All You Need Is Love

We are continually awakening ourselves in other people's hearts and allowing them to awaken themselves in our hearts and thereby knowing more of God consciousness. - John-Rogerrn(From: Living Love from the Spiritual Heart, p. 53) rnIt’s been said that we all stand on the shoulders of others. As I begin my blog today, I wish to acknowledge the contributions that two great men have made to my life. The first is my Spiritual teacher, John-Roger, founder of the Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness from whom I have learned that nothing is more important than the loving. The second is Dr Charles Portney, a psychiatrist in Santa Monica, California, who helped me with the cognitive and emotional aspects of eating disorders. Both have been my transformational guides on this most important journey. It is that journey, one that has lasted for much of my life that will be my main blogging topic. And if I have discovered anything along the path, it is the importance that love and self-acceptance play in developing and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. The multibillion-dollar diet industry would have us believe that it is just a matter of what you eat and how you eat it by putting the emphasis on losing weight. Unfortunately, as millions of dieters can tell you, there is a lot more to it than just calories. Healthful living is not so much about losing as it is about finding. Finding self-love in your heart, finding self-acceptance in your body and finding your true self in the results. I’ll be writing about the techniques and processes that have helped me shed over two hundred pounds and maintain that loss as well as a healthy lifestyle for over seven years following forty years of struggling with every diet known to woman. But this blog won’t just be about me. Twice a month I will devote a post to answering your questions and concerns as they relate to the issues I have addressed and those I haven’t. The more interactive we (you and I) can make this little spot in cyberspace, the better. As a Transformational Guide, I have worked with many clients over the years that were very different virtually in all aspects except one – they were all searching for a starting point to dealing with their issues; one that would put them on the path to success. Interestingly enough, that starting point was the same for all of them, as it was for me and will be for you – acceptance and the willingness to love yourself exactly where you find yourself. I didn’t say you had to love yourself. I said you had to be willing to love yourself. Think about it. And think about what accepting yourself exactly where you are in the moment would look like. What judgments would you have to forgo or suspend? See if you can contact that place where you can live in harmony with your thoughts and feelings. Not yet? No worries. Beginning in the next blog we will explore finding that center and using it to propel you toward your weight and health goals. Until then, begin thinking about your questions for the first “Ask Jan” post. I look forward to your responses. And always remember, in all things, “Nothing is more important than the loving.” www.janshepherd.com