Be My Yoga Valentine

Valentine’s Day can conjure up feelings or thoughts that are far removed from the original intention of this day. Depending on your perspective, February 14 might create the same forced expectations of New Year’s Eve, where the pressure is on to have the most romantic, love-filled time with your sweetheart, and a non-stop flow of red emoji hearts and roses leaping off your cell phone screen.

However you experience Valentine’s Day, here’s how you can choose to see this Day of Cupid differently, beyond the Hallmark sales and florist ka-chings.

Yoga is a celebration of the heart and most yoga philosophy explains that Love is the source of everything, a Supreme Consciousness that is present in everything. This tells me we can choose to recognize love in many places — in the exquisite sound of music, the power of a pasodoble dance, the way a sunrise breaks open the sky with brilliant light and vibrant colors, the kindness of strangers who expect nothing in return, the times that nature is so spectacular it takes our breath away and renders us speechless.

When we’re able to recognize love in these ways, suddenly, we can see love everywhere. The Immense Love that is the kernel of everything, that reveals itself every time we feel a flicker of tenderness, affection, gratitude, joy or compassion. This approach to observing life through a filter of lurrrve, will either fuel the furnace we already feel inside, or it will create a spark and start to fill a void, if that place has been somewhat neglected or empty lately.

As Valentine’s Day approaches, look around you with the belief that love is everywhere, notice that there is already an abundance of love in your life. The power and presence of love is endless.

Then treat yourself to a bright and beautiful bunch of flowers and celebrate the love and life within you. Fall in love with Life. Because that, I’m sure, is the ultimate celebration of the heart.

Happy Valentine’s Day.