The practice of offering devotion to family and community without expecting reciprocal belonging or recognition.
Rabia al-Adawiyya taught that true love exists independent of return or reward. In family systems, this concept asks: can we belong to those we love without demanding they belong to us in equal measure? This dissolves transactional belonging—the unspoken contracts that bind families. When we love a parent, sibling, or child without the requirement that they validate our identity or meet our needs, we free both ourselves and them from suffocating entanglement. The limit of family belonging emerges here: biological relation does not guarantee mutual devotion, and that acceptance liberates both parties. Applied to modern families, this reframes estrangement not as failure but as honest recognition that love and belonging are separate currents.
Peri can explain this concept, give practical examples, help you decide whether it applies to your situation, or recommend a journey if appropriate.
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