The Blank Face A Lesson on Self-Acceptance
If I had to name my flaws, the list could go on. Wrinkled skin, stretch marks, break outs, shins abnormally thinner than my thighs or ‘chicken legs’. One thing that sticks out the most is my blank face.
Yup. I blank out sometimes. But with a quick calling out of my name I wake up again, out of the day dreaming and into the present moment………
Another time I blank out. During some situations which require impromptu conversations or when I’m put on the spot. So not fun for me.
Can you relate dear reader to this issue of blanking out?
Blanking out can also be a symptom of some mental health disorders……..
So why am I explaining about the issue of a blank face?
One evening, as one slightly culturally ambiguous child does, I watched one of Tara Brach’s an author, meditation teacher and clinical psychologist talks on meditation. In the meditation talk she describes the experience of a meditation facilitator she was acquainted with.
The experience of this meditation facilitator is one I definitely resonate with. Before commencing a meditation session he blanked out and he didn’t know what to say or how to start the session. So instead of saying anything he pressed his palms together and simply bowed. Again. And Again. Infront of those who had come for class to him.
After this, he explained the significance of his actions to his students while they had tears in their eyes.
By bowing down, he was bowing down to however he was in that moment. To his ‘blank moment’ and the fact that he had no idea what to say. To his humanness. To his imperfection.
He was bowing down to the students as well, accepting them as the way they were.
To just the way he was, and to just the way they were.
I wish I could have been there when it happened but from the way Tara Brach described it, it seems to have been a beautiful moment of realisation and acceptance of our imperfections.
Now when I meditate, I have introduced the mantra
‘Just this’, “Just this”
;Just this worry. Just this anger. Just this happiness.
‘Just my skinny arms, just my frizzy hair’.
Just this life and the way we are.
(Cue Bruno Mars Just the Way You Are!)
With Kindness
Amsha Yogaraj
