Happy 4th of July! I have to tell a story that occurred earlier this week in Boulder Co. I took my daughter to see Michael Franti and Spearhead at an all ages concert at Red Rocks Amphitheater over the weekend – it was super fun and a great experience.
The next day we went to check out Boulder. The idea of living in a place that is aligned with my environmental and political values sounds like heaven… We went to this brick road where they have street performers, shops, and shaved ice:)
At one point I was outside by myself while everyone was in a shop. I started reading a newspaper article in one of the stands. Within moments I felt all the blood drain from my head and I was almost in tears – the article talked about how Bush is blaming the utter defeat in Iraq on a poor military.
As soon as my friends came out I started telling them what I’d read. The local guy looked mortified and said, “Show me.” I took him over and he immediately started laughing.. Turns out the article was written in a paper called The Onion, which is a spoof newspaper that only serves Chicago, Boulder and one other city. I was unfamiliar with the paper and thought it was serious… I was so relieved, and am happy to report that I have not moved out of the country, but am here to celebrate Independence Day!!
Have fun and be safe.
I’ve been thinking a lot about self-love and what that means. I have come to the conclusion that the biggest way we reject ourselves is energetically. Scan your body right now. Are you allowing the energy to flow or are you resisting at your stomach, heart or throat?
When we push back on our essence, we push back on God or Life. How can we know that God loves us if we reject Him/Her?
Body image has been in the forefront of my mind because that has been the biggest area of self-rejection for me. The other day I was at the pool with my daughter and nephews when two young, beautiful teenage girls came down. Fit, thin, and healthy – I thought to myself, “I hope they love themselves.” And I had to keep myself from saying out loud – “I hope you two know how darling you are…”
Within minutes one of them started talking about her waste, and the fact that sometimes she’s a size two and other times a four… My heart broke – even 16 year old beauties reject themselves.
As each of us fall in love with ourselves – unconditionally – we pave the way for others to do the same. I’m having more moments of self love lately… But it takes constant awareness. Because I know how connected we are – this is a social issue for me, as well as a personal one. I want to be a role model for self love – now that’s a concept…
I’ve always believed and experienced that we teach what we need to learn. This workshop that is happening tomorrow is no different. It is about accepting oneself at an energetic/cellular level – embodying your essence really.
As I’ve been putting the workshop together, I have been reminded of the ways I reject myself. It’s so subtle and automatic – I think most of us do it all day long and aren’t even aware. My awareness is heightened and I am on a mission to stop this perverse pattern in myself, and to help others do the same.
Think of it this way – anytime you long for something you don’t have, you are denying the gifts that you do have. It doesn’t mean we can’t have goals and want things – it just means that we need to find the space to desire more, while appreciating what is.
Do you love your thighs just as they are? What about your finances? Your relationships? Love/life is the transformative elixer… this is the great paradox. The only way to transform anything is to love it.
I’m excited about the response to the upcoming “What’s Your Flavor?” workshop. It seems that a movement toward authenticity is emerging, and pressures to form oneself into an acceptable shape (literally) are being released.
The image coming to me is that of a puzzle. When we try to be someone we’re not, we no longer own our piece of the puzzle that makes up the whole of humanity. Rather, we bury our beautiful and unique piece and replace it with a much smaller generic piece.
Instead of a colorful puzzle covering our globe, we have tiny, fragile pieces floating on a dark background where the real self should be.
As each of us relax into who we really are, the puzzle will come together and we will finally experience at-one-ment.
Life brings regrets and I have made my fair share of choices that should probably fall into the regret category, but don’t.
Truth is, I’m fine with the fact that my first boyfriend could have played a starring role in Goodfellas, or that it took me until the age of 27 to remotely understand the meaning of life.
There is only one thing that could potentially cause me to feel regret – and I try to remember it often. My only potential regret is not being present to those I love.
Last week I accompanied my daughter to a show she was in at her school. She gave me a list of things not to do: “Mom, don’t stare at me and smile the whole time.” “Mom, when you say ‘hi’ to my friends, just sort of stand back and wave..” The list went on. As soon as we arrived, she told me, “Go sit down mom, I’m going to go with my friends.”
This is 180 degrees from the “baby girl” I’m used to – an adjustment to be sure. It just so happened that I had a weekend getaway planned with friends that started the very next morning. So I kissed my newly independent girl goodbye and had three days to reflect.
I was moved to tears as I thought of her trying to dance for me as I commanded that she go brush her teeth… and other examples of this present-focused child being rushed to do the next thing.
Thankfully I remembered that my only potential regret is not seeing her essence and appreciating her every day. Same with my mom, my dad, and the rest of the people I love.
Turns out I had a great weekend, but was happiest to get home, give my daughter a bath and enjoy her playful spirit.
