During a recent retreat facilitated by Jessica Ramirez, she had us position our bodies in different yoga positions and posed questions to help us identify emotions that might be contained in certain areas of our bodies.
As I stretched and focused on my left hip, the “I am not enough” came forward. I’m familiar with my “I am not enough” friend.
He’s mostly dormant, but from time to time wakes up from his slumber to hit me when I least expect it.
Not this time though.
I saw it coming and watched the thought move through me effortlessly. It dissipated and I said, nicely done, silently to myself, recognizing how far I’ve come with that one.
Next came a stretch to the right hip and to my surprise something new appeared.
It was a thought framework I don’t recall having before which caused me to pause and examine it more closely.
The thought was that my desire to be seen, to be recognized, to be acknowledged, is really a burden placed on myself, by myself.
I quickly named it, the “see me!” burden.
I’m not saying there is anything wrong with wanting to be recognized.
Recognition and acknowledgment are key to developing a positive relationship with others and your own sense of self.
Yet, sometimes it can go too far and can turn dark into martyrism.
My left hip stretch left me with a cautionary question, where am I seeking acknowledgment, not getting it, and developing resentment toward that person without them even knowing it, as a result?
With whom might you have a “see me” burden happening? What are you going to do to confront the dynamic and turn it into a positive one?
