Throwing back... Reflection for growth and transcending physical attachment.

I don't always throw back on Thursdays, but when I do it's to photos of my asana in Bali...kidding. Well, kind of. That is me in Ardha Uttasana. And this photo was taken in Bali. But the actual point of my post is twofold. To question attachment to the past and to question attachment to our physical manifestation.

This post was triggered by coming across some images from my very first international yoga retreat, Blissful Bali in April 2013. I've just returned from my most recent, and longest/most ambitious retreat to date, Namaste Nepal and someone asked me 'what did I get out of my retreat' this time?

My response was'Nepal reminded me that I am excellent at what I do'. I was racked with self doubt for months before my departure. But three years ago when this photo was taken I didn't even know I had the ability to create let alone pull off the kind of incredible adventures I now do regularly. I had the naivete of a beginner, took a huge leap of faith and it paid off. I've been on a massive and exciting learning curve ever since and have completely changed my life.

This image reminded me that I haven't always felt confident or affirmed in what I do, and that physically my body has changed in significant ways in the last three years too in response to my mental and emotional state, my life circumtances, and the choices I make about how I spend my time and invest my energy (in both people and activities). It was a great reminder of one of my favourite quotes'this too shall pass'. Nothing is permanent, everything changes - either dying and shedding away, or evolving to thrive on.

My time spent in refection helped me gain some persepctive on the current state of my life and also to feel incredibly grateful for the lessons I've integrated and the opportunities I've either created or allowed into my life in order to welcome change, grow and step into the bigger shoes of who I am today and recommit to allowing myself to evolve into new and improved versions of myself in the future.

It also made me reflect on the power and purpose of reflection as a tool for personal growth and self acceptance, and below are my thoughts on how it can be beneficial. I hope you enjoy and I'd love to hear about your own experiences and wisdom thats come from refelction!

Does nostalgia serve you?

Does looking back in any way to a time when you thought you were; happier, prettier, skinnier, healthier - or the opposite; more or less employable, desirable or loveable in any number of ways change anything at all about who you are in this moment? It might change your feelings or perception of where you're at right now but how is that comparison flavoured? With a hint of regret, a taste of victory or a pinch of envy? Or with an honest and analytical assessment of the factors that influenced who and how you were at a particular point in time?

The power of reflection.

Reflection is a powerful tool for observing our behaviour, teasing out the lessons available from our lived experience and getting clear on the values on which we base our decision making, and therefore shape our lives. Reflection does not serve you well when based in judgment, shame or comparison with the place or position you were in at that particular time of your life. Refelction does work well when applied in the spirit of compassionate, non-judgemental self inquiry with the intention of coming to more deeply understand who we are and how we can be our best as constantly evolving individuals.

Everything you have been in the past of this life (and possibly others before) has helped and prepared you be who you are in this moment. What ever situation you find yourself in now will, in turn, set you up for the person you are evolving to be. The wisdom of the why might just not be apparent right now. The more you can graciously thank and let go of your past, the easier it becomes to be ok with who you are in the present, and surrender into the great magnificence and magic of what is waiting to unfold in your future.

Are you your body?

Nothing about your body (or mind) will stay constant over time. Our society places excessive value on physical appearance and the myth of eternal youth. Attachment to, and investment of a disproportionate amount of your energy in, your physical appearance only will lead to suffering and superficial satisfaction with your life. Your physical manifestation is only part of the complex equation of who and what you are.

The more you can learn love and appreciate your current physical manifestation - and the lessons it avails you through genetics, applied work, illness, injury and ageing - the more peaceful, content and incredibly grateful you can become for the vehicle you've been gifted to learn lessons through in this life. Just as the external circumstances of your life bring you lessons for learning, so does your physical body - in cooperation with your heart/mind - offer you a lifetime of lessons in the application of commitment, dedication, self care, acceptance, kindness, strength, softness...the list goes on.

I'm about to turn as old as I've ever been and I'm incredibly grateful to have a healthy body that helps me do a job and life a life I love... But the older I've become, the slightly - if not wiser - then at least more accepting I've become with the constantly changing state of my physical body. And I've acknowledged how intrinsically tied the health and performance of my body is with the health and habits of my mind.

Thanks to the ongoing lessons and learning I take from my yoga practice and life, I'm much nicer to myself than I've ever been before. I'm not perfect, I'm not beating myself up about it, and I'm able to acknowledge where I can improve and know that effort required to change is a choice entirely in my own power. I've also been able to let go a little of that crippling and self limiting habit so many people have of believing that other people's perceptions of our physical appearance is what to base our value of ourselves on in life. I believe I am more than my body, my mind or my experiences...

Is there more to life than being really, really ridiculously good looking?

Derek Zoolander was on the right track when he wondered if 'there's more to life than being really, really, ridiculously good looking?'... Beware placing too much value on your or others' physical functionality or appearance for it does not last. Your authentic self, your soul, your spirit, your heart - what ever you want to call it - is that within you which is perfect, pure, light, unchanging and deserving of giving and receiving infinite unconditional love. This is who you really are. This is your true worth and your value.

Be that. Allow that to shine. Use the lessons of life and whatever personal practices empower you physically, mentally and emotionally to polish away any tarnish on your soul and keep burning to shine. You're worth it, you deserve the best and you're so much more than the sum of your experiences and your body in this life.

Namaste Wild Sages. Shine bright xo