Category: Uncategorized

Photo by Devin Avery on Unsplash

 

“I am imperfect and yet my imperfections, like any great work of art, are what makes me a masterpiece.” Author Unknown

I heard a new term on the news last week, “social perfectionism”, new to me at least. I believe the term has been around for a little while. It is based on the idea that how we view the world is influenced by unrealistic expectations of what we view on social media. We strive for the perfect job, perfect home, perfect body, perfect significant other, perfect health, etc.

With apps we can retouch, reshape, and filter our photos covering perceived flaws, sharpening the picture, or distorting the image so much that we alter it completely putting forth a false narrative. Although the internet has only been around for about thirty years, the idea of distorting an image is much older. About two thousand years earlier, Patanjali writes about this in the Yoga Sutras:

viparyayo mithya-jnanam atad-rupa-pratishtham (1:8)
False knowledge comes from misperception.

Ancient Yogis refer to a veil (maya) that colors our perception, just like an Instagram filter, the filters in our minds can alter our reality as well. The mind is influence by our upbringing, cultural, beliefs, values, likes and dislikes, relationships, societal expectations, and past experiences. If we can clear away the filter of misperception…lift the veil…we can see our true nature.

Why do we strive for perfection in the first place? We should embrace our perceived flaws and imperfections. Joyce Meyers describes it beautifully, “Each of us has our own unique flaws, like cracked pots. If a light is put within a flawless pot, and then covered, no one is able to see the light within the pot. Perfect pots are not able to reveal internal light to illuminate the way for others. God chooses to shine through imperfect, cracked pots.”

“Jump into your life with your whole heart, trusting that you will fly to God!” Deborah Adele
The final step for living your yoga off of your mat is Surrender (Ishvara pranidhana). The focus is on letting go. Sometimes the best way to handle a challenge is to have faith in a higher plan and surrender control. Surrender comes from a place of strength, rather than weakness.
Set aside time this week to practice Shavasana or corpse pose. It is the posture of surrender. There is nothing for us to do. We are asked to just lie there, releasing any tension in our bodies, letting go of effort, and trusting that the breath will come and the body will renew itself. This is one of the most important practices we can do. It is here that we begin to learn the meaning of letting go of all the ways we physically and mentally fight with life.

“There is a place in you where there is perfect peace. There is a place in you where nothing is impossible.

There is a place in you where the strength of God abides.” Author Unknown
Self -study (Svadhyaya) leads to self-discovery. What brings you joy? What makes you happy? What do you want to contribute during your time on this planet? How can you be of service? More fulfilled? Connected? Get to know yourself (journaling, meditation, attend classes, workshops or spiritual lectures). Find someone to be your guide (a teacher, mentor, therapist, or talk to those on a similar path who are further along in their journey).
Set aside time in your day or week for self-reflection. Choose a time and place that works for you to be undisturbed. Commit to scheduling this time for yourself (maybe even adding it to your calendar).