Who Are You?

Many of us identify with so many external things - our possessions, looks, special gifts or talents, or our stories.

But who are you when all of this is stripped away?

In this reading from my book "Your Body is the Portal to Your Soul", I invite you to feel this part of yourself deeply.

Transcript

Hello and welcome.

I would like to read you an excerpt from my book.

Your body is a portal to your soul.

We experience life through a complex web of belonging,

Relationship,

Careers,

The roles we play,

Our skills,

And even our looks.

From all of these,

We derive pleasure and meaning in life,

And there is nothing wrong with that.

It becomes problematic,

However,

When these aspects start owning you and when they become a defining part of your identity.

If you don't know who or how to be without them,

They start limiting you.

For example,

You are incredibly good looking and you think the only reason others want to spend time with you is because you are so beautiful.

You have this vague resentment that nobody seems to want to get to know the real you.

Even so,

You spend a lot of time grooming to look your best.

What happens when your looks fade?

Maybe you learned early on in life that you don't fit in with the crowd.

You take on this persona of the outsider,

The one who doesn't belong and doesn't get included.

What happens when you meet someone who truly values you and wants you to be with them?

Maybe you always make others laugh.

What happens if your spouse needs you to be present for them because they are hurting?

What if they need to be taken seriously and feel heard,

Yet you keep trying to make them laugh?

What happens if your identity is wrapped up in unwellness?

What if it defines you to the point that you are scared of the cure because you do not know how to relate others from a place of love rather than need?

When you believe that all you have to offer the world is your possessions or your status or the roles you play or your body,

You become dependent on facets outside of who you truly are.

So I would invite you to take a moment to just notice what external factors you identify with.