Yoga from the Inside Out Response 3

The whole chapter of "Accepting 'What Is'" resonated with me. One of my favorite parts was when Sell talked about why she liked wearing black tights to class. She explained that they were perfect for covering up her imperfections and things she was not yet ready to publicize. A yogini, via her sister, challenged her to avoid wearing black tights, or anything for that matter which restricted the body physically and kept others from the truth. In spite of how painful it may be to come to terms with our flaws, it can be even more painful to keep them hidden. Realizing this, Sell ditched the tights. She explained how free she felt when she switched to wearing yoga bloomers instead of her formerly beloved tights. She was literally free to move without restriction, but she was also metaphorically more free because she was not hiding anymore. The cut of these shorts allowed students to see proper form and how the muscles moved when the pose was executed correctly.

Similarly, if we act as if we are doing well all the time, we are encouraging people to keep their less than happy emotions inside. This is why I don't like the ubiquity of the phrase, "how are you?" People seem to feel as if it is more necessary to ask how someone is doing than to simply smile at them. Even "hello" is better than an insincere "how are you?" especially because it is rare that someone would care enough to sit and listen if the response is, "not well - here's why..." Anyway, I wish it was socially acceptable to be more vulnerable and up front with our feelings. I think we would all be healthier if we didn't hold things up so tightly...No one can smile all the time.

As Sell went on, she discussed the importance of loving oneself unconditionally. It is easy to set goals and believe everything will be perfect once x, y, z goals are achieved. Nevertheless, that isn't how it should be. We must start making peace with ourselves now, learning to love a new part each day. Part of that process is lovingly accepting what is real. When I read this part of the chapter, I thought of the television show "What Not to Wear." For those who don't know, WNW is a show hosted by two fashion experts, Clinton and Kelly, who make it their mission to make over the wardrobe and look (makeup and hair) of a person whose friends and family have submitted their name as a fashion don't. WNW is funny because the hosts are very blunt and free with truthfulness, but things get serious and emotional when the contestant is confronted. They feel attacked and silly once they see how unfortunate/odd they looked through the eyes of strangers. As the hosts of the show talk with contestants about the root of their eclectic stylish ways, the reason often draws back to low self esteem. People who are heavy set will often wear clothes that are several sizes too big because they think it makes them look small. The hosts remind the contestants that they must dress the body they have, not the body they want. We must love ourselves for who we are, where we are. It's important to dream, but it's even more important to treat your current self with respect and unconditional love.