Probably the most written about subject in time immemorial, from poets to sages, philosophers, play-writes, students, professors, lovers, teenagers, to cut out hearts from kids, each giving their own version, perception and experience.
When asked to write this article, I had just come back from a very restful trip away to rural Zambia and within a few hours of landing, I found myself right back into the full swing of fast paced city living, a diary full of clients, a house that needed TLC (those naughty dust elves, surely they too should have had some other place to visit while I was away), friends to catch up with... Family visiting from overseas... And quite honestly how was I supposed to write an article on love, when all I wanted to do was to get back on that plane and to the comforts that holidays bring.
So I put on the kettle for a cup of Rooibos and put on my favorite tunes, procrastinated a bit... and then I was ready to write on this grand, expansive topic of endless intrigue. I thought about love, and try as I may, my page remained blank... The more I thought about this thing called loved, the more tea I drank. I could feel a knocking, but there was something I was not getting... I went outside came back in, to work and back, checked Facebook a few hundred times and still my pages remained blank and my mind wondered back and forth...
Where and what is Love, I ask the question.the water. And in the moment, with the gratitude and the feeling, I felt Love. Love for water, love for taps, for pipes that brought water to my home, love for clean water, to all the people who made this possible and of course To all the Great Beings. Love to the to the water itself.
Standing in the shower a few days later, I found myself being appreciative of the delicious warm water running on me, especially more so after my holiday witnessing many a women carrying 25Lt of water on her head, this water to wash her and her family, to cook with and to drink. With this feeling in me, I was then reminded that Love is not a thought, to be reasoned with, Love is a feeling, an emotion... And as I lifted my gaze, shook my head clear of the too-ing and fro-ing of my endless thoughts, I realized the reason I was enjoying this warm water, was because I was feeling it. The knocking stopped and something happened, my feeling world starting expanding. I had another leap of gratitude, I was feeling.
Using this rediscovered feeling of love, I then engaged with my day a bit slower than usual, reminding myself to journey out of the comforts of the mind and to the things, and to engage to my experiences with Love. I started looking at everything in my home, and as soon as I saw it, I then softened my gaze and really saw it. My favorite teapot: how many cups of tea it has made, flashes of friends, tea parties, alone time swirling around me and my heart started filling with gratitude and appreciation,... and I felt love. Love for this beloved teapot, too all my people. Then my eyes moved to my orchids who are blooming again, so much Love that they can produce these exquisite flowers from a stalk... My cat who loves me regardless, as I touched her soft fur, I felt these waves extended to her... Almost like I was purring from my finger tips. Imagine the surprise I got when I decided to Love the water I was drinking, the surprise was more from the taste, it was like drinking nectar. Looking at the mountain as I was leaving home, with full adoration, even made me a little teary (ssshhhh, do not tell anyone :),
Within a short time, I had this silly little grin on my face and was seeing, feeling and experiencing love everywhere.. Mmm, this made sense, the more I focused on the love in me, the more I could feel the love around me. Whilst driving down Main Road, feeling all the love that people had put into the buildings, making the road, planting the trees, the love that our city as a collective feels
It then made me realize that these 'things' were mostly here and around me, why had I not felt this Love about them before? What was different... They are constant, so what had changed? I was then reminded of the age old saying that Love comes from Within, then I can feel it all around me...
All of this Love that is around us all the time!! And all I need to do is to feel it in me.
Really as simple as that you may ask? Instead of taking my word for it, rather give it try it for yourself.
Wishing you a love-ly day
Dawn Penny
Hints and Tips
Start with Gratitude, being grateful and appreciative: For having clean drinking water flowing readily from the taps, eye sight so you can see all these beautiful things, for hearing: so you can listen to the sounds of your day, your children speak, music... Hands and fingers, the soldiers of our bodies that allow us to do things, appreciating food and being able to eat. For your health. Thank each and everything and person you encountered in an hour regardless, of what they present to you.
Be grateful towards yourself, thank yourself for everything you are doing. Stand in front of the mirror, look yourself in the eyes and say: I love and adore myself, thank you for being you, thank you for being me.
The more you fill yourself with love, the easier it will be to recognise it in others.
Helpful affirmations:
I Love and accept myself
I fully Love and accept myself, perfect as I am.
I feel Love in everyone and in all things
I am Love
I am filled with and radiate Love
For more in depth healing:
I can highly recommend using the Ho'opononpono technique using
I love you, I am sorry, Please forgive me, Thank you,
.
