Treat Yourself to a Day of Self-LOVE
Our hearts light up and our faces are filled with joy expressed with smiles, hugs and kisses. What is it about Love that has such an extraordinary effect on our lives? It is because Love is our true nature. It is the essence of Who we truly are. So when we take pleasure in giving it and feel elated in receiving, we are connecting to that Divine spark of Goodness within each and every sentient Being. When we give or offer anything with Love, it is always felt just as anything which is given with fear, obligation or guilt. Our hearts represent Love, Compassion and Forgiveness.
Saint Valentine’s Day is an official international date to express how we feel about others, by using all of our senses through decorative cards, music , flowers and scrumptious chocolates. To be mesmerized by the colors, design and written words of Love perfectly placed on a beautiful sheet of stationery; listening to the endless collections of music and lyrics married to create a song (I believe that at least 90% of melodies are about Love); to appreciate the fragrance and behold the abundance of hues in roses like the red Mr. Lincoln; and to taste every morsel of fine whipped chocolate filled with nuts, fruit or liqueurs are always to embrace this holiday. It has been said that this day is a plus only for the florists, candy makers and card designers. However, if you focus on the gifts and talents of artists who create such immeasurable beauty combined with your intention to give your Love, then this is truly the real gift.
In the event of so many global and personal changes and challenges, we are being encouraged to focus on gratitude of all that is present in our lives. Our lives can change in a heartbeat. The feeling of being “Greatful” is a gateway which literally opens the flood gates for more abundance of all good things to enter our lives. When we express gratitude for our loved ones including those who are furry and feathered, our gifts and talents, a great cup of tea or coffee at our favorite café, our health and the faith to continue on this earthly journey, then magic and miracles seem to appear in synchronistic ways. Magic is our heart’s desires manifested in perfect Divine timing, but in ways which are only for our Highest and Greates Good! The universal law of anchoring in Self-Love is paramount in expanding this love out to others. We cannot give what we do not possess, or believe we do not have and life is about the balance of all good things; giving = receiving. Thus is it inherent to celebrate this holiday by giving our selves Love in the way of gifts, private time and nurturing. Let’s celebrate Love NOW with all of its colors, aromas, tastes and emotions. Let February be the beginning of honoring Love in your daily life. Feel with your Heart Palace, where your Intuition resides and trust in knowing what resonates for you. Create a magical Saint Valentine’s celebration.
Treat Yourself to a Day of Self-LOVE
1) Grounding Yourself:
Upon awakening in the morning, ground yourself by connecting your Root Chakra (at the base of your spine) to the crystalline diamond ruby core of Mother Gaia. Then place your hands over your heart while sending Love and Light to yourself. Do this whenever you feel the desire to console yourself.
2) As You Are Awakening BE in Gratitude:
for what you have; your beautiful children that look like your twin; their giggles and their boo-boos, your pets that love to cuddle knowing just when you need it.
3)Luxuriate in A Bath:
with comforting geranium bath salts infused with rose and geranium. Add a rose quartz crystal to deepen the connection with your Heart Palace, since water is the element of the emotions. Add dried rose petals and smell their fragrance as their precious oils are released into the warm water. In the shower, tablets such as purifying eucalyptus, relaxing lavender and reviving peppermint will release their aromatic healing essences. Treat yourself to a rose oil body wash, lotion or oil by Weleda. Light fragrant candles such as Love created with rose and jasmine from Tru Melange. Captivating is made with cassia and vanilla. Passion is created with clove bud and vanilla. Aphrodesia has lemon and ylang ylang and Refresh is designed with bergamot and lime.
4) More Ways to Pamper Yourself:
Indulge in a rose facial cleanser from Au Naturel Botanicals, rose facial creams by Weleda and a rose face care kit by Evan Healy. Spritz your entire body with neroli rose or rose pomegranate facial mist by Primavera and other mists by Acure, Wild Carrot Herbals and Jurlique.
5) “I Feel Pretty”
Wear red or pink intimate apparel, a rose quartz necklace, bracelet or earring. List to “My Funny Valentine” by Miles Davis.
6) Honor Your Inner Child
who yearns to walk in the rain, jump into puddles and eat a hot fudge sundae dripping with chocolate and extra nuts from an ice cream parlor like “Two Scoops” or “Salt and Straw” in Portland, Oregon. Create your own banana split with “Coconut Bliss” ice cream, “Honey Mama’s” chocolate, organic raw nuts, bananas and strawberries, all dairy free. Please, no whipped cream we are on a diet. Read your favorite fairy tale. Browse through the magnificent books by Charlotte Dumaresq Hunt known as “Demi” for their authenticity, stories and exquisite art. These masterpieces include “One Grain of Rice”, “The Hungry Coat”, “The Legend of Saint Nicholas”, “The Greatest Power”, “Gandhi” and Saint Francis of Assisi which are usually found in the children’s section.
