Cultivating Our Inner, Loving Voice
The relationship we have with ourselves is our primary relationship. We are the only ones we can’t get away from. We are with our Self from the moment we enter this world to the moment we take our last breath, so we may as well enjoy our own company, because ultimately, our life is between us and God. Cultivating a loving, supportive, harmonious and encouraging inner voice will benefit us and everyone around us. How we speak to ourselves is vital to creating inner harmony and flow. And how we speak to ourselves is generally reflected in how we speak to others. If someone is angry and yelling at us, it is because of their own inner turmoil, which is simply pain that they haven’t yet healed.
Our Higher Self, or inner being, speaks to us in a soft, quiet voice. To best hear that loving voice, we can come into stillness and sit with ourselves in meditation. This is where we tune into our inner being with patience and with the intention of connecting. Even 5-10 minutes in the morning will suffice to make this inner connection. Affirm that you are connected to your Higher Self, and your I AM presence. Just sit with your eyes closed and listen and breathe and listen and breathe without producing anything, just be receptive.
It is easy to hear our inner critic because that voice is usually shouting at us. Our inner critic is a learned behavior, and it is often the voice of a parent, or some authority figure from our childhood that scolded us or criticized us and we learned how to do that to ourself. The inner critic doesn’t serve us and learning to recognize when it’s harming us is vital to our development. Once we are aware of that voice and consciously dial-it-down, or better yet, turn to it and say, “I’m not listening to you because you are just bringing me down!”, we will be on the road to establishing a better connection with our true Self. It’s a practice to move away from the inner-critic and move toward the inner-lover. Listen to what your inner voice is saying to you and if you notice it is not loving, then make a decision to change it. First, we must have the awareness, then set our intention to change it, then practice that over and over until it becomes a new behavior. It works!
I started this practice about 17 years ago. Someone suggested that I talk to myself in the mirror. I find it very helpful! How often do you talk to yourself in the mirror, where you can gaze into your own eyes and have a conversation with your Self like you would with a good friend? If you’re having a rough day and need some support, stand in front of any mirror, look into your own eyes as if you were someone else and say, “I love you. You’re going to get through this. I support you. You are awesome!” It really works. Or, “Keep going, you know you can do this, you’re amazing and it’s going to be ok, it really is. I love you and I am here for you, no matter what.”
If you have children, you know how important it is to build them up, encourage them to grow and you know that love is the best approach to raising a healthy, happy child who knows they are loved. We know what mean, criticizing words can do to a child. We have to treat our Self like we would our own beloved children. We need to be encouraged and built up by ourselves. It’s imperative for forming a loving relationship. Do you want to be around someone if they are critical and disparaging? Nope. We all want to be around positive, uplifting individuals who make us feel good when they talk to us, even during difficult conversations. The words can always come from the heart and be delivered with respect and loving kindness. We all know what it’s like to hurt others with our words. We can never take them back once they’ve left our lips. In the aftermath, we have to apologize and deal with the regret of speaking from a place of anger. As we mature, we learn to be more and more loving to ourselves so that even when we make mistakes, we can laugh and keep that inner voice light, supportive and playful. Building ourselves up fortifies us, helping us to become empowered individuals who can then do our best work in the world.
Our body and our subconscious mind listen to everything we say and everything we think. Speak to your body with love and it will respond to you in a positive way. Your body wants to be appreciated and valued. If you’re carrying extra weight and it bothers you, you can learn to see the weight as a temporary situation that can change when an understanding has been reached. What is your body telling you? What messages do you need to hear in order for your body to come into balance? Where are you resisting? What are you unwilling to give up for optimal health? Fighting the body and being angry at our body is futile. We are learning to listen and love, nurture and care for ourselves. What does your body need that it isn’t getting? Always bring it back to love. The more love and appreciation you start pouring onto your body, the more it will respond to you in a positive way. Keep going!
Our Higher Self, our inner being of Light, will always speak to us without judgment, without criticism and without negativity. Our Higher Self encourages, uplifts, unites and supports us and bolsters our confidence. The voice of Spirit is beautiful because it is the voice of Love. Carve out times throughout your day to listen to it, perhaps a walk in the deep woods, or by the water’s edge, or a moonlit walk or just sit in your chair or lie in your bed and journey inward. Cultivate your loving inner voice and you will see your True Self appearing in the mirror more and more each day, shining there, in your eyes. You are the Light, You are the Love, You are beautiful and deserving and worthy. Know this to be True.
In Love & Truth,
Elizabeth WrightSpirit Works