I have a few mantras that I refer to on a daily basis, one of which is from the Eros of our Time, Miguel:

“Celebrate every day like a Birthday.”

This is why my go-to beverage is usually carbonated–it feels like a party in my mouth.

This is also how I feel about Valentine’s Day.

Sure, there might be a saccharine twinge of commercialization & nauseating expectation at the surface of the quintessential Hallmark holiday, but at its core, we can make V-Day–and beyond–about my favorite thing ever:

Adoration.

To me, the adoration of self, your friends, your lovers, and the important people in your life, is a necessary spiritual practice. Adoration–in the form of little gifts, sweet words, favors & treats–makes life infinitely sweeter.

When we adore someone, we acknowledge and celebrate the Divine that we see in them. It’s a chance to joyfully humble ourselves before our loved ones and honor the richness they bring to our lives.

When we accept adoration from those we love, & practice on OURSELVES, we honor our own Divine Nature.

This is the most important part–feeling ourselves as God/Goddess/Creation/Source/LOVE Itself; When we feel resourced, safe, empowered & abundant, we can more fully be of service to others instead of holding back due to the illusion of lack, scarcity, & unworthiness.

There’s a practice of Deity Yoga where the practitioner visualizes & essentially becomes her chosen Deity–the embodiment of the qualities & characteristics she wants to express more of in her life.

We can already begin to treat ourselves like our favorite Facet of Creation:

• Take a bath in honor of Lakshmi
• Curl up with a Deepak book & rest like Hecate.
• Take a walk in nature to honor Christ
• Prepare & enjoy a meal with reverence to Coatlicue
• Dance & stay out late as a sacred rite to Bacchus

(Everything in moderation, including moderation. It’s good for the Soul.)

And we can do this with each other: With wisdom & discernment, we can choose to set aside the fact that your lover is usually late, and honor his ability to compassionately listen. We can, for a while, forget that your mom loves to offer her opinion on your life, and honor her willingness to help.

(This doesn’t mean ignoring red flags in relationships that aren’t serving you. There is a fine & very effing important difference.)

The point is reverence.

The more we act in service, the more we see that Reality that God is Here. We see more of what is Holy when we treat it like it is Holy.

There’s a touch of Fake-It-Til-You-Make-It.

We cannot, in our mundane patterns we’ve been working with our entire lives, see the Sacred first right off the bat in most situations.

We have to know there is something Sacred here–now where can I see It? It becomes more clear as we explore with curiosity, as we taste into the Grace of the moment, and She reveals herself.

In short: Be sweet.
To Yourself.
Then to Others.
Every. Single. Day.