All You Need Is Love

By on March 25, 2009 in Food & Nutrition, Health, Healthy Living, Spirit

We are continually awakening ourselves in other people’s hearts and allowing them to awaken themselves in our hearts and thereby knowing more of God consciousness.
- John-Roger
(From: Living Love from the Spiritual Heart, p. 53)
 
It’s been said that we all stand on the shoulders of others. As I begin my blog today, I wish to acknowledge the contributions that two great men have made to my life. The first is my Spiritual teacher, John-Roger, founder of the Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness from whom I have learned that nothing is more important than the loving. The second is Dr Charles Portney, a psychiatrist in Santa Monica, California, who helped me with the cognitive and emotional aspects of eating disorders. Both have been my transformational guides on this most important journey.

It is that journey, one that has lasted for much of my life that will be my main blogging topic. And if I have discovered anything along the path, it is the importance that love and self-acceptance play in developing and maintaining a healthy lifestyle. The multibillion-dollar diet industry would have us believe that it is just a matter of what you eat and how you eat it by putting the emphasis on losing weight. Unfortunately, as millions of dieters can tell you, there is a lot more to it than just calories. Healthful living is not so much about losing as it is about finding. Finding self-love in your heart, finding self-acceptance in your body and finding your true self in the results.

I’ll be writing about the techniques and processes that have helped me shed over two hundred pounds and maintain that loss as well as a healthy lifestyle for over seven years following forty years of struggling with every diet known to woman. But this blog won’t just be about me. Twice a month I will devote a post to answering your questions and concerns as they relate to the issues I have addressed and those I haven’t. The more interactive we (you and I) can make this little spot in cyberspace, the better.

As a Transformational Guide, I have worked with many clients over the years that were very different virtually in all aspects except one – they were all searching for a starting point to dealing with their issues; one that would put them on the path to success. Interestingly enough, that starting point was the same for all of them, as it was for me and will be for you – acceptance and the willingness to love yourself exactly where you find yourself.  I didn’t say you had to love yourself. I said you had to be willing to love yourself.

Think about it. And think about what accepting yourself exactly where you are in the moment would look like. What judgments would you have to forgo or suspend? See if you can contact that place where you can live in harmony with your thoughts and feelings. Not yet? No worries. Beginning in the next blog we will explore finding that center and using it to propel you toward your weight and health goals. Until then, begin thinking about your questions for the first “Ask Jan” post. I look forward to your responses.

And always remember, in all things, “Nothing is more important than the loving.”

www.janshepherd.com

 

About jan.shepherd

Jan was born, raised and has lived in Southern California for all of her life, where she has worked with foundations and non-profits in the areas of human growth and development, involving projects ranging from fund-raising to community outreach. She has two wonderful children and two equally wonderful grandchildren. And along with everything else that fills the life of a working mom, she also completed her Master’s program at the University of Santa Monica. 

But she has also yo-yoed between a size two to a size 32. She must have tried every diet ever invented and made up some on her own. Her highest weight was 350 pounds. Every diet and program only led to more weight gain until she finally learned how to heal herself through the techniques of Personal Transformation. 

She learned what works and know how to work it. She chose to love herself and to live fully. She has allowed herself to feel authentically. But she also learned that she is much bigger than her feelings - that the pain didn’t kill her, and neither did joy. She shed 200 pounds of stuff that wasn’t her and has maintained that loss because she lives a transformed life rooted in self-love, a willingness to experience herself fully, and taking responsibility for herself, her awareness, and her choices. 

She lives her life from a spiritual perspective and believes that all roads lead to God. For the most of the past decade, she has committed her life to helping others. As a Transformational Guide, she has worked closely with individual clients and families. She has spoken before audiences both large and small. She has used her trained intuitive awareness combined with her life experience. As a mentor, guide, and teacher, she has helped many to Transform their lives and experience all that life has to offer. 

Website: www.janshepherd.com

View all posts by jan.shepherd →

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13 Responses to All You Need Is Love

  1. mallika.chopra March 24, 2009 at 9:56 pm #

    Jan

    How nice to see and read you here on Intent. :)

    Your journey of losing weight and dealing with the emotional issues tied to that is truly inspiring. I ao excited about the Ask Jan posts as well.

