. Or just on some. Pure love is, to let love prepare grounds for a creative act, let it be the inspiration for growth and innovation in oneself and the other...