If you watch the advertisements & socials, it seems that no February can be complete without things like expensive jewelry, lavish dinners, decadent chocolates, or romantic getaways. If these things don’t happen to come your way, it can leave you with a sense of feeling left out, unloved, or even missing out on life. But even if you do find a beautiful wrapped gift on your pillow this month, the excitement and joy that it may bring soon fades as life again speeds by with all its demands and distractions. Truthfully, the only lasting peace comes from cultivating a sense of presence. Of here and now-ness. Because that peace and joy we so desire is already right here inside each and every one of us. All you need to do is remove all the things we keep busy with and collect that cover it up. Seems so very simple, and yet… this is the daily practice of Yoga.
Nothing says “I love you” like giving the gift of your full attention in our relationships with others, as well as ourselves. In this way, we might even say that attention IS love. In our relationships, we might take any opportunity to put away all distractions and take a deep breath before you answer the phone, begin a conversation, or walk in the door when returning home. Take any opportunity to really listen as a loved one or coworker speaks. Let go of the need to prepare your response, and just be present, and listen with your whole self.
And in the same way, giving yourself the incredible gift of your own attention is the highest form of self care. While you are on your yoga mat, you can use your asana practice to pay close and kind attention to the sensations in your physical and energetic body. We can practice letting go of judgement and just allowing what is happening right here and now. The practices on our mat help us off the mat, too. When we notice that we are caught in future tripping, or negative thought loops, we can learn to pause, return to the breath, and begin again in this moment with our full, gentle attention. Giving our SELF all the love that we can, in every moment.
You can search throughout the entire universe for someone who is more deserving of your love and affection than you are yourself, and that person is not to be found anywhere. You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe deserve your love and affection. -Buddha
