What is “The Self"?
A while ago I came across a beautiful meditation that used an analogy of a mountain to represent the self - so powerful, elevated, un-moving, grounded, itself.*
It deeply resonated with me.
What does your “Self” mean to you?
For me, "Self" represents a loving, compassionate, observing presence or awareness; beautifully shaped and colored by the wisdom of a life-time’s experiences, connected with/cushioned by a higher power, grounded like a mountain.
Our self, just like a mountain, encounters various seasons: circumstances, thoughts, emotions; she learns to gather wisdom from them, for her own and others’ benefit.
The times we disregard the self, such as when we get caught up in searching for fulfilment on the outside, can feel as if we are losing our grounding and centeredness.
Our experience of self worth can diminish at such times, and we can be more vulnerable to experiencing symptoms of anxiety, depression, a lack of personal power...
Bringing back the “Self”
Bringing back the self means offering to ourselves and others a loving space where we can encounter and work through our thoughts and feelings; Holding in our awareness how we look at the world, how we cope within relationships, how we manage stress, how we handle ourselves, even how we experience our faith.
Bringing back the “Self” means appreciating the unique beauty of our being and striving to consider the dignity of our own and others’ selves when responding to life's circumstances and fellow travellers; encountering the weather of our lives from an inner core of high self-worth.
‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Mark 12:31 NIV
* Kabat-Zinn, J. (n.d.). Mindfulness for all.