Janell Loving
"You,
yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your
love and affection." ~ Buddha
We
know this, it is inherent somewhere in our brain as a universal
truth. It is imperative that we allow ourselves to understand this
on a more cellular level and begin to replenish ourselves with the
love, acceptance and gratitude that we easily give to others.
This
holiday of love is generally focused on love for others; our
significant others, mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers and friends.
There has only recently been a significant mention of self
love around this amorous holiday. Gifts are a wonderful way to
express emotion to one another, so why not to ourselves? When I
began exploring this idea it occurred to me that a Valentine's gift
to self is perfect, as Valentine gifts are presented as a treasure or
token to show love, affection, gratitude and admiration.
As
I thought about things that help maintain and establish balance in my
everyday life, I wanted to find gifts that would deliver tokens of
love and provide nurturing in the areas of life that are important
for balance. Here are a few ideas for gifts of love to oneself that
I have found to be delightful. Some gifts I found easy to give, and
others I am still working up the courage and ability to give
regularly.
Gifts
of love for the mind provide creative inspiration and intellectual
stimulation. Music, nature, and tactile expressions enable
opportunities allowing gifts for the mind.
An
outing to the art museum; listening to a podcast or lecture, reading
a book on a topic that fascinates, learning a language or taking a
ceramic class.
Gifts
of love for the body encourage overall wellness. Physical exercise,
nutritious food, and laughter all work to create physical well-being
and could be gifts for the body.
Purchase
a massage, facial or favorite body treatment once a month; create a
yoga, meditation or fitness routine; facilitate an eat-in monthly
dinner date with friends.
Gifts
of the spirit allow our essence to shine. Experiences, tokens or
energy that give the heart and soul a sense of calm and peace, might
be a gift for the spirit.
Accepting
compliments with gratitude and truly absorbing the intent; taking a
moment to experience the quiet of a sunrise, or drops of rain hanging
on a spider's web.
Think
about ways in which you give gifts of love to yourself. As we
increase our awareness, it will hopefully become a daily occurrence.
As this season brings up the depth of who and how we love, use it to
experiment with gifts that allow you to experience the euphoria of
love internally, and then share That
gift
with others.
