Wednesday, June 6, 2007

Celebrate... You!

Open... and suddenly you are unwrapping your greatest gift... YOU!

We give so much. We nurture, we coddle, we support, we council. We wipe the tears of our children, our friends, our lovers. We nurse our dear ones back to health with gentle, loving kindness and patience. We take the time to cook a meal or run an errand for those who can’t, and goddess knows what else. But, how do we practice this way for us? How do we open to our own Self…to honor, nurture, coddle our own being?

When I get into those times when I am my own worst critic, or not cutting myself enough slack, I try to remember to ask myself “What would you tell your best friend?” And, suddenly, I am forced to step away from my overly critical, narrow perspective to a more gentler and compassionate place. (Why does it always seem easier to do it for others?)

There is truth in the old adage “You can’t truly love another until you can love yourself”. To open to our own pain, our own difficulties and embrace them without judgment and with acceptance is a gift we can give ourselves (and others) time and again – because if we don’t give enough care to ourselves, we cannot be fully present for those who need us.

Let us allow our Lady Guru to TRULY celebrate her own light so it may shine even more brightly for others!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Sat Nam!! ain't that the truth! I have heard many of those same words leaving my lips lately, even to the point of saying, "be selfish". Take care of yourself first, just like they say on an airplane, "put the mask on yourself first, then help the person next to you." And we must, we must help ourselves first, and then from that overflow we can help another.

Further, I actually will go out on a limb here and say that when we help another, to the point of depleting or bringing harm to ourselves, I wonder just how much of that help is truly authentic. In other words, are we then not really helping the other with an ulterior motive, are we not helping the other to manipulate or gain from that help. So then our help is not really for the other, but more for us. Hmmm, something to ponder the next time you are "helping out."

Is it for you or the other? Give from an overflowing cup is what I believe. and that's just my opinion.

love you, kajisan
dbl

Anonymous said...

Yes, I agree with you both. Right now, I'm depleated... so many areas of life, and one imporatant personal phase dying out...and there is no time because of all I have commitments for. Must change, will change, as soon as the schedule lets up...which I, thankfully, have programed in!

Nan Patience said...

Sometimes when I'm in a place of depletion, I realize that it's because I haven't given enough, and the only way to turn the cycle around is to give more. I also tune into "the universe" more because there are always gifts flowing, and all I have to do is notice them and be grateful.

My husband has a good saying: "expect nothing, blame no one, do something." Sometimes our expectations and blaming are out of whack with reality.

Anonymous said...

My question is how do you take care of yourself and not do so much for others without feeling quilty. I have tried so hard to say that two letter word "NO" so many times but fear of letting others down. Yet when others are not there for me I wonder how do they not feel bad?

Are you actually madder at the person for asking something of you or madder at yourself for not being able to say "I am sorry I can't help you out."

I am still learning to say NO at at times I am able to do but at times I still find myself running in 10 different directions while others around me are sitting idle. But this is who I am, and only I can change myself. My husband tells me in different situations "this is not yours to own" but I have the tendency to make it mine. Which in turn depleats me emotionally and physically.