I had been teaching Lighten Up for a few months and knew that I did not yet comprehend the full impact of the process. In December of 1993 during a meditation I heard a voice. I do not normally hear voices during meditation. Most of my messages come through as feelings which translate into thought. On this occasion, however, I heard a distinct voice.

 

It said, "Lighten Up is not about losing weight."

 

I took a deep breath and thought, "I know that!"

 

The voice continued, "Lighten Up is not about getting healthy."

 

Another deep breath and again I thought, "I know that, too."

 

"Lighten Up," the voice said, "is a tool that you are giving people to enable them, perhaps for the first time, to experience unconditional love of self."

 

I thought, "Yes! That's what it's all about."

 

The voice responded, "NO, that's NOT what it's all about. Once they experience unconditional love of self, they can for the first time love others unconditionally. They can't do that until they love themselves unconditionally."

 

I took a really deep breath and thought, "Yup, that's the big picture."

 

The voice gently nudged me and said, "Nope, that's NOT the big picture. Once they love others unconditionally, you have TRUE WORLD PEACE. THAT'S the picture!"

 

Well, that literally took my breath away. I had to sit back and "be" with that for quite a while. I had always viewed Lighten Up through the small window of self love. I had never carried out the ripple effect of what it means to love yourself. I now saw that if everyone did love themselves unconditionally, everyone would love others unconditionally and we would experience world peace!

 

We are all connected and as each of us begins the healing process on ourselves, we help heal others and by helping to heal others, we begin to heal the planet. So if you ever get discouraged doing the Lighten Up process, or your mind tells you that you don't have time , or that you are just not worth the effort, remember the Big Picture. Do the process for world peace. As you heal yourself, you are healing the planet and that is about the most unselfish motive there is.

 

After hearing that story during one of my Lighten Up classes, one of the participants said I might want to have some bumper stickers made that say, "Moisturize for Peace." We all had a big laugh!