On this misty morning, I want to talk about love.

Love is a many splendored thing, as John Lennon so rightly said, and as we go through our lives, we love in myriad ways as friends, family, spiritual beings, pet lovers, hobbyists and advocates, erotic lovers and life partners.

Inexplicable in nature, Love has inspired phenomenal art and great epics. Love's many faces make us feel alive. We honor romantic love on Valentine's Day and mother love on Mother's Day. But so little is said about self-love. Do we take it for granted, this ability to love ourselves? No. Instead we talk about building our self-esteem, gaining body confidence, becoming perfect in the eyes of who? others? Does loving ourselves before we love someone else makes us feel vain? Probably. Wouldn't want to appear selfish or narcissistic, right?

I am not going to ask you to stand by the mirror and say to yourself: I love you. I promise. But I am going to ask you, how well do you love yourself?

So many of us go through the trails and tribulations of loving too much, putting others on a pedestal before our selves, contorting ourselves to fit into an image we think is better, more perfect (than who we are) and again and again we indulge in self-destructive behaviors. We hold back where we shouldn't. Often it takes big heart breaks or other kinds of breaks to jolt us out of our skewed idea of loving, before we realize, that we can't fully, deeply love others, our bodies, our lives, our work, if we can't love ourselves. Before we become aware, that no one but our selves can make us full-filled and happy.

Last year, as I found myself amidst divorce, I (re)dis-covered self-love. Not only was I forced to look at myself with compassion and forgive myself for all the things I wish I'd done differently, I also realized that I had been so busy looking for love elsewhere that I didn't realize that I was slowly killing my creative fire and inner juiciness. Amidst grieving, I practiced being my own lover, treating myself as I wanted a lover to treat me. Today I treasure my ability to focus on what's good for me, before anybody else, because I know, I am so much more powerful and present, more passionate and loving, when I take care of me first. I will be my own delicious lover.

So as love-month is approaching, I invite you to explore and really get to know your inner lover. How can you best love yourself? Whether you're single or in relationship, creative, conscious self-love is bound to bring more freedom, aliveness and succulence into your life.

To inspire you I have a few offerings for this month:

Join us as we celebrate the first int'l Madly in Love with ME™ Day, San Francisco style. One evening. All girls. All about YOU. If you are a woman who’s ready and willing to be, love and live her most magnificent, beautiful and unique self, then you won’t want to miss it! Space is limited, so get your tickets through us now. Enjoy,

* Performance, spoken word, music, stories
* Interactive Transformative Art & Body Art
* Free Self-Expression Photography by Lolo's Boudoir
* Inspiration: Christine Arylo’s new book, Choosing ME before WE, the Every Woman’s Guide to Life and Love.

It will be a magical party. Join us! And for those of you who can't join us in person, get your FREE Madly in Love with ME Kit and celebrate with yourself or your girlfriends.