Notes on Blessing Yourself
Lately I've discovered the most radical concept: self-blessing. Actually and fully taking a moment to bless yourself. I caught the first thread of this concept a few months ago while listening to a podcast about gratitude. In it, the speaker emphasized the importance of putting yourself on your gratitude list each and every day. If I wasn't here, in this body right now, living my life, there would indeed, be nothing else to be grateful for. It has to start with me.
Recently, during an online Kundalini class from (my new favorite) RAMA TV the theme was all about self-blessing. It challenged me - I had never heard self-love or self-care described with that same spiritual or sacred significance. I loved it. I realized, how can I ever expect to be blessed by others and with other opportunities if I don't take the time to first bless myself? Often we feel like we can relax and celebrate after we've accomplished the big goals and achieved the huge milestones, but I think the order should be reversed.
A self-blessing pulls us into that mental state of worthiness and even an expectation of receiving miracles. I share this with my clients all the time - self-worth and self-concept is everything in this world. How we feel about ourselves, talk about ourselves, and take care of ourselves sends a direct message message to the world around us regarding how we should be treated.
Scary? Yes! Empowering? Absolutely.
So here are a five exercises to begin and sustain a practice of self-blessing. I hope you'll join me in celebrating our wonderful selves.
- Create a daily self-pride list. Instead of all the to-do's remaining, spend 2 minutes at the end of the day reflecting on what you accomplished and what you were proud of. These can be LITTLE things -- smiling at a stranger, being helpful to a co-worker, sending a loving text to a family member, getting your butt to a yoga class or the gym, etc.
- Take no less than 5 minutes to finish this sentence: I'm awesome because...
- Practice Metta or "Loving Kindness" Meditation which always begins with a self-blessing.
- Carry a positive affirmation with you throughout the day, like: "I am a beautiful blessing to the world" or "my life is a gift."
- Practice a Kundalini self-blessing exercise.