7) Spend Some Time in Nature:
Nature is a natural healer because it cleanses our aura, aligns our chakras and is very grounding especially when you connect with the tree spirits. Listen for their wisdom and the first thing which comes to mind, is the message, however you must practice this and know that only the loving words are the message. Washington Park in Portland, OR. has an area which I have claimed as the Magical Kingdom. It has been a perfect place for my guided meditations, private healing sessions for people and pets and creating my cards. Did you know that Portland was officially founded on February 14? The Self-Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine in Pacific Palisades, CA., is a serene Shangri-La , located one-quarter of a mile from the Pacific Ocean with magical gifts for all of your senses, especially your intuitive. Thoughts and ideas come forth which give you clarity and guidance, as you meditate or observe the lake filled with poi fish, ducks and graceful swans. An occasional hummingbird makes its’ presence known. For me they represent good luck on whatever I am thinking. Washington Park has an area I have claimed as the Magical Kingdom, it has been a perfect place for my guided meditations and private healing sessions.
8) How Do I Love Me? Let Me Count the Ways:
One beautiful stationery write yourself a Love letter expressing all of your gifts and talents. Create a Love or Forgiveness poem. Send yourself an exquisite card via post, seal it with a kiss in red or pink lip color and lightly spritz with your favorite eau de parfum or eau de toilette.
9) Treat Yourself as a Special Love:
Celebrate the Love you have for YOU and a St. Valentine’s Day to remember. Days before take your time shopping for wonderful organic and nutritious groceries at a Farmer’s Market or your favorite grocery store. Wake up with the sunrise, take a short walk and send your heart’s desires out into the Universe feeling and affirming that they have already manifested. Wear your favorite outfit with something red and go about your day silently sending everyone you meet Love and Light. Yes, even your boss! You will be surprised how the energy shifts. Savor a cup of tea, coffee or hot chocolate in an antique bone china set. You can peruse the local antique shops and second hand stores for a treasure. Create your own ceremony in buying the beverage, making it with Love and add a gateau of pastry. Use only natural spring water. Try coconut, hemp seed or macadamia nut milk. Sip it slowly while looking out at the rain, the sunset or watching your favorite movie. Listen to meditative music or the sounds of Chris Botti, his trumpet is like the horn of Archangel Gabriel. In the evening prepare your favorite meal. Take time and serve it on your most beautiful dishes, with candlelight and music, perhaps “Mozart”, “Hayden” or “Vivaldi”. Take a bath with real rose petals, bath salts scented with roses or lavender for relaxing from “ dōTERRA essential oils" which are also ingestible. Light scented candles from Tru Melange perfectly placed in your home, even if it is a one room studio or just your own room. Gaze at the flame of a white candle and surrender your wishes. Following immersion into this element of the emotions, moisturize your skin with a lightly scented lotion or body oil. . Pharmaca Integrative Pharmacy has an extraordinary selection of local and international organic and naturally created skin care products. Patronize local and organic skin care lines. Wear your favorite nightwear from a local lingerie store such as “Lille” in Portland. They offer exquisite selections of natural fibers such as silk, cashmere, cotton and linen which allow the skin to breathe. Treat yourself to beautiful set of bed cotton linens from "French Quarter Linens". Think of all the ways in which Love has shown up in your life within the past year. Promise to be an extension of this Love and it will return to you infinite fold. Write a letter on beautiful stationery with your favorite pen, professing your new Life filled with someone special and exactly how it feels and tastes. Lovingly Bless and release it by safely burning it outside and say “this or something greater“. Begin writing in a Gratitude journal with a red pen.
10) A Little Decadence:
Enjoy a few decadent chocolates from Bissinger, Teuscher of Switzerland, Divine Chocolates, Leonidas or Lake Champlain. I love the organic creations of Verdun of Lebanon enveloped in vibrant foil, either dark or milk with nuts, nougat, coconut, sesame or plain. Cacao has an extraordinary selection of dark chocolates from the entire globe and they even have an eau de toilette. Yumm!
11) The Scent of A Rose:
Set one precious rose or just a few colorful flowers on the table and add a tuberose stem for enhanced aroma.
12) Create The Love and Intimacy Bagua:
this is always in the far right corner from the entrance in any physical space.
