019 | The Power of Self-Love with Meredith Rom

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On Friday I made an instagram post for the women in my community who I knew were feeling the energies of what is happening at Standing Rock.

As sensitive beings, we can so easily pick up on the emotions in the air around what is happening to our Mother Earth as well as the anger and emotions from the tribes protecting their water.  

I wrote this message as a reminder that we are all doing our part to heal the collective...as I believe how we treat ourselves is a valid place to start in healing our world.   (Scroll to the bottom of this message to read the full post).

And today I have a new podcast for you, on the power of self-love. 

To me, self-love is about knowing how to show up for ourselves when challenges and difficulties arise.  When we create that foundation of self-love, that's when we can live beyond our fears and fully share our gifts with the world, knowing that no matter what happens, we will be okay. 

In many ways, it's much easier to do acts of self-care like yoga practice, meditation, and healthy eating when everything is going smoothly...

But if you can call upon these acts in times of challenge?  That is where the real work comes in.

What I share in the podcast, is a talk I wrote under the guidance of KC Baker this summer as part of her speechwriting course.  (If you are planning to join me for my Celebration event, Yin Yoga, Tea & Book Reading, you may like to wait to hear it in person there.)

I share the story of one of my greatest challenges, where the world felt like it was falling apart, and instead of becoming a victim to my circumstances, I chose love, awareness and forgiveness.  I also write about this experience in detail in my book, Synchronicity.

That single choice made in a moment of complete distress, went on to dramatically alter the course of my life. 

Learning how to hold myself with unconditional love allowed me to find a deep forgiveness and truly love others without conditions. 

Choosing to love and forgive is not always easy, I know.  But I believe it is a true path to miracles.  I hope my story will inspire you in your own path of self-love and forgiveness.

There are only 4 days left to pre-order your early copy of Synchronicity and donate to the Kickstarter campaign (special thanks for how StartMotionMEDIA produced my video.  We are so close to reaching the goal!  Check out all the latest stats and make a contribution right here.

With love, 
Meredith

P.S. In the podcast I reference one of my past podcasts, "Fall in Love with Yourself" that includes all my favorite self-care tips.  You can find that right here.

Thank you @theessenceoracle For this beautiful image, via @daniellebertoia

Sister, I want you to know you are doing your part. 

By healing your own psyche, you are altering the collective consciousness. 
By loving yourself, you are healing the collective consciousness. 
I believe how we as a whole, are treating the world is a direct reflection of how we as a whole, are treating ourselves. 
Tearing up the Earth, using up our resources solely for financial gains, polluting the airs, polluting the waters...How many people do you see in the world today treating their own bodies this way? 
As we heal ourselves, we naturally heal the collective. 
Sister, every time you shift a thought of self-hate to self-love, you are doing your part.
Every time you show up to your yoga mat, you are doing your part. 
Every time you nourish your body, every time you meditate, every time you pray, even every time you do something that brings you joy, you are doing your part. 
I believe when we AS A WHOLE, collectively love, nurture and cherish ourselves, it will be directly reflected in how we love, nurture and cherish our Mother Earth. 

Let's rise together. 
In our prayers. 
In our devotion.
And in our ability to take small steps toward healing ourselves, healing all beings and healing the great mother who holds us all. 

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An Ancient Hawaiian Practice for Forgiveness

Image from the_soulessence

As humans, we are prone to making mistakes.  At some point, we all mess up--we click send before reading over the message, we say something before thinking it through, we forget to show up, or show up late--and as much as we try to avoid it, sometimes these things happen.

So what do you do when it happens - when you've made a mistake and find yourself sinking into negative energy?  How do you shift your mood and let it go?

This year I learned a simple practice that has become an essential part of my life.  I read an article by Joe Vitale about an ancient Hawaiian practice called "ho'oponopono" Shamans passed down for years.  It's based on the simple words:

"I'm sorry, I love you. Please forgive me, thank you." 

The story goes that there was a prison in Hawaii that was a horrible place to be.  People who worked there often quit because the prisoners were so hard to be around.

Then a Hawaiian psychiatrist was brought in to work with the prisoners.  He began doing his healing work, and suddenly the prisoners were really changing.  People were being released on early leave, and people who worked there saw a huge shift, and began to love their job.

However, the psychiatrist never even interacted with the prisoners in person.  So how did he heal them?

He sat in his office, looking through each file of the prisoners and used the ho'oponopono practice.  "I'm sorry, I love you."

Susan Minarik notes:

According to the teachings of Ho’oponopono (and just about every other system of well-being as well), you are responsible for everything that you experience.  Everything you see, think, notice, hear and feel is a creation of your own mind.  All your reactions and interpretations are of your making, based in memories from the past. 

The psychiatrist was working energetically with each of the prisoners.  The ho'oponopono is based on the idea that we are all responsible for the pain and suffering in the world.  When we take responsibility, people around us begin to heal.

Joe was skeptical of this practice, so he tried it when he got an angry email from a colleague.  Instead of hitting reply he just sat, looking at the email, saying, "I'm sorry, I love you."

An hour later, he received another email from the same person, apologizing for what she had said.

Joe describes:

As long as people hold on to grudges, they will remain unhappy and unhealthy.  The hardest thing for people to accept is total responsibility, yet the door to freedom is opened when you accept it all as your responsibility.  Again, it's not your fault, but it is your responsibility.

