Love Thy Neighbor...
20/2024
Dr. Wayne W. Dyer, in his book Your Erroneous Zones shares how most of us have been taught to "Love thy neighbor as you love thyself". He explains that under this teaching, we tend to think "ok, so I'm gong to love my neighbor, give the best to my neighbor, always help my neighbor, etc.", but we forget the part that says "...as you love thyself", so we may go above and beyond to give to our neighbor, while forgetting our limitations or boundaries. Which means, you get to love yourself first, then from that model you'll know how to love your neighbor. So if you don't love yourself, all you're giving others is a false idea of love!
So how do you love yourself? We start to love ourselves by loving our bodies, this vehicle we inhabit, we get to love it fully. Imagine feeding your body with the best food you can feed it. The most delicious meals, made with the best ingredients, kosher ingredients, organic, home grown, grassfed, etc. Then cooked with love, using the most delicious recipes, the best and healthiest tools (not Teflon, plastic, etc.). Even the plating is a work of art, because you are feeding the most important person you know, YOU. So, every part of the process of feeding your body is meticulously handled with love.
That also includes drinking plenty of water. And we mean water, not sodas. Believe us when we say that your body will never be Coke Zero deficient. What your body needs is water. Cold-pressed juices and smoothies are also good options because they are made from fruits and vegetables, which will provide phytonutrients, enzymes and vitamins your body needs. But the things that are bad for your body are juices from concentrate, pumped with sugar (actually high-fructose corn syrup), and especially sodas, and the Diet ones or "Zero" are the worst because the artificial sweeteners they use are incredibly harmful to your body.
Another essential need of your body is sleep. You need an adequate amount of rest each day. Your brain and organs need 6-8 hours of sleep to process the events of the day, reset their functions and restore energy for the next day. We do not bank missed hours, so if you didn't get enough sleep during the week you won't "catch up" on the weekend. So always make sure you give your body enough rest, and if you feel like in the middle of the day you need a nap, listen to your body, try to fit in at least 30 minutes, and you'll be able to be more productive the rest of your day!
Remember you can go without food for 40 days, without sleep for 10 days (before paranoia sets in), without water for 3 days (Rolando recently had a lesson in that!), and without air for just a few minutes! So think about the quality of life you're giving yourself by what you prioritize.
Furthermore, we can love ourselves with the clothes we dress our bodies. This does not mean the most expensive brands. What we mean is dressing up with intention. Making sure the materials are 100% natural, not artificial or toxic materials that can be noxious to your body. And making sure the messages printed on our clothes are uplifting and empowering. This way whenever you see your reflection in a store or if someone takes a picture of you, every time you see that photo, the message in your clothes will give you a good feeling. Moreover, it also gives a good feeling to anyone who sees your attire. What is the message you want to give yourself and others?
In addition, we love ourselves by the actions we take. When you wake up in the morning do you honor yourself first? What routines do you have in place that put you first? Imagine waking up in the morning and saying good morning to the Creator and Mother Earth, brushing your teeth, drinking water or lemon water, then some light exercise, yoga, or running to get your muscles working and circulation moving. Followed by prayer or meditation to connect with yourself and the all. Then a mindful shower or bath, where you honor this beautiful body of yours and all of its qualities. How it has the ability to get you from where you are to where you want to go, it breathes in air and infuses everyone of your cells with oxygen. It ingests the food you eat and retrieves all the nutrients from it. It hydrates itself with all the water you drink. And when it gets sick or injured, it has the ability to heal itself.
Every cell in your body works together with other cells to create tissues. The tissues work together with other tissues to create an organ. Each organ works with other organs of similar functions to create a system. The different systems work together in harmony to create an organism. And that's what your body is; a beautiful symphony of systems working in harmony for you to reside in! How could anyone not love that! And remember that by loving the masterpiece your body is, you are also loving and honoring the Creator who made you.
Lastly, we love ourselves by the way we teach others to treat us (read that again). Whatever behavior we allow or tolerate is showing the other person that it's ok with us, and the other person will continue that behavior. So, the people with whom we surround ourselves learn how to treat us by the things we permit. Once we set clear boundaries, the people around us will either treat us accordingly or go somewhere else. This may feel like a loss, and it is, but is it a valuable loss? In reality you'll end up surrounding yourself with people who treat you the way you deserve. That is a WIN!
In conclusion, would you say that rushing through cooking, using toxic utensils, eating fast-foods, or microwave meals are not ways to honor and love yourself? What about wearing fashionable, trending, expensive brands, but that are toxic, and maybe made using child labor? Would you promise yourself that you are going to choose to give yourself the best care possible? And then once you do that, you can share with your neighbor that same amount of love and care!
And think about how you want to be treated, do you want respect? What does that look like? How do you want to be spoken to? Also, ask yourself how you want to be loved. What does it mean to be a priority for your partner? Do you want gifts? What is quality time for you? Do you feel seen, heard, and understood? How do you want your body to be touched? What does a moment of deep intimate connection look like? How often do you want it? You don't need to force anyone to be someone they're not, you simply live by your standards and the right person will show up and all the wrong ones will fade away. Why settle for anything less than the best you could ever have?
It is our hope that after reading these lines you'll consciously choose the best options for your body, maybe start paying attention to food and clothes labels and research the effects of each one on your body. After all, this is the only body you'll have from birth until death, so why not give it the best of the best? And that includes the people you surround yourself with.
In Ayni,
Ayni Holistic Healing
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