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Within each one of us is the voice of Love – you know the voice of love when it speaks up for a stranger in need of help, or when it feels and seeks to comfort the pain of others.  You know it when it rejoices at the joys of others, or when it speaks out at the sight of injustice.  It is the voice that makes your heart flutter at the sight of your beloved.  And when all else fails, it is the voice that comforts you and gives you hope for the future.  Only if we could learn to tune into this voice of love, we would live in this world without conflict and fear. 

Let alone strangers, we find it difficult to fully accept and love acquaintances, friends, relatives, spouses and perhaps even ourselves. Why are we so non-accepting and judgmental of others?  As the paradox would have it, alongside the voice of love is the voice of the inner critic.  Where the voice of love accepts, the voice of inner critic rejects.  The inner critic is fear disguised as love, imposing the need to control and correct others.  The need to impose control in relationships results in resentment, frustration and eventually hatred, all symptoms of fear.  The voice of love will always guide one to freedom from fear.  To hear the voice of love, one must first attend to the voice of the inner critic, without judgment, as within the voice of the inner critic lies the secret of breaking the chains of fear.   

Have you ever watched the synchronized flight of birds?  It is a rhythmic dance of freedom with ever-flowing movements.  In this rhythmic dance there is no stepping on each other, putting each other down, abusing each other, or proving each other wrong.  The flowing dance comes from the heart where each moment is new without regrets or worries.  The left and the right and the up and the down become movements of the rhythmic dance, neither left nor right nor up nor down is judged – as long as the birds remain together harmoniously in the dance of love.  When the birds fly together, can anyone tell who takes the lead or who follows?  It is not important who leads or follows – the rhythmic dance is the exchange of each others’ energy that does both -- lead when necessary and follow when appropriate.  It is the exchange of energy that is of total acceptance that moves between the birds and the accepting energy can also flow between people and help them find their voice of love.   

We all have it within us to find our voice of love.  With practice, patience, self-awareness and most of all letting go of non-acceptance, we can hear the voice of love.  In the meantime we can all practice love and acceptance in the following ways: 

• Don’t wait for special occasions to show your love and appreciation to others – there is no time like the present moment to show appreciation. 
• Next time someone gets angry at you, choose to accept and forgive – your chances of diffusing the anger are much higher than if you were to strike back.
• Next time you catch yourself judging another, stop and focus on one positive aspect of the person – you will feel great! 
• Count how many ways your expectation of the other is standing in the way of a beautiful relationship.
• Next time you do not agree with someone, step behind their perceptions and see the situation from their eyes –in this way you expand your thought process.

With small steps in the right direction, you will get in touch with the voice of love.  And then slowly with practice you will be able to recognize the voice of the inner critic and gently let it go, and in the inner silence of your heart, you will be able to hear the inner voice of love, and remain in its ever-flowing rhythmic dance.

Rhythm of Success
Neerja Bhatia
37 Island Heights Circle
Stamford, CT  06902
203-602-1174
nbhatia@rhythmofsuccess.com
http://www.rhythmofsuccess.com