I began using this practice often in my life.  Anytime I felt upset, or worried that I triggered somebody else, I closed my eyes and repeated, "I'm sorry, I love you."

When I do the practice, I feel an immediate shift in my energy.  In my softening, I feel any negative energy between me and another person begin to lift.

So, the next time you make a mistake, or feel yourself going down a negative thought spiral, breathe and try it.  Repeat, "I'm sorry, I love you. Please forgive me, thank you." over and over until you feel a release.

Last week on tour...and music for you!

A few days ago I shared a story about forgiveness, and how key that was for me when I went through a difficult breakup four years ago. The strength I gained from that experience pushed me forward to find true forgiveness, freedom, independence, and love within myself.

As I let go, and focused on my dreams and visions, new love entered my life.

I have always seen relationships as a beautiful mirror - showing us what we need to see in ourselves.  For me, that reflection happened when I met a musician, Michael.

Music was always something I loved, but growing up, didn't always feel I could excel in myself.  I thought you were either born with a natural talent to sing and play instruments, or not.

But when Michael and I started dating, he consistently encouraged me to sing with him and use my voice.  I usually shied away from it, but last year, something shifted.  

I bought a harmonium and began learning to play mantras.  I brought the harmonium into my daily meditation practice, and alone in my room, began to sing.

I gave myself permission for it to not be perfect, and after a few short weeks, I was amazed to see the transformation and confidence I gained in my voice.

With Michael's guidance and encouragement, I began to share with friends, and accompanied him at performances.

When Michael and I planned our Vision & Voice tour, I expected to teach yoga, and only occasionally accompany him with the harmonium at our performances, however, that quickly shifted.

We've been on the road for four weeks now, through Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and the California coast - and are on the last few days of our tour.  

We have events in Monterey, Santa Cruz, Mill Valley, Berkeley and Sebastopol this week.  (details below)

I know not all of you are able to make it to our events on the west coast, so I wanted to share a couple songs from one of our live performances in Ojai this week.

~ You can listen here. ~ With love, Meredith

Upcoming Events:

May 21: Monterey / Pacific Grove, CA, Kundalini Yoga + Kirtan, Chautauqua Hall  May 23: Santa Cruz, CA, Yoga with Live Music + Kirtan Divinitree Westside May 24: Mill Valley, CA, Homecoming KIrtan Celebration, Redwoods Retreat House May 25: Berkeley, CA, Singing Workshop, House Event May 29: Sebastopol, CA, Yoga with Live Music, The dhyana Center May 30: Sebastopol, CA, Homecoming Celebration Kirtan, The Root Collective

How I recovered from total heartbreak (new video)

Four years ago I experienced a difficult break-up.  At the time, I was given a choice - to hold on to my resentment and anger, or to remember all is impermanent, learn how to let go, forgive and open myself to miracles and true love again.  There I was, alone in my room, tears streaming down my face.  I had just slammed the door on my love and my dear friend because I found out, "He wanted to be with her now."

I had been living in a house with my new friend Sara over the last month in Spain while my love was traveling to teach a retreat abroad.  Sara and I became very close over that time while I waited for my love to return.

I welcomed him, so excited to have him back in my arms.  I also introduced him to my new friend (we were all staying in the same house that week).

Then, over the course of the week, I began to notice Sara and my love spending more and more time together...

Finally, one day in the kitchen, I confronted him.

"What's going on between you and Sara?" I demanded.  There was a pause, and then the words came, the ones I suspected were true, but never wanted to hear..

"I'm not going to lie to you Meredith.  I always told you I was too free for most women.  In all honesty, my energy is moving towards her now." 

I spoke no words.

"NO," I screamed over in my mind.  I tightened my hands into fists, unsure of what to do with myself next, unsure of what to say back to him.

At that moment Sara walked into the room and immediately knew what we were talking about.

I looked at her with rage in my eyes, then left the kitchen, slammed the door behind me, and locked myself in my room.

For a moment, I let myself lose it.  Tears streamed down my face while loud sobs escaped from my broken heart.

But then.... something happened.  Something I had never experienced before in such an angry and distressed state... I began to notice my breath.  All the hours I had spent in meditation in the previous months traveling in India had become an innate part of me.  I was able to react in a completely new way I had never seen in myself before.

And with that breath, I began to notice my sensations, as pure sensations, rather than labeling them as anger, resentment, or heartbreak.

In just a minute, my whole body had changed and I was calm.  I no longer felt like an angry victim.

In that moment, I realized I could not control another being.  I remembered that all was impermanent.  I knew that even though I loved him so deeply, that it was true, he was free, and I couldn't control his needs or desires.

Sara knocked on my door, nervously awaiting my next move.

I turned back to my breath.  I knew I had a choice.  I could continue to breathe, and be the witness to all that was happening in my body and my situation, and I could forgive, or I could get lost, fuming in anger and resentment, and try to make the people who hurt me feel as bad as possible.

Today, I want to share this video with you from my training, #LiveYourVISION because this is one of the most important lessons I have learned and it is a valuable tool I want you to have.

You can hear the rest of the story, and learn the meditation that helped me get through one of the most difficult moments of my life below.