Celebrating YOU

I have so much in my life to celebrate, so much to be grateful for, so much to take delight in. But I have made it a priority to celebrate me first. Yup, I am first in line. Why? Two reasons. One, I have learned that my definition of celebration has a bit more depth than most. And two, once I make celebrating me a priority the power and joy, the light and peace, and the magical abundance flows and flows and flows! Before you know it, there is not a day that goes by without someone or something to celebrate! So how do I define celebrating? It is so much more than parties, cake and balloons or champagne toasts! Celebrating is honoring, and admiring. There is a recognition of the value. An accepting the whole package in its wabi sabi perfectly imperfection. There is respect, esteem, and appreciation in the act of celebrating as well.

When I bring celebration into my day I open the doors of connection. I embrace those who cross my path. I look to the seasons, the time of day, the moment with an eye of appreciation and wonder. I am looking for the spark in the moment. My whole perspective shifts from blindness to awareness.

When I take this celebration to a more personal level I look to myself and honor the spiritual being that I am. I cherish the body I have been gifted with. I value the wisdom I hold within. I am amazing! You are as well. Now, that is worth celebrating! And the beautiful thing that happens next is that our body responds. It resonates to the positive energy in which we are holding it.

I have learned to celebrate the form of my body, its role, it movements, its stamina. I have also learned to accept its softness, its vulnerabilities and its potential. The human body has taken an awful lot of abuse, neglect and hate of late. I decided to change that channel and find my own personal rhythm to move within.

And at this celebration come the relationship I have with my body. I have witnessed over time the better I participate in this relationship, the keener my sense of my value of my body and the better my body seems to respond. We are in constant communication. It is hard to believe that at one time in my life, I was barely listening and often that listening was filled with resentment, negative expectations and denial.

To celebrate oneself we need to be awake to the voice of our body. We need to be aware of the messages that are being sent to us and not make up excuses, rationalizations or refusals to what they are. We need to be responsible for our part of the relationship.

As we learn to listen we find more and more ways to honor our bodies. Whether it be through food, movement, spiritual practices, rest and relaxation, creativity or more. With each act of compassion and understanding, responsibility and support that we offer we take yet one more step closer to the celebration! Our body wants to be jubilant! Our body wants to be revered! Out body wants to serve us well...really, really well! And that is a party in itself! Imagine the gifts of that!

Today listen closely. What message is your body sending you? How will you receive this message? How will you respond? How long before you take the actions necessary for the celebration to begin?

Blessings ~ Lisa

©COPYRIGHT 2012 Lisa Meade