Insight and Healing

  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Store

The Sacred Heart: A Valentine’s Day Devotion to Loving Yourself First

February 13, 2025 by Barb Brown

heart marker print

A Sacred Journey to Discover the Love Within

As February arrives and the world turns its gaze toward heart-shaped tokens and romantic gestures, it’s easy to feel swept away by the grand myth of love—a myth that often places fulfillment in the hands of another. But in the spirit of deep spirituality, today we turn inward, to the mythopoetic journey of self-love—a love as sacred as the eternal rhythms of the cosmos.

There is an ancient tale, whispered by mystics and echoed in the pages of myth, that before we can truly love another, we must descend into the depths of our own heart. In this place of inner knowing, where shadows dance and truths are unveiled, we discover that self-love is not an indulgence—it is the foundation of everything. This is the path of the Sacred Heart.

The Journey to the Sacred Heart

Imagine yourself standing at the entrance of a labyrinth. The path winds inward, circling through the landscapes of your past, your desires, your fears, and your dreams. This labyrinth is your soul’s terrain, a place where every turn asks you to shed the masks you wear and uncover the truths hidden beneath.

With each step, you are invited to leave behind the stories that say you are not enough. Feel the weight of old doubts and judgments fall away, like leaves releasing from branches in autumn. This is not a hurried journey—it is one of devotion, of gentle unfolding.

As you reach the heart of the labyrinth, you find a still, sacred pool reflecting the glow of a soft inner light. This is your Sacred Heart—a place where you are held by the universe itself, where you remember that your worth is not determined by external validation but by the very essence of your being.

Embracing Your Inner Beloved

On this Valentine’s Day, let the love you seek be the love you offer yourself. Become your own Beloved—a presence of kindness, compassion, and forgiveness. The mythic archetype of the Inner Beloved, found in many spiritual traditions, teaches us that we contain within ourselves all the love we need.

Think of Aphrodite, the goddess of love, not only as a symbol of romantic connection but as a reminder of the love that flows through every part of life. She is the sea, ever-changing yet eternal, and she reminds us that love begins with how we tend to our own soul’s waters.

Think of Eros, not only as a god of passion but as a force of creative longing—the desire to know yourself, to dive deeply into your essence, and to emerge renewed. The myths of the gods tell us what we sometimes forget: self-love is not stagnant. It is a journey of continual discovery.

Rituals of Self-Love

Today, honor yourself with a ritual as sacred as any lover’s vow. Here are a few ways to embrace this devotion:

1. Anoint Yourself: Create a sacred space with candles, oils, or perfumes that evoke a sense of warmth and connection. Anoint your heart or wrists with oil, whispering a loving affirmation: I am worthy of love, and it begins with me.

2. Write a Love Letter to Your Soul: Sit in quiet contemplation and write a letter to yourself. Acknowledge your strengths, your resilience, and the beauty of your journey. Let the words flow like poetry, without judgment or restraint.

3. Mirror Gazing: Stand before a mirror and gaze into your own eyes. Breathe deeply and repeat: I see you. I love you. I am here for you. Let the words sink in, even if they bring tears. The soul recognizes sincerity.

4. Create a Mythopoetic Vision Board: Gather images and symbols that resonate with your heart’s deepest desires. Include mythical symbols—the phoenix for rebirth, the lotus for spiritual awakening, the moon for intuition. This is your map of self-love.

The Ripple Effect of Self-Love

When we love ourselves first, we do not diminish our capacity to love others—we expand it. Self-love is not selfish; it is the fertile soil from which all love grows. When we nurture ourselves, we create a ripple effect that touches everyone around us. The love we give to ourselves becomes a gift to the world, inspiring others to embark on their own sacred journeys.

On this Valentine’s Day, may you honor the sacred within. May you find yourself standing at the heart of your own labyrinth, where the pulse of the universe beats in time with your own. And may you remember that you are already whole—a constellation of love, shining brightly in the night sky.

Blessed be, dear traveler of the Sacred Heart. You are your own Beloved, and that is the greatest love story of all.

2020 – An Epic Journey

October 1, 2020 by Barb Brown

What a Year 2020 Has Been,
And We Still Have 3 Months to Go!

