Soulshine

   On this Valentine's Day, I offer you a prayer for self-love and self-nurturing:     Love is God’s gift to me. It is a gift I choose to accept today. I will walk into the sunshine of God’s love and allow each love-ray to enliven my soul. As I bask in this great warmth, I will share it with myself— allowing myself to feel my own inner-love for simply being me.    I will nurture that love by kissing my shoulders, by wrapping my arms around myself and giving myself a heart-warming hug. Then I will take time to do something else nurturing for me, like taking a long, gentle walk. It will give me time to talk to my Higher Power and to strengthen my body. Next, I will eat a meal filled with fruits and vegetables. And finally, I will do something I love: Read a book, take a nap, or watch a movie.    Later I will make time for friends. I will call a friend or family member and connect on an emotional and spiritual level. In these and...

I’ve talked with many people recently who are struggling with their concept of a Higher Power having to be “God.” So I’ve suggested that they think of Love as being their Higher Power. It doesn’t have to be Higher Love, just love itself. Even if a person doesn’t believe in God or some form of higher being or even Spirit, he/she will more often than not acknowledge to me that they believe in love as a powerful force within themselves and within the world. I don’t personally know of anyone who doesn’t believe that love is a spiritual experience. Love is a spiritual experience and a powerful force that guides each of us from within. In doing so, love connects us and unites us; making it a truly powerful force throughout this world we live in. It’s also easy to pray by substituting the word “love” for the word “God.” For example, we can say the Serenity Prayer in this manor: Love grant me serenity to accept the things I cannot change, courage to change the things I can a...