Odille Rault's Blog - Posts Tagged "self-love"
The Hall of Mirrors
"Imagine you were born and raised in one of those carnival Halls of Mirrors - the ones that distort your reflection. So, everywhere around you, is a distorted image of you. You don’t know it’s distorted - you’ve never seen any other image of yourself.
"Then you go outside, and there you see other people - who all look so good. And you compare yourself to them. And you say “What’s wrong with me! Why can’t I be like that? Why can’t I be like them? They’re so.......... and I’m so.............”
"And you don’t know that you are perfect - because you’ve only ever seen your reflection in the Hall of Mirrors.
"The mirrors in the Hall of Mirrors are the fears and beliefs of certain people around you growing up, and the beliefs and experiences you’ve collected - and everything else that shapes your self image from birth onwards.
"To find out what you’re REALLY like, you need to Trust, and notice and recognize the evidence around you of how much you love yourself. And then you’ll realize that when you stepped outside - those were not other people - those were REAL mirrors - showing Accurate Reflections of YOU! You just didn’t recognize yourself at first! : )"
- Excerpted from "Beyond the Magic Pill - a collection of the insights of Illusions"
"Then you go outside, and there you see other people - who all look so good. And you compare yourself to them. And you say “What’s wrong with me! Why can’t I be like that? Why can’t I be like them? They’re so.......... and I’m so.............”
"And you don’t know that you are perfect - because you’ve only ever seen your reflection in the Hall of Mirrors.
"The mirrors in the Hall of Mirrors are the fears and beliefs of certain people around you growing up, and the beliefs and experiences you’ve collected - and everything else that shapes your self image from birth onwards.
"To find out what you’re REALLY like, you need to Trust, and notice and recognize the evidence around you of how much you love yourself. And then you’ll realize that when you stepped outside - those were not other people - those were REAL mirrors - showing Accurate Reflections of YOU! You just didn’t recognize yourself at first! : )"
- Excerpted from "Beyond the Magic Pill - a collection of the insights of Illusions"
If You Can’t Stop Being Hard On Yourself...
"Imagine a horse that has been ill-treated. And the person who has just bought it wants it to pull a cart. So he hitches the half-starved, beaten and bleeding animal to the cart, and when the horse can’t even move because it is so damaged, the new owner shouts at it, and beats it some more.... is that horse EVER likely to be able to pull that cart?
"Now, if the new owner takes that horse to a vet, and then nurses it back to health with love, nourishment, compassion and caring. If he speaks to the horse with gentle and encouraging words, if he tells the horse it’s going to be okay, it’s going to get better; If he shows the horse he loves it; If he lets it rest in a comfortable stable where it’s warm and safe; And if he allows it, as it gets better, to graze in the sunshine, and on the days it feels worse, if he gives it extra caring and love.... that horse will heal and get stronger, and it will then be ABLE and Willing to pull that cart!
"You are that horse. The previous owners who ill-treated you are those who raised you. The NEW owner is YOU! It’s up to YOU now to put down the whip, unhitch yourself from that cart, and give yourself some nursing back to health with Love and Compassion and Caring - or, just like the horse, you won’t be ABLE to heal. You can’t heal while you’re continuing to beat yourself emotionally, where your previous “carers” left off.
One of the first steps you can take in putting down the whip and unhitching yourself from the cart, and starting to help yourself heal, is to start doing things you love. Even if you start with just one. And at first it may feel odd. Even the horse would find it odd to be suddenly treated with kindness instead of being shouted at and beaten. He may well even react with suspicion. But with coaxing and reassurance from his new owner, he will slowly begin to accept and respond to the new experience of kindness.
Many of us find it difficult at first, to focus on doing what feels good, and it can be a challenge to show ourselves compassion and kindness. Do something Delicious for yourself today! :)"
- Excerpted from BEYOND THE MAGIC PILL
"Now, if the new owner takes that horse to a vet, and then nurses it back to health with love, nourishment, compassion and caring. If he speaks to the horse with gentle and encouraging words, if he tells the horse it’s going to be okay, it’s going to get better; If he shows the horse he loves it; If he lets it rest in a comfortable stable where it’s warm and safe; And if he allows it, as it gets better, to graze in the sunshine, and on the days it feels worse, if he gives it extra caring and love.... that horse will heal and get stronger, and it will then be ABLE and Willing to pull that cart!
"You are that horse. The previous owners who ill-treated you are those who raised you. The NEW owner is YOU! It’s up to YOU now to put down the whip, unhitch yourself from that cart, and give yourself some nursing back to health with Love and Compassion and Caring - or, just like the horse, you won’t be ABLE to heal. You can’t heal while you’re continuing to beat yourself emotionally, where your previous “carers” left off.
One of the first steps you can take in putting down the whip and unhitching yourself from the cart, and starting to help yourself heal, is to start doing things you love. Even if you start with just one. And at first it may feel odd. Even the horse would find it odd to be suddenly treated with kindness instead of being shouted at and beaten. He may well even react with suspicion. But with coaxing and reassurance from his new owner, he will slowly begin to accept and respond to the new experience of kindness.
Many of us find it difficult at first, to focus on doing what feels good, and it can be a challenge to show ourselves compassion and kindness. Do something Delicious for yourself today! :)"
- Excerpted from BEYOND THE MAGIC PILL
