SELF-COMPASSION
I’ve just finished reading the book Self-Compassion, by Kristin Neff, Ph.D.
My practice/habit, in what I term professional reading, is to read a chapter or two when I wake up each morning. Of course, if they are LONG chapters, I may - depending on time - just read 10-15 pages, and save the rest for the next morning. Over the years, this practice has worked well for me. The house is quiet, I have a cup of coffee, dogs are with me but quiet — all factors that make for quality reading time (for me).
This book, however, took longer to read than others. And, I actually took a break from reading it, and read two books, Breath, as well as the Science of Breathing. Not sure why - but maybe I do (know why).
Self-compassion is a challenging topic for me. I’ve mentioned in this blog that promoting myself is hard — putting myself out to you, hoping you’ll ‘like’ and/or ‘follow’ me is not the stuff I’m good at. Easier for me to stand in the background, read my books, study, etc.
Step back to my Friday class, last week — I was teaching a YogaBasics class and decided to throw out a balance pose (tree pose, to be specific). Since I spend more time on my mat these days during the classes I teach, I did the pose along with students. Wouldn’t you know, I fell (stepped?) out of the pose. Not too obviously, but enough that I thought to myself “Oh, Leslie, how could you? What yoga teacher can’t do a tree pose and hold it as long as the students?”. A little bit of self-berating, right?
Obviously, something in the book, Self Compassion, must have sunk in; because my next thought was — “Everyone has a bad balance day, you stepped out - so what?” Second side of tree pose — same thing, I stepped out. This time, no berating, but an acknowledgment that it wasn’t a good balance day for me and I let it go. A bit of self compassion, perhaps?
“Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?’
Actually who are you not to be. ”
So, I do recommend the book — challenging as it was for me to confront some truths.
I’d enjoy hearing your stories of self-compassion (or, lack of). Leave me a comment!
I hope you have a great November!!!