Self-Love

"You cannot love others until you love yourself. A person who loves himself, a person who recognises his value and his worth, and is love, can enter a love relationship saying "I love you" - and that means I care for you exactly as you are, and recognise your right to be exactly what you are, not requiring that you... change or meet any of my expectations - I love you exactly as you are. And, even if you don't love me in return, I still love you. The only person who can say that is one who is already secure in his love." (Side two, ±1m)

"There are so few people in our culture who have grown up knowing that it is all right to love me. Most people are love-starved. We have been taught in our culture, especially men, especially fathers, it's not masculine to love, it's not masculine to express your love. And so, we as men take it for granted that others know that we love them. Or we find little ways to sort of hint or express "I love you" without really ever saying it, or without being warm enough to show it. And, as a result of that, we have children growing up, never feeling quite sure that they're loved. And so they enter relationships that they think are love relationships, when they are really entering relationships to get someone else to prove his love for self. If I don't love myself, I have a great need to be loved - and when I enter a love relationship, I'm going to be trying to get you to prove that you love me constantly, which puts a drain on the relationship. Now, look at almost any marriage and you'll find a drain going one way or the other. One of the partners is not sure that he is loved, and is constantly doing things to get the other to prove that he does love. That is leeching in love relationships. And it isn't done just in marriage relationships. It's done in friendship relationships, it's done in teacher-student relationships." (Side one, ±8m)

"There's a common belief that when I find the right person, my loneliness will be over, my life will be full and fulfilled... But loneliness is not just being alone. Actually, it is completely psychological, a deficiency of the Spirit. It can only be corrected when we overcome that deficiency. Loneliness comes not because we haven't found the right friend, but because we haven't found ourselves. So, before we can do much about forming a relationship with another person, we must first of all form a good relationship with ourselves."
('Forming Relationships & The Healing of Hurt' audio tape, side one, 2m17s) 

Make love to yourself, masturbating. Stop at the point just before orgasm. Then put your attention to your heart, letting the energy go up to the heart. Repeat the cycle until there seems to be no more energy, or you feel like stopping. You can fantasise and orgasm. You are only required to delay any orgasm, letting the energy rise to the heart first. Do daily for at least three months. This is likely to increase your personal magnetism, the most important ingredient of sexuality. Also this can enhance your vitality, aliveness, enthusiasm, looks, creativity.
(Adapted from Masturbation, Tantra and Self-Love by Margo Woods)