Transmuting non-acceptance into acceptance

[Stranger]

I've just had an important realization on this thread's topic.

Love allows us to see the perfection in all things. When we love someone (or something), we don't want it to be any different from what it already is. We accept and welcome it. Think of how we see the person we love - none of their "flaws" matter; a mother's love for her baby is a great example.

So, love = acceptance.

Now, a second important point. How do we love something that bothers us about ourselves? The key here is that love is not an attitude, it is not approval. It is an actual energy that exists independently from our mind. The mind can disapprove of something, but we can still bring love to flow and shine onto that thing we disapprove of. We always have access to a constant stream of love, and disapproval simply tries to block that flow.

Here, then, is the process for accepting anything in or about ourselves.

Close your eyes and focus your attention on whatever you're having trouble accepting. Simply let it be present in your awareness, without trying to change it or push it away.

Imagine bright sunlight filled with love shining down on it, again without trying to change it in any way. Simply let it shine.

Stay with that image, simply observing. Notice that it will begin to change on its own, without any effort on your part, in its due time.

Notice how you feel toward whatever you're shining the light onto. If there's any negative emotion toward it, you can choose to focus your awareness on the source of that emotion, and shine the loving sunlight on it instead, until it dissolves.

This process can be applied to any negative feeling or disliked aspect, and it will take it beyond acceptance into healing.