By Arielle Giordano
The Goddess Aphrodite/Venus is the goddess of love, sensuality, sexuality and beauty in mythology and ancient cultures. She is everywhere in history, art, statues, music, songs and myths and represents the quality of love and being in our hearts. When we connect with the goddess, she reminds us of love’s tenderness and gentleness, experienced in the openness and softness of hearts.
Love is the most powerful emotion, and its influence is one of the most common storylines for movies, book, theater and the arts. For example, one of my favorite movies is The Matrix, in which Neo (the main character) is saved from death by a kiss of love.
And then there is self-love, as defined by psychologist and social philosopher Erich Fromm, which is different from being arrogant, conceited or egocentric. He proposed that loving oneself means caring about oneself, taking responsibility for oneself, respecting oneself and knowing oneself (e.g., being realistic and honest about our strengths and weaknesses). Conditional love is defined as having requirements such as doing, wanting or getting something from oneself or another. Unconditional love is love without boundaries, limitations and expectations.
Loving unconditional is accepting the “self” we have no matter what and at all costs. We may not like or feel good about our personality, habits, choices, patterns, strengths or weaknesses. But when we open and soften our hearts in our adversity, we overcome negative self-talk. Difficulty and the constant pulls and pressure of the world challenge us, but we love no matter what the cost. If we do this, there is a subtle shift that happens, and we see ourselves in a new light. Inside our hearts, our being invites us to love and to know the truth. In the knowing, we know that what we are LOVE.
Being the presence of love nurtures and nourishes us in a profound way.
We love as “human” beings when we get out of our own way and live in our hearts. We become an eternal, effervescent fountain of love. Let your heart fill and flow everlasting with love for you and others.
Being Love
Awareness: Be open and soft in your heart, and aware of your deeper beingness when you are in nature.
Acceptance: Love and know that you are okay exactly the way you are.
Honesty: Profound honesty takes us into the depths of truth. Truth guides us to see obstacles, fears and resistance, as well as positive and negative traits, and move past them.
Heal Your Heart: Difficulty and pain helps us to go deeper into our beingness. Releasing and accepting the past, wounds and abandonment experiences is painfully healing. Being stuck in a story of resentments, hurts, scars and dark places keeps us blocked. Set yourself free to be new!
Let Go of the Past: Free yourself of the baggage you carry from the past. Be conscious of your thoughts, feelings, reactions, responses and patterns. Don’t recreate the past in your future. Enjoy the golden nugget of life experiences, learn the lessons and move forward in your life.
Dance The Romance And Enjoy Being With People Who Love You! Be with people you love and who love you! Enjoy spending quality time loving you and others.
Intimacy of Being: Connect with your true being in your heart. Be love, which is what you are. Be the love of an open and soft heart. Be in love with you!
Arielle Giordano’s new book, Dancing with Your Story from the Inside Out, will be released March 2017. With a Masters of Arts and Masters of Education, Arielle is an author, professional dancer, inspirational speaker, certified Essentrics/Aging Backwards instructor, and workshop facilitator. She enjoys sharing her gifts and talents with an authentic style rich in the grace of dance, psychology, philosophy and the expressive arts. Her career includes: provisional psychologist, guidance counselor and substance-abuse therapist. As a Lead Faculty Area Chairperson and Faculty Member for College of Humanities at the University of Phoenix, she inspired students with her creative gifts. She also writes for Tampa Bay Wellness, We Woman and Transformation Magazine.
Arielle offers classes and workshops on empowering women, creativity, and dance. She also offers consultations and private sessions, and she is a certified instructor in the Essentrics/Aging Backwards program. Arielle has been a guest speaker on radio and television, featured in newspapers and magazines across the United States and Canada. Visit www.dancingfromtheinsideout.com or email agbeautifuldance@gmail.com or call 813-545-7173.