Feeling Worthy of Love.

I participated in a ritual process recently as a facilitator. There were several facilitators and a group leader. The experience was provided to college students. Everybody involved had met through yoga or had done yoga in one way or another. The students had been in a yoga course offered in the Theater Department.

To enter the experience the students had to pass through a path that was activated by the people I am calling the "facilitators", of which I was one. We were all wearing freaky and adorable getups, and were positioned along the path with the job of either asking a question or reminding them of something. And when we had done our part we send them along to the next person.

It was so much fun!

By the time they got to me they had already gone through several people, so they seemed ready and available to be surprised. "What's next?" their curious eyes seemed to say.

"Tell me," I said, "How are you worthy of being loved? And don't let this little one..." (pointing to the devil puppet I was holding) "...ever make you think, talk or act small. Tell me true."

And so they did. Each young man or woman named a way in which they are worthy of love.

The experience was so powerful for me because I have judged myself many times to be unworthy of love. It has held me back. That "little devil" has certainly messed with me, making me feel small... It taught me (yet again) that I have the capacity to lie to myself and make myself feel small. And I actually think that this bit about the stories I tell myself, being lies... This seems to be an important part of my growth.

Because what is true is that everybody is worthy of love. I think that is why we're here: To love and be loved. And sometimes this shows up in convoluted ways, but that doesn't change the fact that love is the glue that binds us.


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