theMessenger - Self Love (Jan 08)

January 2008


There is a vitality, a life force, a quickening that is translated through you into action; and because there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique. If you block it, it will never exist through any other medium. It will be lost.
The world will not have it.

It is not your business to determine how good it is, nor how valuable it is, nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, and to keep the channel open.
- Martha Graham

It's easy to judge your brilliance as nothing special...for you can't possibly see it clearly. Imagine asking the sun to see it's own light. What light? How can I separate from what I am enough to see it?

A friend and colleague of mine recently shared with me a practice that she did in school as a child. They called it carrying your ilac card. At the beginning of the day, each student received a card that read: I love and care for myself. As they moved through the rest of their day, they were told to tear away pieces of the card whenever they thought, said, or did something that tore away at their sense of self-love. It proved to be an insightful practice, no doubt. The best part? Each day they would receive a new, untainted card to keep whole again.

When I ponder our culture's collective approach to the new year, it seems to me that we are issued an ilac card each January 1st. As a result, resolutions are defined and courses set for new destinations. Yet, what happens when we slip a bit...when a split-second choice tears away at our resolve? Do we hang our heads in despair?...or do we approach each day with wholeness in our hearts?

This year, I invite you to commit to a year of love, nuturing, and forgiveness. Your very essence is coded to be different than those around you. Discovering a path that works for you is a journey that demands diligence and perserverence. Your goal is not too be perfect...but to purrrfect the choices you make to serve you better over time. In order to do that, you become a deliberate observer. Notice which choices tear away at you time and time again, and reclaim your personal power to SHiNE by loving yourself whole again. It's a simple path - one choice at a time. And help is only a scroll away.

Begin Again... and Again... and Again,
Candice