There is no more important person to love than yourself

It never ceases to amaze me how easy it is for me to lose contact with the part of myself that generates my emotional experience. Does the same happen to be true for you?

There has been a great deal of research that shows that many people who work in the "helping professions" (and this very much includes stay at home mothers) suffer from what has become known as "Compassion Fatigue" or "Helping Profession Syndrome." You can become so focused on helping others that you lose touch with how important it is to also help yourself.

I write about this now because of an experience I had yesterday; that might very much speak to your experience as well.

My legs have bothered me since I was a young child. I often have pain in my knees, and it is exactly this condition that led me to become involved in my life's work. I am known as a skillful bodyworker and yet I find that I rarely use my bodyworking skills on myself. I seem to forget that the skills and sensitivity I use to help others can also be used for ME.

Yesterday my left knee was bothering me, and I finally decided to take the time to help myself.

I sat on the floor with my left leg fully extended. I then took a minute to center as I felt my leg as it was at that moment. Next, I used my hands to feel what my leg wanted to have done to it. I felt for the sore spots and I began to gently and lovingly massage my leg.

Breathing deeply, I massaged my leg slowly and tenderly, yet firmly. I asked my leg to tell my hands what it wanted, and I asked my hands to communicate a story to me of what my leg was saying. I "heard" my leg say, "I am tired and I don't feel like I am getting enough help in supporting and carrying the heavy load I have to tend with."

My leg also said, "I feel somewhat neglected and taken for granted. I don't really feel like I am fully appreciated for fulfilling a challenging task."

"Hmm..." I thought to myself, "Doesn't sound all that different from what the rest of me sometimes says!"

Next, I used my hands to reply to my leg. Through my touch I communicated,

"I love you."

Then I said, "I am sorry for not being more attentive, responsive, and appreciative." Through my touch I said, "I really care about you and I am going to establish a closer relationship with you from here on out."

Finally I said, "I very much want to hear from you, without your needing to use pain to shout at me. I will be more attentive to, and more appreciative of our relationship."

I sat there for a few moments, breathing loving energy through my hands into my leg.

After a while I heard a soft whisper.

"I love you, and I have been very lonely, waiting for you to show up. Thank you so much for caring about me."

And those words really moved me.

I came away from this experience with a sense of being whole and healthy. I had become one with myself, in love.

The experience I describe does not require any learned skills. All you need to do is take some time and have a heartfelt appreciation for yourself and your needs. When it is all said and done, THE most significant person to enter into a relationship of love and service with is yourself! There is no more important person to love, than yourself.

This article contains 611 words.

© Charlie Badenhop, 2005. You have permission to publish this article electronically free of charge, as long as the bylines below with active links are included and the article is not sold to others. A courtesy copy of your publication would be appreciated.

About the author:
Charlie Badenhop is the originator of Seishindo, an Aikido instructor, NLP trainer, and Ericksonian Hypnotherapist. Benefit from his thought-provoking ideas and various self help Practices by subscribing to his complimentary newsletter for individuals and professionals. Charlie's Self Hypnosis and Mindfulness Practices can help you to dramatically slow down and experience your life from a heartfelt timeless perspective. Familiarize yourself with the Seishindo approach to Self Hypnosis or try Seishindo Self Hypnosis Practices right now!