“Every loving thought is true. Everything else is an appeal for healing and help, regardless of the form it takes.” – A Course in Miracles
Best wishes to you and your family for this Easter 2016! I love Easter so much because it describes so beautifully what yoga and unconditional love are all about. Easter is a celebration of life and renewal. Even if you do not believe in the actual resurrection of the body of Jesus Christ, you can embrace the term resurrection as a description; a wonderful renewal of what felt dark inside or outside to a newly transformed lightness and happiness.
“The resurrection is a description of how the universe self-corrects, life always reasserting itself even when forces of death and darkness have temporarily prevailed. Like a tiny flower growing through cracks in broken cement, peace of mind emerging at last after periods of deep grief, or people continuing to fall in love despite the ravages of war, love always gets the final say. To lean on the resurrection is simply to recognize what’s true; that if happiness hasn’t arrived yet, then the story isn’t over. […]
At Easter, we celebrate our ability to rise above the consciousness of darkness, ignorance and death. As we do, something begins to change within us; our very openness to the deeper meaning of the resurrection opens doors within the mind and within the heart. Jesus died and then he rose. And now it’s our turn. Where parts of us have died – to hope, to growth, to new life forces – may our own crucified selves be restored to new life.” – Marianne Williamson, 5th April 2015 on Facebook
This is what yoga and conscious living are about: becoming aware of your own darkness, stepping back as a witness, loving your inside dynamics unconditionally and readjusting to your small inner voice within, with your conscience and your inner guide. This stepping back, witnessing and unconditional loving attitude gives you the power to adjust your thinking and behavior, if this is what is needed at that time. Just like a loving parent would correct it’s child without blaming or judging.
Self-love is about relaxing into who you are right now. Then it is easier to focus on the small inner voice which comes from within. Your inner voice gives you new insights and new thoughts you have never thought before. These kind of thoughts feel good and result in a feeling of peace and happiness. It is easiest to hear your small inner voice within when you are relaxed.
You are relaxed, when you feel safe and loved. Here is a quote by Matt Kahn, which helps to describe how you relax no matter how emotional you might feel. Matt Kahn describes unconditional love towards yourself beautifully. Unconditional love is about loving whatever arises. If you are sad, you love the one who feels sad. If you are feeling angry, you are loving the one, who feels angry. You can even love the sadness, as if the sadness is a person. The next time you feel emotionally upset you can talk to yourself like this and see how this makes you feel, what different choices you can make and which different actions you can take afterwards:
“When I’m sad, I deserve more love, not less. When I’m angry, I deserve more love, not less. When I’m frustrated, I deserve more love, not less. Whenever I’m hurt, heartbroken, ashamed, or feeling guilty, I deserve more love, not less. Even when I’m embarrassed by my actions, I deserve more love, not less. Equally so, when I’m proud of myself, I deserve more love, not less. No matter how I feel, I deserve more love, not less. Despite what I think, I deserve more love, not less. No matter the past that I’ve survived, I deserve more love, not less. No matter what remains up ahead, I deserve more love, not less. On my worst day, I deserve more love, not less. Even when life seems cruel and confusing, I deserve more love, not less. When no one is here to give me what I need, I deserve more love, not less. In remembering the greatest way I can serve the world, I deserve more love not less. No matter what I’m able to accept, whomever I cannot forgive, or whatever I’m unable to love for whatever reason, I deserve more love, not less.” – Matt Kahn
All Love,
Sandra