The Path to Health & Wholeness

The knock at the door had come right in the middle of my yoga practice. I didn’t want to stop, but there it was again, that annoying tapping.

So I left my mat and went to the door.

Nothing there but the wind.

Then, tap, tap, tap! It was coming from the window.

And there he was, all puffed up, clacking and pounding the window with his beak, a Roadrunner, attacking his reflection in our mirrored glass.

Isn’t that just what we do?! I thought

So often, we too, are confused by the refection we see. And many of us pound away at ourselves hoping to make the offensive threat go away.

But what is the threat, really?

It always boils down to somehow feeling not enough. Not good enough to be loved. Not good enough for success. Not good enough for a healthy and loving relationship. Not good enough to be respected. Not enough time. Not enough support. Not enough knowledge. Not enough experience. Not enough money Just. Not. Enough.

And underneath all that?

The sensitive and tender core of your fragile existence here on earth.

It’s fleeting and delicate. And it has needs. The need for food and water, of course. But even more, the need to be acknowledged and loved.

Isn’t it time we stopped attacking ourselves for not being enough?

Isn’t is time we allowed ourselves to be vulnerable and real?

Isn’t it time to allow ourselves to have needs, and to ask for those very needs to be met?

When you find yourself attacking your own reflection, angry and reactive, shattered, full of sadness and confusion, pause and take a breath.

Instead of pounding on the reflection and wishing for the threat to go away, understand that some part of yourself has risen up with the need to be met and heard.

Just for an instant, stop the attack and allow the vulnerability of your tender heart to be felt.

Breathe with it and through it. Know that there is never a need to remove or fix anything about yourself.

There is only the need to love yourself deeply.

This is the path to wholeness and true health.