The Practice of Love by Jenny Hval is a song about exploring the concept of love and how it is experienced and practiced differently by different people. The song's lyrics suggest that love is not just a feeling, but also a skill that must be practiced and honed over time. The song opens with the lines, "As I inhale, as I inhale, as I inhale and feel my lungs fill up with black breath to exhale, what comes out is." This imagery of breathing in black breath and exhaling something else suggests a sense of transformation and renewal. The rest of the song is filled with evocative imagery and abstract musings on love, desire, and connection. Hval sings about "drowning in the sea of love" and "feeling the dark that's inside." She talks about wanting to write something, but struggling to find the right words. Overall, The Practice of Love is a deeply introspective and poetic song that invites listeners to contemplate their own experiences of love and connection. Its message is one of perseverance and growth, reminding us that love is not just something we feel, but also something we work towards and practice in our daily lives.
