Valentine’s Day has a rich history, encompassing both gruesome Christian martyrdom (Saint Valentine), pagan fertility rituals (a wild Roman festival), and romantic love (thanks to the likes of Shakespeare, Chaucer, and eventually Hallmark Cards).
Today however Valentine’s Day is often associated with the commercial exploitation of romance. Our expectations of what the day should be like are shaped by media and businesses keen to sell us roses, chocolates, and spa packages, and many choose to escape the whole fuss altogether. But for others the day still holds meaning. So Valentine’s Day: Embrace or Escape? It is easy to escape but there is a lot of love energy being released on this day so why not embrace and harness it, making a deeper meaning for ourselves?
Valentine’s Day is an opportunity to start or renew your sacred practice, expanding love and freedom, and to give it an upgrade for the future.
For couples you can do something uniquely loving and honouring for your partner. Even if the devotional gestures feel “artificial” because it’s a nominated day, infusing deeper love into the humdrum of life can have real, positive effects. If you don’t give a toss about it but your partner does, then you can do something special and loving for their sake, and find a way to make it your own.
If your relationship is going through a rough time, Valentine’s Day can be a painful reminder of what is missing. And, it can still be a chance to acknowledge the love that does exist, even if you are struggling. You could say something like “I know things aren’t great between us right now, but I still love you and I honour your love for me.” Celebrating your persistence in hanging in there to find more sacred love and freedom. Setting a new pattern, a restart.
For those couples who are filled with love, Valentine’s Day is a chance to surprise your beloved with something that reveals how much you care. While the masculine may not show it matters to him, he will still be touched by her effort. He likes to be recognised as the noble hero in her life, especially if her gift is flirty or sexy in nature, the gift of herself. The feminine loves to be seen and appreciated as the goddess, so if roses come with his clunky love poem attached that will be the best poem ever when it’s written about her.
For singles the day can be more challenging, a reminder of loneliness or longing for something you don’t have yet, but it doesn’t have to be. Some people choose to ignore it as a distraction (masculine especially), while others buy themselves flowers and chocolates to delight and show self-love (feminine especially). But there are other options too. A single man I know once sent Valentine’s Day texts to a few female friends, celebrating their unique beauty and love, without any romantic connotations, but to make sure they all felt special and seen. Reaching out to one or two people who would appreciate it can also be a way to feel the love within. Elevating their day and yours as well.
Some singles celebrate by taking out a special friend. And a “Galentines” gathering could be a blissful women’s evening. Others spread love on social media by posting sweet poems, grateful thanks and quotes about love. With so much negativity and fear in the world, I believe it is necessary to balance it out with sacred love that honours and transforms. Love One Another.
If you feel awkward about expressing your love, remember awkwardness isn’t a red light, it’s a sign you are about to do something valuable. Embrace the feeling, breathe, and do it anyway. Whatever arises when you express love, the light and the dark feelings, are all part of love.
And who knows that chocolate box might hold dark chocolates too, not just light ones, that take you on a deeper journey into sacred love. Valentine’s Day: Embrace or Escape? Escape if you must, embrace if you can.
Love
