Love Letter from Gina : January 2022

January 2022

Dear Friends,

It’s a new year and one of the most important things each of us can do is to start each new year with a powerful intention that comes from the depths of your heart. You do not need to sign up for a webinar or an on-line course or drink sacred cacao while listening to sound bowls wearing stretchy yoga pants to do this! Empower yourself and create your own rituals to live a more intentional life in 2022 and beyond. It is the one thing I do that makes the most difference in my life and it just takes a little time and space. So, set your intention to make time and space to set your intention right now!


If you haven’t already, take time to reflect on this transition from one year to the next. Everyday we have an opportunity through Grace to start again. It’s not so important what you’re doing, but how you are doing it. I LOVE the saying whoever said it, “Whatever you do, do it with all your heart.” That IS IT! It may be that the outer circumstances of life are not exactly as you dreamed, shifting internally, your perception, is the key to the outer shifts you desire. 

Our dreams and desires are alive inside of us poking at our ribs and guts and needling in our minds because they need to be heard and expressed. Following those dreams and being curious about them, turning toward them, that is a life worth living.

I think so many of us are so incredibly depressed and anxious because we are living a false life that is not at all in alignment with who we are and why we are here. We may not know why we are here; the journey IS the destination. We are living to find our “why”. There is no “there” there as I like to remind myself when I think I am starting to figure things out. We are on a journey of evolution, growth and awareness to bring ourselves closer to our true essence. I know that true essence is love. I know that. So, anytime I am out of alignment with that knowing, like when I judge people and things all the time, I try to recalibrate. That is my life. Lesson. Over and over and over. Judgment blocks the miracles. Marianne Williamson taught me that, and of course she gets all her good stuff from “A Course in Miracles''. I digress. Let’s talk about INTENTION!

These most amazing Lead with Love volunteers exemplified ‘Whatever you do, do it with all your heart!’ These incredible unicorn, rainbow, love beams brought so much heart & soul to our events. Let people be touched by your presence. By your light.

For me, the intention of this organization mirrors my personal intention. 

“We exist to shift culture from fear to love” (Lead with Love Mission Statement) 

“I exist to shift from fear to love within myself every moment, everyday.”

This is my calling, my work, my purpose. I say it so often when I am upset, triggered or walking into an uncomfortable situation where I need to be brave and vulnerable… “How can I lead with love right now?”

Living intentionally is the best way that I’ve found to shift from fear to love within myself. Fear shows up in so many sneaky ways: Doubt, negative self-talk, distraction and endless scrolling, procrastination, withholding, mindless eating/drinking, judging other people and things, resentment, bitterness, righteousness, blame, busyness, narcissism, projection, etc etc. I do it all, and then some. And, I know better, but I do it anyway. Loving what is and accepting myself for where I am at right now is essential. And setting an intention every day to live the truth that I know in the core of my being, “Love is my true essence” and “We are all one”. Since I know that to be true, I can act accordingly, or live out of alignment with my truth. When I do that, I suffer. Ouch.

A good way to clean the slate if you find yourself judging yourself for being less than loving when you KNOW your true nature is loving is to do a practice called Compassionate Self Forgiveness. This is a technique I learned at University of Santa Monica and it is simple and profound and necessary to move authentically into a more loving, empowered, state of being. From there, you can set an intention for how you want to move forward.

STEPS FOR COMPASSIONATE SELF FORGIVENESS

I love this picture of one iteration of the Lead with Love Team. We always set our intention as an organization & as individuals to walk our talk & lead with love. We tried our best!

  1. Sit quietly

  2. Breathe deeply and slowly

  3. Allow yourself to relax

  4. Put your right hand on your heart covered by your left hand

  5. Feel the warmth you are bringing to your heart

  6. Ask to be guided by the God of your understanding saying something like, “Please God, show me all the areas within myself that I am holding judgment, blame, resentment, etc.”

  7. Notice what comes up, listen. Where are you judging yourself or others?

  8. Once you have identified areas of judgment, set an intention for healing and forgiveness and say to yourself “I forgive myself for judging myself as….” Or, “I forgive myself for judging so and so for…”

  9. After taking the time you need to offer this act of forgiveness, follow up with a statement that starts with “The truth is…” Coming from a spiritual context, we are ALL doing the best we can with the awareness that we have. Saying something like, “The truth is, I was (or he or she was) doing the best I knew how at the time and now I know better so I will do better.” If you are forgiving yourself for judging someone or something else, it's not about THEM and whether they change the way you think they should. This is about you. You forgive yourself for judging. They get to do their own work on their own time and they may (most likely) never change. How do YOU free yourself from needing them to be different? Forgive yourself for judging them and let God take care of the rest. It’s not yours to do.

I hope this practice makes sense to you. It’s frankly something we spent a A LOT of time on at USM and it will take some time and practice for it to feel authentic and like it’s actually doing anything. Do it anyway. Stumble through it. In no way let being perfect at your spiritual practices keep you from just doing the practice the best way you know how. Nothing, NOTHING, is more powerful and important than forgiveness of yourself and others. Get out of judgment the best way you know how to clear the channel to be a conduit for the Divine energy that you are meant to be in this life. For me, this is a daily practice and happens automatically. It often doesn’t work. Sometimes it does. It’s never a bad idea to forgive someone, especially yourself. 

Intention, let’s do this. Sit for a moment and get quiet. Ask yourself, “What is my intention this year? What will lead me towards truth and love?” Your mind will form the question and you will hear your mind say it. The part of you that is the listener will answer the question. What is that part of you? The listener? The observer? Get to know that. What do you hear? Jot it down, tattoo it on your forearm, put it on a Post-It Note on your mirror. Listen. Don’t forget it!

Ahhhhh, I love you. Humans. We are so flawed and fucked up in our yearning and trying to be something that we’re not. Relax into authenticity. Into the freedom of yourself as a Divine being having a human experience. You are doing great! Currently, I have Covid and I really, really, really tried not to get Covid. I am upset I got Covid and I am judging myself and others. I have work to do… Happy, Happy, Happy New Year Everybody!

Love,

Gina

These girls are 100% here in my arms fulfilling my heart because of my intention. Years & years & years of never knowing how or when, but knowing none the less. God Bless.

erin greenwood