There is No Going Back

March 6th was my birthday. I spent the day with good friends. Lunch, dinner, and then a fireside chat on my patio that night. My life hasn’t been the same since. And I know that your life hasn’t been the same either. I heard it on the news in disbelief. The talk of “social distancing” and the prediction of a global pandemic. It was hard to believe that something like that could come true. Surely our scientists, government, and health care system could stop this thing and protect us. But they could not.

I, like many others, have taken a step back these past few months as an opportunity of self-reflection as well as healing. I was impacted by the stress of a virus out of control, lock downs, and financial concerns, but I have also been dealing with family stress for the last three years that has had a bigger impact on my life, health, and well-being. In a way, I was thankful for the lockdown as it gave me permission to stay home, isolate, recuperate, and heal from the trauma I have been experiencing for the past 3 years. 

I'd like to share a bit of my journey with you here

Three years ago my dad asked me to help him with some of the management of his business (commercial rental property). As I dug into the work that needed to be done I recognized a severe decline in his mental abilities, but he was not willing to look at or discuss the situation with me. Last year I went to a doctor's appointment with him and said out loud that I was concerned about him and asked the doctor for an evaluation for dementia. My father became enraged, hired an attorney, and cut me off, in fear of losing control.

Earlier this year we were able to file for a third party conservator but the hearing was delayed because of the C-19 shut down. In June the court granted our request. We now have a conservator overseeing his finances and managing the business and I am out of the line of fire, so to speak. I have not seen my dad in over a year and have not talked to him on the phone since late February. It has been a difficult journey and I know that I have done my best and did what I needed to do to take care of myself as well as my father. My dad did receive an evaluation and was diagnosed with moderate executive dysfunction last July (2019).

I will be talking about this journey more in the future as well as how to manage the grief and ambiguous loss that this scenario can bring up.

Not Business as Usual

It seems that between taking care of my dad's business, preparing for the court hearing, and then the craziness that this year has brought, I have not had the energy or clarity around my business and yet new insights have been coming to me for months and I wanted to take this opportunity to share with you the direction I will be heading. I am very excited about the new ideas and opportunities ahead of me.

A New Business Name and Website

Last January I realized that I wanted to rebrand my business using the web domain of my very first spiritual mentor, Chris Donovan, who passed away in April of 2017. I so resonate with insight and healing and her energy will be infused in this website and in all that I offer. Without her guidance, I would not be here today offering this powerful work. The website is nearly complete and ready to greet all visitors with a wide variety of information, inspiration, and opportunities to heal, grow, and tune in to spirit.

Hypnotherapy

In the spring of 2019, I completed my hypnotherapy certification. I spent the fall practicing with clients and was just getting ready to start this amazing work when everything was shut down due to the pandemic. 

I will be offering hypnotherapy in person again soon and I am also offering it online now as well. I will also be integrating hypnotherapy in most everything that I do because I believe it is such a powerful and valuable tool.

Radical Self-Care

I am in the process of creating a new series around self-care that I will be delivering in the coming weeks and months. Look for the email series to begin soon. I'm so excited to be pulling this information together and to be able to offer many of my favorite self-care techniques with you. I will bring it all together later this year as an online course and share it with my community first. If you are not on my list, you can sign up here to receive this series.

There are so many techniques to choose from including:

  • Creating healthy routines and rituals

  • Healthy eating and healthy movement

  • Meditation

  • Hypnosis and self hypnosis

  • Aromatherapy and the use of essential oils

  • Holistic health modalities for health and immune support

  • And so much more!

There are so many things I'm looking forward to in the coming months and I'm glad you are on this journey with me. I have much more coming soon and I can't wait to share it with you!

Until next time, I wish you joy!

Recent Posts

  • The Journey With Horses: Healing With Heart
  • Speaking From the Soul: Finding My True Voice
  • Burnout and the Need for Rest
  • New Beginnings
  • Life in the Swirl
  • Home
  • About
  • Blog
  • Contact
  • Store

Affiliate/Earnings Disclaimer

Become a Founding Member of Everyday Spirit Quest

For More Info Visit Our Store

Store

Copyright © 2025 · Barb Brown * Insight and Healing *