Good morning dear souls and happy Valentine’s Day!

Valentine’s Day can spark a wide range of emotions for different people. Some love the holiday, some feel it was created by Hallmark as a clever marketing campaign, and still others dislike the day because it reminds them of past lovers.

Personally, I feel that any holiday that focuses on love is a good thing. The world needs more love. Not just romantic love, but the love that connects us all.

Today I invite you to pause, breathe, and remember that you are all that you seek. You are enough, and you and everyone you encounter are pure love.

If you are feeling disconnected from this truth, try a short metta meditation. It’s one of the things I do when I want to feel a deep and sincere human connection because it reminds me that we are all one. Metta is the Pali word (the language of the Buddha) for loving-kindness. The full metta meditation and instructions for practice will be the topic of an upcoming newsletter, but for now, you can try this short form of the practice on your own at home.

To begin, find a quiet place and sit with an upright, open hearted, relaxed posture. Then, take a few moments to just feel your breath, the in and the out, with no expectations or judgment. If thoughts arise, notice them, then choose to gently come back to the present moment and the sensations arising from your breath.

After you feel settled, the next step is to send well wishes to yourself for about two minutes. In the second half of the meditation, you send well wishes to all beings everywhere. The whole meditation takes just five to ten minutes from start to finish, and it's a wonderful way to reaffirm the knowledge that we are love.

A classic example of metta phrases that you can repeat silently are:

May I be happy.
May I be at peace.
May I live with ease.
May I be free from suffering.

Then,

May all beings be happy.
May all beings be at peace.
May all beings live with ease.
May all beings be free from suffering.

To finish, take a few more deep breaths, and then when you’re ready, open your eyes.

At first these phrases may seem forced or fake, but as long as your intention is true, there’s no need to worry! I practiced with the traditional phrases for some time before realizing that I preferred to repeat something different. For years now, I have been using these phrases instead: “May I be happy, May I be healthy, May I be free from fear.” These are the sayings that resonate with me, but you should feel free to experiment with phrases that feel most natural to you. Remember: you don’t need to get hung up on the words - it is your intentions that matter most.

Much love, light, and breath,
Liz

P.S. If you're looking for a way to show yourself some love this week, I'd love for you to join me for a class! Click over to my website to find my full yoga and Pilates studio schedules.