I chose to name my business ALIGN 22:39™ because this name represents my core values and outlook on life. I did not come to my own healing until I realized that I need to include spiritual growth along with the work I was doing on my mental and physical health. I have noticed this in client journeys as well. Therefore alignment of the main parts of the whole self is what I've seen lead to the best inner transformations. The numbers 22:39 come from Matthew 22:39 in the Bible. It is when Jesus is asked what is the greatest commandment, and he answers that the first is to love God, and the second is love your neighbor as yourself. I find that for any dilemma in life, if we try to find the most loving answer for all involved, we can't go wrong in moving forward.
I have a bit of nervousness stepping up in the wellness community as a Christian. I understand and acknowledge the history that Christianity has in our world, and for all the beautiful things that can be said about the religion, there are also many painful and horrific things that have been done in the name of God. There are also issues like spiritual abuse and other forms of abuse that still occur within the church, and by Christians toward other groups of people. I believe that Christians can hold space for acknowledging the mistakes of those who claim the same God, while also working to be a positive force both within and outside the Christian community.
If you're familiar with Biblical teachings, you might notice that Matthew 22:39 is not the only place in the Bible where we are told to love others as ourself. Here are some other verses:
"You shall not take vengeance, nor bear any grudge against the children of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself: I am the LORD." - Leviticus 19:18 (NKJV)
'"Honor your father and your mother,' and, 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.'" - Matthew 19:19 (NKJV)
"'And you shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.' This is the first commandment. And the second, like it, is this: 'You shall love your neighbor as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these." - Mark 12:30-31 (NKJV)
"So he answered and said, "'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,' and 'your neighbor as yourself.'" - Luke 10:27 (NKJV)
"For the commandments, "You shall not commit adultery," "You shall not murder," "You shall not steal," "You shall not bear false witness," "You shall not covet," and if there is any other commandment, are all summed up in this saying, namely, "You shall love your neighbor as yourself."" - Romans 13:9 (NKJV)
"If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” you do well; but if you show partiality, you commit sin, and are convicted by the law as transgressors." - James 2:8-9 (NKJV)
"For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: "You shall love your neighbor as yourself." - Galatians 5:14 (NKJV)
Not only did the numbers 22:39 rhyme nicely with the word ALIGN for the business name, but the main reason I chose the verse from the book of Matthew is because I love the story of that disciple. Matthew was a seen as a traitor by the Jewish people because he was a tax collector. He went from a man who valued money, worldly status, and possessions to a humble follower of Jesus. His story reminds us that our past is forgiven by God and that God is still ready to welcome us with open arms whenever we are ready to meet Him. Matthew was later known for being one of the most thorough and detailed writers of Jesus's story. If you're interested in a beautiful depiction of Matthew and the other disciples, I highly recommend the crowd-funded TV show "The Chosen" by Angel Studios.
I also understand these scriptures as evidence that it is okay for us to love ourselves. Sometimes, we might think that "self-love" is some new-age egocentrism - an excuse to be selfish. While for some this might be, I've observed that we cannot love others to our best ability if we are running on empty. How can you fill someone else's cup from an empty cup? I once heard a woman say "I only pour into people from my saucer." "Her saucer?! How stingy!" I thought. Yet she was coming from the idea that if we are constantly being poured into, we can be in constant overflow, and that overflow of love spills onto our saucer and out to others.
Lastly, not only is "love others as yourself" monumental in the scripture of my faith, but you might notice it is also The Golden Rule and also commanded in many other of the world's religions. Therefore, I believe that if we keep love at the center of all we do and strive for, we can align our mind, hearts, bodies, and souls to our highest calling.