A Call to Love Yourself & Others
Sometimes it feels like “Self-Love” is overdone just like sometimes “Self-Care” often falls into a shallow trap of massages and manicures.
Beyond those limiting experiences, there is a depth of beauty you and I may not know yet.
This series “Out Beyond” will blend the richness of poetry, the mindfulness of meditation and the expression of writing and visual art to respond to the ever important call to love others… as yourself.
How often do we forget that this most important guidance not only calls us to love others, we also need to have a true respect and honoring for ourselves before we can understand and apply that same knowing of love for others.
Compassion: Beyond Others and Into Self
“Remember to give yourself grace,” I said yesterday to someone I am working with to have a more satisfying life experience while also living with a chronic illness.
I might as well have been holding up a mirror to my face.
How often do I offer myself undue favor, kindess and offer an outstretched hand of understanding before I leap into negative talk toward myself I would never say to others.
In “Out Beyond” we will explore compassion, too.
Forgiveness: Look Both Outward and Inward, to Self
It is not unusual for people to be great at forgiving others and not so good at forgiving themselves.
I will raise my hand and say “ME!” here because it is something I have been actively working on for quite a while. I recognize how valuable and necessary self-forgiveness and other-forgiveness are during this time of explosive separation, let’s step peacefully into increased forgiveness starting with ourselves.
This experience will take place here, at the Creative Life Midwife, and will writing exercises, videos, inspirational quotes and two five-day writing explorations with prompts and the option to practice and apply what you’re learning through the poetry and meditations.
Rumi wrote, “Out beyond the field of wrongdoing and rightdoing there is a field. I will meet you there.” A field of love, compassion and forgiveness will welcome you to explore, discover and add to your creative life in ways you may not even fathom yet.
I look forward to seeing you “Out Beyond” beginning on February 15, 2022
Julie JordanScott is a Creative Life Coach, an award-winning storyteller, actor and poet whose photos and mixed media art graces the walls of collectors across the United States. Her writing has appeared on the New York Times Best Sellers List, the Amazon best sellers list and on American Greetings Holiday cards (and other greeting cards). She currently lives in a manse in Sussex, NJ, where she is working on finishing her most recent book project, hugging trees daily and enjoys having random inspirational conversations with strangers.
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Julie, what a provocative set of ideas, here. I’m with you–forgiveness is a major key to living in Peace Within, to having light shoulders and great health. So many are burdened with heavy cares of resentment and unforgiveness. I really believe a light heart lives longer. I have seen a version of the Rumi quote before, and I love what he is saying. I’ll meet you out there!
So true, Julie. We are taught to think of others. We often forget about ourselves. We know that too and yet it takes time for it to resonate. I am reminded of our instructor in a photography class. She said don’t forget to look behind you as well as in front of you. So many layers of learning.
Hmm, I have never thought of self-care as massages & manicures, ’cause to me, that’s pampering. But real self-care is something I don’t think we can say enough about, because so many of use neglect ourselves terribly! And self-love is what empowers us to forgive ourselves, and decide it’s okay if we make mistakes or aren’t perfect, since what is good about us will outshine everything else. That one, I have been working on for years! Sometimes I can’t even see that the standard I have set is perfection, which dooms me to falling short. And I have a chronic illness, too – finally, I am learning to stop when I am sick, rest when I am tired and not push myself so hard on days when I feel better. This post is a great reminder to keep at it. Thanks, Julie!