My Practice of Loving…
If the previous blog left you wondering what I really meant when I posted the statement, “Can I love myself and God through any kind of difficulty! “
Here’s what I meant:
My “Can I” is not a question of doubt. It is a committed statement that guides me deeper, and helps me navigate life more consciously. When I meet a stopping point, whether internally or externally,
I ask:
- Can I love myself beyond where I am and what I know, today!
- Can I experience myself as bigger than my current circumstances!
- Can I know and experience life and God beyond this moment!
- Can I know and love myself beyond who I think I am today! The answer is always “YES!”
I use the statement to usher me beyond unconscious limits. As for the question of how I am with love, I use my relationship with my family (and my dogs) as a guide to loving. (I happen to have a good relationship with my family.
If I didn’t have a good family relationship, I would substitute the best relationship present in my life for the following practice.): In my exchange with my family I feel completely open–no walls or stopping points, no need to protect myself.
I trust. I accept. I assume the best. I wish them well. I feel sort-of one with them.
I use my family love to guide me in my loving with other people and things. When I find myself in judgment or competition or taking a harsh “me vs. them/him/her/it” stance, I know I am not in the energy of love–because these are not feelings that I experience with my family. It is in this way that I turn loving into a practice. I allow myself to practice feeling with others the kind of non-judgmental acceptance I feel with my family.
BTW, the love I experience with my dogs has made me more loving as a partner. And speaking of dogs, I must go. It is time for their hike. Taking them to the mountain on a regular basis is an experience of love. I love BEING on the mountain. They love the hike.
Let’s live life triumphantly,
Tina
