A trap we easily fall into when we’re trying to do better, to grow, to heal, is reaching for an “ideal” way of being or feeling, as a kind of proof of our progress. It’s easy to be disappointed by “negative” thoughts and feelings and read them as a step backwards in our attempt to grow, and in doing so, we can easily be caught in a cycle of self-rejection.
We experience a wide range of emotions – joy and sorrow, excitement and fear, anger and contentment. These emotions are not “good” or “bad”; they simply are. They are part of the human condition, a testament to our capacity to feel deeply and connect with the world around us.
“Meditation is not about feeling a certain way. It’s about feeling the way you feel.” – Dan Harris
When your arms are open to holding a space for every emotion that your body experiences, then in essence you are proving your own acceptance of YOU.
And when you have unconditional acceptance for your SELF, all feelings are held and released with a little more ease. Nothing gets stuck, because everything is allowed.
“Meditation is not about stopping thoughts, but recognizing that we are more than our thoughts and our feelings.” — Arianna Huffington
“It is indeed a radical act of love just to sit down and be quiet for a time by yourself” – Jon Kabat-Zinn
“Meditation is not spacing out or running away. In fact, it is being totally honest with ourselves” – Kathleen McDonald
Just a note on this last thought by Kathleen McDonald about being honest with ourselves… this level of total honesty only becomes available in the presence of our own complete acceptance of our SELF. Without this level of self-acceptance, we’re never truly safe to be honest with ourselves.
Accepting every emotion, every thought, every sensation as valid and valuable is, in essence, accepting ourselves unconditionally. It is acknowledging that we are complex beings, capable of experiencing the full spectrum of human emotion. It is recognizing that our inner world is not always a pleasant place, and that’s okay.
So in the spirit of learning how to create acceptance for every thought and every emotion, our journey today is “Come to your senses” – a very simple and practical way to learn how to allow our body to feel whatever experience it is having.
Just one affirmation today, because it’s THAT important:
- By learning to hold space for my thoughts and emotions, I discover that I am so much more than just these thoughts and emotions.
In conclusion, self-acceptance is about recognizing the inherent worth and dignity of our human experience, with all its messiness and imperfection. The more acceptance you have for your human experience, the more freedom and joy you’ll find in being exactly who you are.
Enjoy your weekend!
– pierre –
Today’s LIVE meditation is: Come to your senses.