Sowing the Seeds of LOVE

February is a time for you to define what it means to Love Yourself, to recalibrate your self-nourishing practices and to push yourself to say, “I love you ________” (insert your name). Tell the one person who deserves to know it more than anyone— that’s you!

February is named after Februa, the Roman ritual of cleansing. So, in the process of some yoga kriyas, let’s clear out some of those ‘internal stories’ and patterning of mental thoughts that can be self-deprecating and lead to self-doubt. Stories acting like a tune that is forever repeating, scratching and changing our heart frequency of LOVE can be tuned off when we switch the station to boost self-esteem and new patterns for Sowing the Seeds of LOVE. As Tears For Fears lyrics say “ anything is possible when we are sowing the seeds of LOVE.”  

Let’s make February about self-study and self-love, and sow those seeds of our own love.  Treat yourself as you would someone dear to you with support and love for all aspects of your life, with self-compassion, acceptance, patience and loving kindness. You learn these qualities with your yoga practices when you take time to hear the beating of your own heart and move in the connection of working with your breath and a singing supportive tune.

Sometimes self-love is the hardest love to give and receive. It takes practice to reframe and create  neurological  pathways of positive self -talk  building resilience against going into old grooves as you tap into your source for expansion. Tapping into an endless wellspring of love and limitless possibilities requires us to dig deep and listen to our innate human intelligence and our universal (true) self in meditation. It’s not easy letting the dark thoughts have a place to run around. Deep in our heart is where we do the inner work, out of getting pulled in the directions of thoughts in out head.  No one else can do that for you.  If you’re ever feeling down or unworthy, try writing a love letter to yourself as if it is meant for a person near and dear to you. You may be surprised on the healing energy that can move around if you treat yourself with some equanimity towards your thoughts. It requires you to step out of your head and look at yourself as a dear friend.

Self-love is a choice that requires conscious intention and the willingness to take personal responsibility for our own well-being. Here are some skillfully crafted integrative workshops that I am offering to help cultivate self-love and self-care in February in the Hudson Valley, NY. I do hope you can join me.

Magnificent Menopause

Feb 10 -Sat 11:30-1:30 am

Ascend Center, Cold Spring, NY

Monthly Yoga Nidra

Feb 14 -Wed 6:30-7:45pm

Ascend Center, Cold Spring, NY

 Yoga Wall Trios for Anxiety and Depression 

 Feb 6,13, 20 -Tues   4:00- 5:15 pm

Ful-Being Collective, Wappingers Falls , NY

(please email me directly if this fills up – I will run workshop again)

Cultivating the Home Practice

Feb 17 -Sat 9:30-11:30 am

Ful-Being Collective, Wappingers Falls , NY

All relationships require work, time and love if you want a healthy one.   Acknowledging what we see and hear is half the battle to making skillfulchoices to change the tune on what we don’t want. When something is painful, we can run away or choose to learn by looking deeply into the pain. Ask yourself “Is there something I avoid with the pain?”  And on the flipside, there is pleasure. A good driver for action but it too can be imbalanced leaning towards addiction. Careful. Ask yourself, “Is there something I always attach to that I keep forever[MM1]  ? “ Both avoidance (dvesha)and attachment  (raga) can be obstacles in the mind  that cause suffering leading to reactions that send us off balance. These obstacles are two of the Kleshas in yoga philosophy. Pain and Pleasure, and our relationship and reactions to them, can be powerful tools in seeing how we tint our own personal lens of self-perception and outward seeing with “rosy red “ tinted glasses. Yoga teaches us to see with equanimity so we can move forward and not be caught in a loop of poor choices, silly reactions or actions that are not from a place of awareness and self-love.

Will you add self-care and self-love as a priority into your day this month ? Will you fuel your own heart ?  

You don’t need anyone else’s approval, love or friendship to be whole. It comes from you as your pilot light because you were born . Now make sure that light is lit and  affirm to yourself – that your love is from you and for you.

Affirmations to say to yourself to light  yourself up!

I am significant.

I am worthy.

I am beautiful.

I am creative.

I am smart.

I am strong.

I am enough.

I am love.

Xoxoxoxo

Dani 

PS

If you need more encouragement to nurture yourself for heartful, healthy, creative living  

If you need professional help for mental health check out National Alliance on Mental Illness  as a resource in your area

If you are suicidal and in crisis mode reach out today