phenomeNEWS - This Month's Article

THE HEART OF LOVE
A Great Love - Fitness Workout

by Scott and Shannon Peck

What does it mean to practice love-fitness?

We recently joined a gym to stay more fit physically. We don’t actually work up much of a sweat, but we spend 30-45 minutes there several times per week. It feels good. We start on the treadmill for about 15 minutes and then do what they call the “circuit” – a series of about 10 machines. Each machine exercises a different portion of the body. It only takes about 10 minutes to complete the circuit one time and we often repeat it.

During the “circuit” this week, we thought, “Um, we’re investing a good 45 minutes several times a week to our physical heath – like millions of other people. What would be the equivalent of the “circuit” for a great love-fitness workout?” So we came up with our own “love-fit circuit” of five workout stations, each requiring just about one little minute.

So let’s get love-fit. Here’s your love-fitness workout:

Love-fit Station #1: Anger/Irritation Relief. Do you have any anger or irritation challenging your heart right now? Time to visit the “Anger/Irritation Relief” love fitness station. Begin by recognizing your anger and loving yourself for addressing it. It’s part of healing to feel your feelings. As you take moments to think through your irritation or anger, you realize how damaging and immensely wasteful negative energy is in your own life – not to mention those who experience your negative energy, even if you don’t say anything. As you stay in this #1 love-fitness station, Love moves your heart towards forgiveness – especially towards yourself. Just residing in this heart space of love strengthens your well being. Anger and irritation are not part of the real you – your highest selfhood. As you remember this, peace begins to descend into your heart. But love wants even more healing. It’s time to move to another love fitness station.

Love-fit Station #2: Doubt Relief. Who doesn’t have thoughts of doubt! At the “Doubt Relief” love fitness station, your heart opens and surrenders to love. As ego begins to fade, you remember your essence. You are a valuable, magnificent treasure in the universe. This is love’s message to you and it is a message of truth. Let love’s admiration of you penetrate your doubt. Let love circulate in your heart. Just reside in love loving you as marvelous and important and needed. We all need waves of assurance that life will turn out well. At this love fitness station, love reminds you that the more you are tuned into love itself, the more easily good answers appear in your life. You soak this in as love gently moves you to the next love fitness station.

Love-fit Station #3: Anxiety/Fear Relief. There’s so much to worry about. What should I do? Where will be money come from? Will I succeed? Will this relationship work? At the love fitness “Anxiety/Fear Relief” station, waves of assurance start immediately pouring in to your heart. Yes, love has a plan for your life and it’s a good one. You can relax in this very moment and feel peace. That is the potential in every moment for the rest of your life. As you remember this, calmness begins to spread through your mind and heart. There’s even more love and healing waiting for you though. It’s time to move on.

Love-fit Station #4: Guilt Relief. This huge love fitness station is waiting for you with open arms. Guilt ravages our inner peace. You deserve to feel freedom and innocence. This is the nature of love. We all make mistakes. Forgiveness of ourselves is a giant part of learning to love ourselves despite mistakes. As you stop to experience this “Guilt Relief” station, love speaks the words of innocence, acceptance, and freedom to your soul. This is how love intends you to feel inside. Your heart opens to this freedom and beings to relax in innocence. You feel the deep currents of healing energy from all the love fitness stations you have visited, even briefly. And there’s still another love fitness station. Love wants you completely fit.

Love-fit Station #5: Hurt Relief. It’s hard to move through even a week of life without feeling hurt by someone or something. What do we do? We visit love’s “Hurt Relief” fitness station of course! Here we are invited to express our hurt and acknowledge our feelings. It is never fair to be treated unkindly by another, even yourself. Misunderstandings often lead to hurt. Sometimes it is even intentional. Hurt lingers and festers in our hearts. But not here at the “Hurt Relief” station. Here, love gently guides us. We discover a kind way to express our hurt without causing anger or more hurt. We remember that our hurt is robbing us of love’s joy, so natural to our well being. We move towards forgiveness, understanding, acceptance. We feel love opening new paths.

This entire “Love workout” can be finished in less than 10 minutes. Imagine living in a state of love fitness where you are experiencing waves of relief and happiness because your challenges and negative emotions are being resolved. That’s the power of staying love fit. Repetition, more than time, builds strength. Keep flowing through the love workout fitness stations so you can keep things cleared in your life and not get snagged. Welcome to love fitness and the heart of love.

Dr. Scott Peck & Shannon Peck are co-founders of TheLoveCenter, a non-profit organization “Calling everyone home to Love.” They are authors of books on love and healing, including “Love Skills for Personal & Global Transformation: Secrets of a Love Master.” Visit www.TheLoveCenter.com. We are holding the space for you to receive all the love you deserve!