In this post I share my tips for cultivating a healthy connection and love for one’s self. I also share my method for practicing reiki for self-love. This is written from my perspective as a naturopath, herbalist, reiki practitioner and intuitive healer. If you have any concerns about your mental health or general wellbeing, please consult your doctor.
What is Self-Love?
Self-love seems to be the new-age talk of the town lately! But it’s for a good reason. Long gone are the days of self-deprecation. It’s time to step into our personal power and authenticity with self-love.
Love is the highest vibration of all, it is the most purest connection available in this world. I believe love is the language of the universe. Once we to attune ourselves to this frequency of love, we are open to receive all the abundance that life has to offer.
I’m not talking about romantic love by the way! I’m talking about genuine open heart, pure expressive love that is completely unconditional. This is the language of Spirit and it is available to everyone.
So I have described love, but what is self-love? Self-love is where we allow the divinity of universal love into our own hearts, so we can mirror this vibration out into the world. Self-love is where we see ourselves for who we really are, pure spiritual beings having a human existence.
Depths of Self-Love
There are many layers to self-love. Let’s discuss physical, emotional and spiritual self-love.
Physical
Self-love on the physical plane means loving every part of your wonderful body and thanking your body for all it’s work. It means expressing gratitude for the body being a vehicle for your activities.
One way to practice this form of self-love is quite literally thanking yourself out loud: “Thank you! I love my wonderful body which helps me carry out all my activities with ease and flow”.
I believe self-love on the physical plane also means to treat your body with respect. This could be achieved by eating a healthy diet and getting regular rest, relaxation, exercise and sunshine.
Emotional
Self-love on the emotional plane could look like choosing loving thoughts about yourself, and to forgive yourself for any mistakes made in the past. Allowing yourself to move on from past hurts is an act of self-love.
Emotional self-love is where you are truly feeling a sense of genuine love for yourself. This could be expressed through speaking positive affirmations, acknowledging your strengths, appreciating your own wonderful talents and unique personalities.
You could also write down in a journal three things each day that you appreciate about yourself, and say it out loud for added emphasis.
I love my caring nature and how I direct this towards myself when I need it.
Thank you! I appreciate my easy-going personality where I allow myself a break without guilt.
I am grateful for choosing to think positive, encouraging thoughts about my self.
Spiritual
Self-love on the spiritual plane is allowing yourself to connect with your inner world and journey within. By giving yourself time to self-reflect and check in, you create space for love to flow easily.
This could look like taking regular time out to check in with your higher self, your intuition and your spirit by practicing meditation or yoga. Perhaps you enjoy walking on the beach or your local nature park.
Maybe for you it means spending time with your pet, or even doing a creative project like drawing or sewing. Spiritual self-love is giving yourself the time to connect to your heart centre, letting your inner child free and allowing love to flow.
How Can We Practice Self-Love?
I previously discussed several ways to practice self-love. This can be done through creative expression, positive affirmations, journaling, and through healthy diet and lifestyle. Here are a few additional methods for practicing self-love.
Self-Love Crystals
I love using crystals in my daily spiritual practice. There are several amazing crystals that work especially well for the heart chakra and cultivating self-love.
- Adventurine – A calming stone which heals and helps you connect with your heart centre.
- Amazonite – Transforms negative energy into positive vibes, bringing you into your heart space with joy.
- Rose Quartz – Releases fears and worries, past hurts and emotional traumas. Attracts love and abundance towards you.
- Rhodochrosite – The best stone for self-love. Encourages love directed towards oneself and helps release emotional blockages.
- Strawberry Quartz – Facilitates an attitude of gratitude!
Reiki for Self-Love
Finally we make it to the most powerful method for encouraging self-love, practicing self reiki.
Reiki is a wonderful modality for healing others, but healers and practitioners also need self-healing too.
Everyone who practices reiki, or is familiar with reiki principles will have a different approach for their self-reiki practice. This point is for those who aren’t familiar with reiki and would like to know a method for practicing reiki for self-love.
There are so many ways to do this but let’s keep it simple. First, you’ll need to search for a meditation track on YouTube that you like. There are many reiki healing meditation music tracks to listen to available for free.
Reiki for Self-Love Meditation
Seat yourself in a comfortable position, or lie down if you prefer. Play your meditation track softly in the background and begin your self reiki session for self-love. Now is a great time to set your intention for the healing. You can ask your guides, helpful spirits and the universe to send you positive healing energy.
Take a deep breath in, and exhale fully. Repeat this several times until you feel any tension and stress slowly dissolve away with each exhale. Now, place your hands gently upon your chest area, where the heart chakra is located.
Tune into the energy of your heart space. Does it feel warm and open? Or is it closed off from fear or stress? There is no need to judge, but quietly observe the heart space. Begin to relax and feel safe to allow your heart space to open.
When you feel your heart opening up, ask reiki healing energy to flow into your heart space. Envision your beautiful heart filling up like a cup with wonderful reiki healing energy. Visualise your heart overflowing with love and healing energy.
Hold this vision, and feel the warmth of your heart space filling the whole room with love. Allow the love you feel to fill the whole house, the whole street, the whole town and country, and even the whole world.
At some point, after 20-30 minutes (maybe more, or less time) you may intuitively feel that the healing session is complete. You can slowly get up and send a prayer of gratitude to the universe and reiki for the healing session. Remember to thank yourself, for giving yourself the time to relax and recharge your heart.
Closing Thoughts
Practicing self-love is an ongoing process. Enjoy the journey and connect with yourself on a regular basis. Always remember to be kind to yourself and take time out to rest and recharge when you need it.
If you’re interested in receiving a reiki healing session from me, visit my bookings page.
If this article helped you in some small way, please let me know in the comments section below.
All the best to you on your healing journey towards self-love xx
Thank you Natasha. That is a truly beauty post. I will share it widely.