    Welcome!

    Mallika

  2. pavel.somov March 25, 2009 at 2:59 am #

    Hi Jan: you seem to be coming from a great "place" (whatever it is that we mean when we say that). I look forward to reading the "reports" from your journey. Your opening post reminded me of the opening of Hermann Hesse's novel "A Journey to the East." Welcome, indeed!

    Pavel

    Pavel Somov, Ph.D., licensed psychologist, author of "Eating the Moment: 141 Mindful Practices to Overcome Overeating One Meal at a Time" (New Harbinger, 2008) http://www.eatingthemoment.com

  3. kathhu March 25, 2009 at 6:48 am #

    Jan, the question of whether we are "willing" to love ourselves is so profound.. are we? Am I? When one thinks about this, we realize that perhaps that's the basis of all the issues and problems we have. Relationships for instance. Can someone else love me when I can't? Or, if I still don't, could I believe that someone else does??

    This question is looking like "the big one"..

    I'm going in to get my potato chips and wait for your next blog!! (only kidding!)

  4. Cynthia Legette Davi March 25, 2009 at 9:02 am #

    Jan, your story sounds so inspiring, and I know your subsequent blogs (and this one) will be a tremendous blessing to many people. Congratulations on your triumphs with weight and thank you for your revelations about self-love.

    Lovingly,

    Cynthia

  5. yumi March 25, 2009 at 10:33 am #

    Jan, agreed with what everyone else said. Do let us know in future posts how we can send you questions! :)

  6. Andrea Giambrone March 25, 2009 at 10:40 am #

    Hi Jan,

    You connect eating disorders and loving in a way that seems revolutionary! Whatever happened to calories and carbs?? Yet again, I guess we're reminded of the critical importance of looking beneath effects to causes. I'd be fascinated to know your view of how genetics do/don't play a part in this – as when we see families of very overweight people (and not necessarily because they've all just been to McDonald's). Is it possible that

  7. beautiful.momentum March 25, 2009 at 3:21 pm #

    i look forward to reading more on love~~

  8. abarefootman March 25, 2009 at 4:57 pm #

    Thanks Jan for your inspiration and invitation to love myself more deeply. Self-acceptance is so powerful, it brings us back to integrity, all parts working together. Look forward to hearing more from you.

    In Deep Love and Gratitude,

    Louie
    http://www.thelovethatiam.com http://www.abarefootman.co.uk
    tread lightly; sing wild!

  9. jsab0 March 25, 2009 at 5:07 pm #

    I thought there was going to be reference to the Beatles song, but nope. :)

    Love truly is the only thing you need, and that's in regards to absolutely every topic that one could possibly think of.

    Keep up the wonderful posts, Jan!

    –

    Coo coo ca choo!

  10. katherine Hall March 29, 2009 at 9:29 am #

    Hi Jan,

    Great stuff! Thanks for the reminder that the willingness to do creates the ability to do.

    You're such a caring guide, thanks for making this available to all of us.

    Loving you,

  11. anne.naylor March 29, 2009 at 9:36 am #

    Hi Jan,

    Congratulations on all of your achievements and being willing to share your loving journey more widely. I look forward to reading more of your posts as they show up!

    Blessings to you,

    Anne

  12. Dominic March 29, 2009 at 9:42 am #

    Beautiful post, Jan. When I think of love it comes down to heart of soul. This heart of soul intersects where the body going up meets the body going horizontal. Which that is the case the intersection forms a cross. This cross is what we call in symbollism a positive sign. This positive sign attracts more positive signs in the direction to which we are going…moving forward. Depositing love into this revs up the engine a little more.

    God Bless You and Peace

    Dom

  13. Karen Powell April 7, 2009 at 8:11 am #

    Dear Jan,

    I love your blog and find your simple style empowering. Since I have personal experience of you as a Transformational Guide, I would recommend your work to anyone looking to love themselves more and become more healthy in the process. You certainly have inspired my work as a Wellness Facilitator and Yogi. Thank you, I love you and God bless!