In case you haven’t heard this yet today, either from yourself or someone else: There is nothing wrong with you. This message bears repeating: There is nothing wrong with you. In fact, whatever you think is wrong with you, whatever you perceive as one of your weaknesses is probably one of your greatest attributes — a malnourished or misperceived strength. And you have the power (it takes work, but you have the power) to flip your perception and see it as such.
We can do this by detaching ourselves from the belief that we are broken and/or the “I’m a bad person” guilt trip. (Wave hello to your ego. Hi, ego. Then remind yourself: I am not my thoughts, nor are my personality quirks or any other attributes handicaps I must overcome or work around; they’re strengths.) Next, we remember that our essential nature is goodness, peace, and love. From there, we can then imagine and live a life in which instead of fighting our natural responses or resisting the way in which energy wants to move through us, we soften and open — channeling, feeding, and fostering those unique strengths in such a way that our choices, words, and actions become crystal clear, and doubt and fear grow quieter and quieter.
We remember that we just are. That we are perfectly and endlessly loved just exactly as we are. Not as you are… except for that one quality you possess. Or, yeah you are… buuut, you’d be loved a little more if you’d stop doing that one shitty thing you do. No. You are loved exactly as you are. Period.
I’ve been finding myself drawn to lots of twists in my yoga asana practice lately. Detoxifying — releasing this toxic idea that there is something wrong with me, that I am broken and need fixing, unloveable, unworthy (the narrative writes itself in countless ways), and instead opening to the Truth that we are all perfect. That each one of us is not only lovable, but we are love.
The next time you find yourself on your mat, whether moving through your own home practice or in a class, I invite you to welcome challenging poses with the intention of giving yourself the opportunity to notice your thoughts in a situation when you might feel like there is something wrong with you, and then practice remembering otherwise. The point of your practice is not to not fall over, nor is it to make some ideal shape with your body, but rather to show up, do the work, and keep at it.
“Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing
and rightdoing there is a field.
I’ll meet you there.
When the soul lies down in that grass
the world is too full to talk about.” — Rumi
Up for a homework assignment? Here it is: Remove one “should” a day. We are killing our Selves with “shoulds.” When a “should” creeps into your consciousness, inquire where it’s coming from. If you find it’s not from your highest, truest Self, throw. it. out.
Krystal Barschig 