The Role of Self-Love in Spiritual Development

The Role of Self-Love in Spiritual Development

Why is self-love necessary for spiritual development? On the Arhatic Yoga path we learn that good self-esteem is part of being humble. We need to perceive who we are rightly and accurately. We see clearly our weaknesses and without judgment we work to grow in those areas. We recognize our strengths and give permission to embrace them and feel good about them. Being humble is not false modesty where we say we are not as good at something as we actually are, or pretend to be worse than we are for fear of appearing arrogant. It is knowing oneself deeply and honestly, embracing and loving all of it for growth, and developing genuine confidence in strengths and using them.

In order to achieve this we have to develop mindfulness of our thoughts, our self-talk, and our emotional and physical reactions to situations. For example, how we receive a compliment for a job well-done, or how quickly we learn from making mistakes, reflects what we believe about ourselves. We all have subconscious patterns and reaction cycles we’ve developed through our life experiences and to grow spiritually we often need to reprogram them. We can do this more rapidly through self-love. As we look at ourselves we have to be mindful of what is ours and aware of what is not. When we recognize reaction cycles that no longer serve us we also want to shift into our higher will so we can respond rather than react based on subconscious programming.

Here are two techniques that will help you get started. Part of what makes them so powerful is that they can be done anywhere, anytime, no matter the situation you are in. The more often they are done the deeper you will feel the impact.

Try this:
Take a moment to check in with yourself. What are you feeling? Get an honest feel for your general state of being. And when you are ready say:

“Do these feelings belong to me, or to someone else?”

You may feel a subtle or significant lift. It is okay if you don’t feel anything, we are developing our awareness.  Before asking the question you thought it all belonged to you. This reminds us we are in a sea of energy and can be unconsciously absorbing from our environment and cords. Now that you’ve lightened your load and know what is not yours, you know what parts of you are presenting for healing.

When you feel a strong emotion it means you are ready to bring more consciousness and healing to an aspect of yourself.  It will continue to arise as the pain which wants your attention attempts to heal, making room for you to experience more divine light. Just as we learn in Pranic Healing that the Soul, or I AM is the driver and the body is the car, we can look at our emotions as if they are the sensor lights, letting us know what area we need to send more love to.

If you are feeling discomfort such as anger,  sadness,  anxiety,  worry, loneliness, etc., do not judge these things. Let it be an alert that a part of you that needs to heal has been touched on or triggered and now as the witness to your alert system you are given the opportunity to give yourself the love that at some point you needed but didn’t receive. It is not an evil ego which needs to be stamped out, as this perspective puts you in conflict with yourself.  It is a part of you waiting to step into the light of higher consciousness through your divine love so the lesson can be integrated for your spiritual evolution. When we shift our understanding in this way we become empowered in our own healing journey realizing that we are not dependent on anything outside ourselves to feel better. We are already connected to all that we need. We simply need to practice taking the opportunity to shine Divine Light and Love on ourselves when darkness, or less conscious aspects, are presented.

Bring your attention to your heart chakra.  You may wish to take a few breaths here or touch your heart.  Whatever you are feeling say “I love the One who is….(fill in the blank).”

i.e. “I love the one who is sad“, “I love the one who is angry“, “I love the one who feels unworthy“, “I love the one who is afraid of rejection“, “I love the one who does not want to forgive“, etc.

You may feel that you are a very self-loving person but then realize it feels funny or difficult at first when you do say “I love you” to yourself. This only shows more that you are in need of your own love.  If you are reading this then you are ready.

You may find that once one feeling dissolves another arises.  You can continue loving through the layers for as long as feels comfortable. This practice can go much deeper, but this is the beginning. With these simple techniques we interrupt our usual reaction cycle,  and our new response system becomes “I Love”. This also reprograms our often flawed subconscious patterning by bringing consciousness to areas that mostly run on autopilot. We create strong healthy thought forms. As Master Co says “big fish eats small fish”.

In Pranic Psychotherapy we learn that when there is a strong attachment we wish to disintegrate or remove we are more successful to send love to it first over a period of time to weaken it. We also see the cleansing effects of loving energy in the cancer protocol. The answer is always more love, not less. (Matt Kahn)

Author Bio

Amy Williams is a Professional Biofield Therapist specializing in helping caregivers become an EnergeticAlly using Universal Laws and Self-Love. She has been professionally using bioenergy since 2011. Aside from certifications in Pranic Healing, Arhatic Yoga, Oneness Blessings and an Associates of Applied Science, her personal thirst for knowledge has lead her to explore a wide variety of holistic practices, anthropology, religion, and child rearing. She coaches on her website www. ParentingThroughPrana.com and is running an online Self-Love Bootcamp.