As I often do, I began my morning in meditation. I felt an overwhelming sense of love permeating my being. This doesn’t always happen. Something in the Field felt palpable. I simply went with it and allowed it to fill me.

I then signed on to my husband Patrick Feren’s 21 Days of Self-Love. Again, the feeling was palpable. It was me. I was awakening more deeply to myself as Presence. I kept thinking: Healed people heal the world. I am responsible for my individualization in the One Mind/Field. I do make a difference.

I then watched a video of the walking monks and listened to them speak. “Peace has always been here… it didn’t go anywhere… we have just covered it up.” It was so simple, yet so profound. Their whole walking journey was so simple—just be who we are. Anyone who tuned into this journey couldn’t help but be moved. I watched it on YouTube and was moved to tears. The simple journey becomes profound when viewed regarding healing the world.

Then a picture of Deepak Chopra popped up on my screen. I don’t know the whole story of his affiliation with the Epstein files, and I have no judgment. However, what occurred to me is the power we give to those we consider gurus. He is not the first fallen guru; there have been many others. My question is: why do we give our power away? If everything is within us—peace and love—why do we seek it elsewhere?

I believe this answer will not be clear until we each examine the question within ourselves. For me, as I dig deeply into my own consciousness, I know it is about how much I truly love myself—with all my pimples, what I consider mistakes, a past and present of imperfection, and more. What is imperfection anyway? It is only something we hold up to some imaginary, self-created mirror of perfection and then cast judgment upon. We didn’t do it right! According to whose standards?

The final solution to the problems we are facing will be loving ourselves beyond all our contradictions. The final solution, I believe, will be healing ourselves. There is a quote—I don’t know who said it—but it goes something like this: Heal your wounds so that you do not bleed all over everyone else.

I am grateful for this day and for the upcoming Valentine holiday. This special day set aside for love means something more to me. It is about recognizing myself as Love and continuing the lifelong journey of living it so I can contribute to being a healing presence in the world.

Love and Aloha,
Rev. Dr. Rita Andriello-Feren, Author, Co-Founding Director – CSL Kauai, Partners in Empowerment, and the Institute of Magnificence

Find me on Substack: Partners in Empowerment or empoweredpartners.substack