13) Healing Flower Essences:
Spirit-in-Nature has flower essences for people and pets which can support the healing in every aspect of our physical, mental and emotional life. The Grape essence represents Love and is perfect for grieving and the challenges of feeling lost, abandoned or abused. Pear essence is a rescue remedy and Peach is great for babies and children which have been taken from their mother too early. They have all been lovingly created by Ms. Lila Devi and the Spirit of the Ascended Master Parahmansa Yogananda.
14) A Feast for You:
Prepare your favorite meal, perhaps an appetizer with grapes, apples, pears and even non-dairy cheeses. Dessert can be a simple shortbread cookie and a cup of Sweet Rose Tulsi Tea by Organic India. The Republic of Tea has Strawberry Chocolate, Get Heart and Raspberry Rose Hibiscus. You are the sweetness in the drink.
Just for Your Beloveds, Loved Ones and Others
1) Choose a Few People Whom You Love and Adore:
and send them very special Valentine’s cards by “Papyrus“or create your own. Enclose a sprinkle of tiny hearts and kisses. Wear your favorite lipstick and put your pucker as a seal on the envelope; a loving trademark from my own Mama.
2) Send a Forgiveness Card:
to someone you love or care for, make it simple and with your intention send it to the person and out into the universe. Imagine that All is forgiven as well as yourself. In my medical and healing practice I have discovered that we may take years to forgive one another, but we take even longer to forgive ourselves.
3) Send Flowers:
that are chosen with all the Love in your heart. Go to the florist and choose just One or several. Each flower has a special meaning and significance, as well as the color and fragrance. Flowers and plants are very healing; roses represent Love but their scent is also healing for grief. "Pink Floyd" are red or a bright pink and have an extraordinary fragrance.
4) Send or Give Beautiful Cards:
from Papyrus or design your own. Seal them with a kiss wearing a nice red or pink color. Spritz with an uplifting Mandarin Tea or Honey Coconut with Vanilla by Love and Toast. Give to people who have newly entered your life. Send cards to someone who has lost a loved one, a returning Vet or a person in their golden years who lives alone. Give silent kisses and hugs of Love and JOY to everyone whom you meet that day and beyond. Anything given with Love is always a Blessing and A Gift.
5) A Day with Someone Special:
Create a wonderful fantasy about what you love most about this person, how you first met, the nuances of their Being and why you are “greatful” for their presence in your life today. Pick a theme, like travel, art or chocolate. Watch the film “Chocolat”: uUse skin care products with real chocolate aroma. Be creative. Appreciate the small treasures of a few truffles. “Cacao” has a myriad of chocolates to taste as well as skin care. Try the drinking chocolate from “Teuscher Chocolates of Switzerland”. Their colorful boxes comes in many sizes. The Chocolaterie Bernard houses its treats in shiny copper boxes. Chocolove contains a love poem in the wrapper, Endangered Species is very nature informative and Dagoba has Lavender Blueberry, Beaucoup Berries and Mint. Enjoy the decadence of long stemmed organic strawberries.
6) Take Time:
to silently tell everyone whom you love, why you are “greatful” that they were born and a part of your life. Forgive everyone. It is important to forgive the person even when you cannot forgive the act.
7) Spend Time
sending love to Mother Earth and all the Sentient Beings on the planet.
8) Create A Wonderful Cuisine Night
with everyone’s favorites, buying organic ingredients with care and preparing with Love.
9) Remember
that whatever you give, only give with Love rather than with guilt or obligation. The energy of your giving can always be felt.
10) Please No TV or Violent Media
Suggestions for All Year
1) It is also African-American history month. Visit an African-American museum. The one in Los Angeles is ever new and changing, located near the USC campus downtown and in proximity to other museums. Visit the Museum of Tolerance.
2) Offer someone who may not have a physical home, a warm meal given with Love. Donate some of your clothes, clean and mended in a nice gift bag.
3) Create a gift bag for yourself or as a birthday gift. One with hearts or the colors of gold and pink along with matching pink tissue paper, heart-shaped soaps, scented candle, a few boxed chocolates, bath salts, aromatherapy oil, a bottle of wine or juice, a Putumayo CD and a blessing on artistic stationery scented with your favorite fragrance.
4) Make your own holiday cards and purchase the material from a toy store or an art supply store. Patronize the privately owned neighborhood shops to help their businesses flourish. Refrain from doing most of your shopping on-line. Seventy percent of monetary abundance from locally purchased goods remains in the community. Otherwise we are creating a world filled with big box stores.
