Visceral Needs

Photography by the lovely Leah Fassett

How do you define yourself?

Simple question you’ve probably been asked before but this time take away all the stuff. Take away all the labels, the roles, and all of the masks you're taking on throughout your days.

Who are you without all of that?

Most of us start to define ourselves by unfair labels. There have been days I allowed my mind to sit in scarcity; believing that I’m not enough because I’m not getting enough done or thinking I’m not healthy enough because I still eat dairy and excess carbs. I convinced myself that I’m not enough for my family because I moved away. I literally have let myself believe that I’m not successful enough because I ‘could’ or ‘should’ be making more money by now. But all of this isn’t me. I am not defined by my productivity. My overall health is not defined solely upon outer appearance. My commitment to my family isn’t determined by the physical distance between us. The money I make doesn’t reflect my worth.

So today I’m working on it. I’m taking away the labels and I’m refusing to live in scarcity.

I am resilient in the face of adversity. I am a healthy beyond measure. I am a sister, an auntie, a daughter, and granddaughter despite physical distance. I am a learner, an observer, and a teacher. I LIVE IN ABUNDANCE. These are the words and the phrases that I want to be using to describe my current attitude towards life. This is how I define myself in order for me to feel alive, happy, and at home within myself.

Recently in my yoga classes, I have been asking my students to start their pranayama practice by visualizing a place where they feel at home. Whether that be in the arms of their partner or possibly taking in their absolute favorite view. I ask them to use all of their senses to GO THERE; to fully feel themselves where they call home. By the end of the practice, when some sthira (steadiness) and sukha (ease) have been cultivated through physical asana; we come back to that space. We go there and then I ask them to switch their focus to their own heart space. Telling them that this same feeling of home is right there within their own body. Doing the diligent work to determine who you are when all the labels falls away brings you home to yourself.