Valentine’s Day, 2011

I love to set intentions at the beginning of my day. Taking space to breathe, move, and meditate allows me to sit in space and remember what I really want to create. That’s when I remember that my life isn’t about moving faster so that I get more done—its richness comes from slowing down long enough to feel my body, drop into connection with myself, and tune into the deeper rhythms of life that I’m apt to otherwise miss.

I recently discovered that my best days begin with this intention:

It is my intention to love myself and all beings with whom I have contact.

When I step into this intention, I feel great relief. I have a sense of, oh, is that all I have to do? I don’t have to perform, or produce, or perfect?  I can just hang out and love people? That sounds so luxurious.

As I have ridden this intention through my day, the world has slowed and brightened for me, while my tasks have simplified. Loving people means pausing to connect with my partner, really hear her, look deeply into her eyes. It’s about slowing down to actually notice the clerks, security guards, people around me, letting myself imagine their lives, their inner worlds. It’s making loving choices for myself—what to eat, when to move, when to rest. I tune into the ongoing sweetness of moments that I otherwise miss as I’m not ahead of or behind myself, I’m in the flow.

As I ride the most powerful energetic wave there is—the wave of love—I feel what it’s like to inhabit love. To be IN love. I find that, when I land on that sweet spot of loving flow, the world sparkles and all beings glow. I often feel breathless with the sensation of being in love with all beings.

What do you think? Are you willing to ride the magic carpet of in-loveness, let it take you higher and higher? If so, please let me know what you discover.

Would you like to Add the Body to your psychotherapy, coaching, bodywork, clergy, or other practice with people? Come to Adding the Body: A New Paradigm for Coaching and Psychotherapy, with Kathlyn Hendricks, Ph.D. and Julia Colwell, Ph.D., March 4-6. Go here for more information.