5) Buy a mandala coloring book for children or adults along with crayons and colored pencils, my favorites are Faber-Castell water color pencils. A mandala has various geometric designs usually circular which symbolize the universe as in Hinduism and Buddhism, to assist in meditation and healing. Spend quiet time coloring. Frame it in an area of your home which needs an energy boost. Buy semi precious gemstones to encourage healing, attract abundance and release dense energies which no longer serve your life. Rose Quartz is for Love, forgiveness and calmness, and is perfect to place on your computer protecting you from the draining energy which is emitted; Malachite is for healing a broken heart as well as Rose Quartz and strengthening the immune system; Jade is for prosperity as well as the health of the kidneys and legs; Amethyst is for assistance in clairvoyance and protection from dense energy. Recharge the stones in natural sunlight for several hours before wearing, holding and using. Read about the different cleansing needs for each crystal in the book by Cassandra Eason “Healing Crystals: An Illustrated Guide to 150 Crystals and Gemstones”.
6) Begin to slowly and lovingly go through closets, boxes, garages and attics and clean out all that no longer serves a purpose for your new life. Decide what to keep, donate, recycle and discard. Spray with a sage solution or smudge with dried sage, cleansing the lower or dense energies of dust, staleness which have accumulated in the corners of the room and on the items. This releases the old emotions of grief, anger, rage, blame and shame. Articles can be donated to the missions, women’s shelters, the Vet centers and families who have lost so much in the fires, floods, and earthquakes. These are sometimes very painful wake-up calls from Mother Earth telling us that we must Love and Honor one another and extend this to her. Hand these items personally to those who are open to receiving while looking in their eyes and feel the love and appreciation. You and your home will feel much lighter.
7) When paying for any transaction lovingly hand the money, a check or credit card to the person while looking at them. Money is also known as currency thus it is the exchange of energy. As it is given, it will come back into your life.
8) Spend much needed time at a local spa like Root Whole Body in Portland, Oregon or rA Organic Spa in Burbank, California. They use wonderful natural and organic products to cleanse, soothe, exfoliate and hydrate your skin influencing and elevating the vibrational frequency of the mind, body and spirit.
9) Begin a Yoga class which helps you clear and align your chakras, enhancing your strength, clarity and self-Love. It is a wonderful way to relax, connect to your Higher Self and meet new people. Sitting in the Lotus position, in the shape of a pyramid is a sacred geometric configuration. A good Yoga instructor will always encourage and accommodate any student regardless of their physical or mental challenges.
10) Have a warm and cuddly evening with yourself or with your loved ones. Sit on the balcony or in the garden. Savor warm soups or a casserole and play music by the “Gershwins”, “Cole Porter” and “Duke Ellington” sung by “Ella Fitzgerald”, “Sarah Vaughn”, “Sam Cooke”, “Dinah Washington”, “Nat King Cole” singing our favorites or Emilio Pericolo singing “Al Di La”.
11) Have great meals with friends and family, preparing them together with wonderful conversation and laughter while creating unforgettable memories. Dance or play board games. No microwaves, TV or DVD’s, Please.
12) Always express to your children and pets how much you love them. Play animal healing CD’s for your furry children when they are alone especially for many hours. Cuddle them. Let them into a special window of your heart. Use the “Spirit-in-Nature” flower essences to support you and them in the changes and challenges of their lives.
13) BE an Earth Angel to a colleague or neighbor for whom life has been truly challenging. Leave small gifts on their desk or at the door. Write a Blessing on a beautifully designed note card. The people who challenge us the most are often our greatest teachers.
14) It is common to feel energetic in the early part of the day and once going out into the world or after having an uneasy conversation, our energy feels drained. This is due to our thoughts, words and deeds as well those of others which remain in our magnetic field, known as our aura. It can have breaks and tears like the human body. One way to renew, rejuvenate and cleanse the aura is to bathe in water with sea, Epsom and Himalayan salts or apple cider vinegar. If you only have a shower, you can use eucalyptus shower tablets by “Aura Cacia” or just gently rub your body with a fine sea salt and then rinse. Sesame seed oil is also used for purifying our aura.
15) Communicate with your Beloved Divine Entourage like the Archangels St. Michael for protection, St. Raphael for healing, abundance and travel. There are Saints in many belief systems, as well as our own Guardian Angels and those that have passed on like our Oma, Nanna or childhood pets who can assist, support and even intervene in our lives. However, we must ask silently or out loud, because Mother Gaia is a planet of Free Will.
16) Honor your sensitivities to foods, fragrances, fabrics, places and any other energies. Being sensitive is a Gift!
© 2008 Berta M. Hines, M.D.
A Wonderful Vegetarian and Gluten-Friendly Meal at "Veggi Grill" in downtown Portland, OR.
