Hi Everyone,
“Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it.” -Rumi
In The Gifts of Imperfection, Brene Brown shares a profound discovery from her research:
There is only one thing that separates men and women who feel a deep sense of love and belonging, from those who don’t:
A belief that they are worthy of love and belonging.
As is.
In other words, if I don’t feel a sense of connection, love and belonging in my life right now, on some level, then it’s highly likely that I’m holding a belief that I am not worthy of love and belonging.
As is.
And if I do feel a sense of connection, love and belonging in my life, right now, then I must be holding a belief that I am worthy of love and belonging.
As is.
How many obstacles do we put up in front of our own worthiness, our lovability, as is?
How often do we say to ourselves, “I need to get to yoga practice more.” (Because then I would feel more fit and centered and therefore more worthy of love and belonging?)
Or, “I need to lose 5 pounds, or gain 5 pounds.” (Because then I would be more attractive and therefore more worthy of love and belonging?)
Most of us have a kind of lurking, personal “do” list that thrives on the underlying belief that we need to do something (preferably yesterday!) in order to be more worthy of love and belonging.
Our whole commodity culture feeds on this unhappy belief.
But most of the barriers that we hold against accepting ourselves, “as is,” come from the inside. They hide inside the belief that some part of our story should not have happened, or should not be happening, or is not acceptable in some way.
The barriers to love persist in the feeling that things have to change in order for us to feel happy.
(Our house needs to be cleaner; we need different clothes; we need someone else to change their ways; we must accomplish something more; some injustice must be made right, etc.) And until things do change, the whole game is under protest. “As is” is never good enough. We object fundamentally to life – or some aspect of it – as it is.
This is the state of mind that most of us carry with us throughout each day. This state of mind maintains a barrier against being present. It maintains a barrier to love, to worthiness, to feeling whole.
The benefit of a good Yoga or Chi Gong practice is that it helps remove these barriers. Such is the power of the exhale.
Let me say it again:
A good Yoga or Chi Gong practice helps remove these barriers.
It removes the barriers to love.
Such is the power of the exhale.
Nature itself holds up a clear mirror of “what is.” Through our rejections of part of our story, through our inner protest of the way things are, we cloud the mirror of the present moment. We can’t even see it at all, let alone enjoy it.
That’s why one of the number one bestsellers of Yoga books is simply entitled, “Be Here Now.” The whole practice is summed up in that title. Be. Here. Now. It sounds so simple, and it is true that it is simple, and anyone can do it. Yet how many barriers we place, consciously or unconsciously, against simply showing up in the present moment, clear and aware, as is.
Today, won’t you join me in a simple practice?
Inhale.
“Inhaling, I breathe in awareness of the present moment, as is.”
Exhale.
“Exhaling, I release the barriers to love.”
Affirmation:
Today I show up, AS IS. And totally worthy of love and belonging.
Namaste,
Erin
p.s. I will be co-teaching a November retreat at Red Mountain Resort with Mary Johnston-Coursey. The topic? Awakening the Energy Body. We’ll be doing A LOT of scrumptious clearing. If you’re ready to release some barriers on a deeper level, consider joining us!
Email me for details: radiantenergyforlife@gmail.com