To Be Beautiful As Is

Acceptance of others or Self "as is" is a beautiful practice in and of itself. Only from deep within that acceptance can each of us, if we choose, move toward that which we aspire through specific practice; not accepting first the inherent beauty of "as is" can bring heartache. Some of us are fireflies...others are wildfires...all are stars and beautiful. As Tagore says "the stars are not afraid to appear as fireflies" -- Light/Source are One/Same.

These thoughts were prompted when I read a post by Clarissa Pinkola Estes on fb called "When the mind is present, all else is made easier." What was striking was that I began reading, and nodding my head in agreement, but then I was surprised as I came to a point wherein she said that our culture says our gifts are "good enough as is" and CPE said "I see that cultural trope as wasteful."

The first comment caught me off guard because that has not been my own personal experience or observation in the world; quite the contrary, as I've seen the over-culture hammer into its members repeatedly that no one is "good enough" and that we are pushed and pushed to excel, exceed, be better than others, achieve, succeed, etc. I see children pushed constantly to be competitive and feel not good enough. Those who do not buy into this mentality are themselves seen as less than, or a waste of space.

I feel it is vitally important to realize that each of us, and our gifts however they are expressed, is beautiful "as is."

Where we go from there is is purely a matter of individuality; from acceptance, we can remain in the bliss of "as is" or, if we desire, continue a practice to grow our gifts. But neither is better or wasteful.

To recognize our gifts, accept and embrace our gifts, in love, compassion and peace, sharing this loving contentment with others, is beautiful.

Someone who is driven and passionate may find it curious that another person is content and peaceful in their own nature. With this comes acknowledgement and acceptance of our individuality as manifest in this world; to accept how the elements have blended uniquely within each of us, some having more Fire, others more Earth.

It is not necessary for Earth to struggle to light Fire after Fire against her Nature. Rather, to nurture the spark always there, in its own Light. To bring a Sattvic* quality within, however the Nature has become manifest. That is beautiful - for each of us to find the Sattvic qualities of our own elemental nature.

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As I later explored some of my favorite blogs, Ivan at Poetry Chaikhana shared:

This moment

This LOVE
comes to rest in me,
many beings in one being
In one wheat-grain
a thousand sheaf stacks.

Inside the needle’s eye
a turning night of stars.
This moment –
This LOVE.

~ Rumi

I felt like this lovely, brief poem carried within it incredible peace, the "turning night of stars" that reside "inside the needle's eye" settling me from my earlier upset.

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*Sattva, as the light of consciousness, seeks to impart balance through clarity of perception, right action and spiritual purpose. Sattva is balance.