I always think of John Lennon's famous song, "Love is All You Need," when I engage in this practice. It's a deep statement, despite being trivialized as a pop song.
I believe that love fulfills all needs one way or another. Love finds the starving child and feeds her. Love finds the depression of the financially distraught and gives them hope. Love finds the broken-hearted and reveals the love of self. There is truly nothing love cannot change or heal.
The thing about us humans is that we have that choice thing. We can choose to be loving and happy, or choose to be hateful and sad, about any circumstance. Sure, some circumstances are more or less life-threatening than others, yet we still can choose to love even in the worst of circumstances, and in doing so, turn those circumstances around. Can we expect to do that by NOT being loving?
The truth is, the universe loves love. Love amplifies itself--the more you feel it, the more there is. Hence, my little practice I call "Feeling Love." Here's what I do:
- After my yoga asanas I chant to myself, "I love you" a few times.
- While I'm walking I look up at the wispy clouds, feel the breeze and the sun on my face, and give thanks in love for the moment.
- Something unexpected or negative happens, and I love that I was there to experience and learn from it.
- I think of all my friends and family and how much I love them.
- I just sit in silence and feel love for being alive and being who I am.
- I catch myself being critical of myself or another, and love that I have a choice to be otherwise.
