Just Love

Recently I had been going through some personally challenging times, dealing with the end of a relationship that had meant a great deal to me. I found that I often felt stuck in my wounded self, feeling like a victim and blaming the other. I had trouble moving into an intent to learn and being able to open my heart.

So I went to one of my favorite places in the world; a small cabin by a creek, to nurse my wounds and see if I could get reconnected with my feelings and my guidance about this situation. Spending time in nature, especially next to moving water, has always been a great source of nurturing and healing for me.

As I sat by the water and tuned into my feelings, I realized that, as aware as I was of the beauty surrounding me, I did not feel connected to it. My heart was still closed and I was cut off from being able to feel any joy or true appreciation of that beauty. So I asked for help. I asked my guidance, (even though at that moment I did not feel any connection to it) "What can I do to open my heart?"

Immediately an answer came into my mind: "First, just by asking the question, you have opened to the intent to learn. Now...just love. Find something, anything that you genuinely love now or have loved, and love it/them. If you can't feel it now, remember them, think of them and love, without any agenda"

So I tried that. I focused on the beauty of the water tumbling over the rocks and the deep blue of the summer sky, and how much I loved being there to witness this beauty. And in that moment, in an instant, I was infused with the warmth of a deep love mixed with gratitude. My heart was open! As simple as that, I was now able to feel compassion for the deep sadness over the loss of this relationship; to bring this compassion down to the part of me that was hurting. And then to access my guidance for other actions I could begin to take to help me through this challenging time.

I have since used this simple yet powerful technique many times, whenever I am feeling particularly stuck in my wounded self and having trouble moving into an intent to learn. I have found that it often works best when I choose something simple to "just love": a pet, nature. Something that it's easy to not have an "agenda" around. Then, after my heart is open, I can more easily move through the rest of the steps of inner bonding.