Love - The Crux of ALOHA...

As the real issues become clear for a client and they are truly aware
of where they need to focus, we begin developing a phase based on
love. The counselor initiates this process by seeing the loving
essence in the client and encouraging the client to see their own
loving essence, to really appreciate what they value and cherish about
their own being. I feel that self-love is key to any future work that
a client must do, because without this love and acceptance, is would
be hard to progress to any future growth.

Central to the idea of self-love, the client learns to accept their
self as it is today. The process of psychosynthesis, asking "Who am
I?" and learning to shed the layers that are created as an outer
vision of their own Self, leaving a view that they can hold forth and
embrace, as a foundation for growth. I believe that the client may
spend a great deal of time in this stage of the counseling since many
of their underlying issues may emanate from a fractured view of Self
that needs to be healed and rebuilt on a solid foundation. Once the
client has really allowed these feelings to seep into their being, to
love and accept themselves EXACTLY as they are, with an appreciation
of where they need to grow (from the Awareness stage), only then to we
turn their attention outward towards loving and accepting others.

Loving and accepting others extends from a love of one's Self - the
ego feelings are replaced with a clearer vision of the Authentic Self,
as a welcomed and accepted being to extend this essence to others.
When a client has learned to let go of limiting beliefs and judgement,
first of their own being, they are well-positioned to do the same with
others. The client is encouraged to see the loving essence in other
individuals and deal with the issue of expectations.

Often in this stage of one's development, if Self Love has not been
established, the client looks to find that love from others and is
often disappointed when this does not exist. By learning to recognize
the divine being in all living things, the client starts from a
position of extending love, first to themselves, and then to others,
as an infinite resource that is not transactional. It is a profound
stage for the client's development when they have developed Mastery in
the area of The ALOHA Life known as Love. The work at USM, especially
the early stages of our study, of learning to see the loving essence
and truly listen, are cornerstones of successful development in this
area.