“There is a candle in your heart, ready to be kindled. There is a void in your soul, ready to be filled.” ~ Rumi

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When I was 18, my feelings of self-belief and self-love momentarily soared after I would read these two life-changing sentences.

It is no different now.

These 22 power words influence the way I feel about myself, no matter what age.

Rumi reminds me on new levels how important it is to honor and value who I am, and no matter how young I was or how old I am now, I have needed his eloquently expressed reminders more than once.

Maybe you have, too.

Rumi is asking me to recognize that despite all my imperfections, I am enough. Although there is always room to grow, his words help me realize that in this precious moment, I have the power to give full permission to loving myself just for being and breathing.

There is a candle in your heart ready to be kindled.

Yes, but what about my heart? Is it open, or is it closed? When it’s closed, I find it almost impossible to pour light, love, and hope in. Then, magic happens. I make a conscious decision to reach for Rumi’s poetry, and when I do, I am given the gift of recognizing all that’s good about myself and all that’s good in the world.

Because of Rumi’s words, I am awakened to the importance of keeping my heart wide open to love, no matter what.

When I wrote my book, Peace Dreamer: A Journey of Hope in Bad Times and Good, I included experiential activities that show us how to expand the seven chakras.

Here is an excerpt that focuses on the heart chakra.

“The fourth chakra invites you to open your heart to love. Scan your heart chakra and use your highest intuition to sense how it’s doing. Is it vibrant, or does it need more attention?

 Place your hand slightly above this chakra and move it counterclockwise for a few minutes. Focus on clearing out anything that’s blocking your growth. Stop, rub your hands together, shake out any negative energy, and breathe.

 Place your hand over your fourth chakra again, and this time move your hand clockwise. Focus on breathing in all the positive qualities that this chakra provides. Your heart center focuses on qualities of compassion, empathy, kindness and forgiveness. Even if you have been hurt in the past, try to open your heart just a little more toward love.

 Love is the path to healing and feeling alive. Love is the path to peace. Closing your heart will only shrink your capacity to feel joy. Return to the power of love.”

I do something else. too. Whenever shades of darkness move into my being, I literally light a candle. As it glows, I silently gaze at it, observing and embracing its passionate flame. In the silence, I breathe in its light and visualize placing it into my heart space.

Positive Affirmations.

When I add positive affirmations into this healing mix, the combination of meditation, heart chakra activation, visualization, and optimistic intentions serve to shift my being into more moments of heart-centered openness, joy, optimism, hope, peace, healing, and love.

 I welcome the light within me.

 I share my sparkle with everyone I meet.

 I am the essence of light and love.

 My heart is open, and I am free.

 I embody joy amid chaos, peace amid chaos, love amid chaos.

 I Shine Love. I Stand for Love. I am Love.

 And then there’s Rumi’s second sentence, “There is a void in your soul, ready to be filled.”

This sentence is one big wow. It serves as a catalyst for asking deep “look within” questions.

>> Do I activate the voice of my soul enough?

>> Do you?

>> Can we do it even more?

>> What is our authentic voice yearning to say?

>> Can we voice our highest wisdom and yet be fully present when listening to the voice of others?

We writers, musicians, artists, dancers, and creatives are deeply blessed. Even if we are introverted and don’t enjoy sharing the voice of our soul face-to-face, look at the creative releases we have found that help us share the voice of our soul.

Whether you are extroverted, introverted, or an ambivert like me, fill yourself up with the voice of your soul and kindle the light of the candle and place it into your heart.

Rumi would be proud of us.

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