Looking ourselves in the eyes…
It has been one of my favourite types of self-portraits for a while now. As I look into the camera it feels like it is capturing a really alive and engaged moment. Yet I also can’t help think that a future me will look in her eyes some day (just like I look at older photos like this) and remember where she was, remember what she didn’t yet know and remember what was not yet lost or gained.
In these last couple months of Be Your Own Beloved and Be Your Own Light it has been so fun to share this tool and I’ve got to say it has been one of my absolute favourite days of each course when we get to look into our own cameras and into our own eyes.
I encourage people to really take this photo for themselves, but I can’t help but notice the ways that doing this for ourselves creates connection and community.
Yesterday we did that activity for Be Your Own Light and yet again, it floored me, seeing all of those powerful lit up eyes of the participants.
It is so simple yet so powerful to look ourselves in the eyes with kindness and to see the spark in our own eyes.
I feel like it also allows us to be seen in a way that is really powerful (and yes, maybe scary at first). Being able to look someone in the eyes (yes, even ourselves) is so powerful. The photo creates a moment of connection.
With ourselves.
With one another.
Looking on Instagram (photos are tagged #beyourownlight on Instagram if you want to take a peek) and the flickr group this morning as the photos are still pouring in from yesterdays activity I am (yet again) tearing up in the cafe where I’m working. Being able to look the participants in the eye and to see all of these photos side by side is just amazing. I’m looking each participant in the eyes and send them love (even if it wasn’t in words). I somehow feel like they will receive it on the other end, cause the universe is just like that. It is filling me up with gratitude and love for the brave beautiful people who have gifted themselves with this adventure to see themselves with love.
Yes.
Because we are all worthy of that kind of connection with ourselves and the love the ripples outward and is reflected back at us when we gift ourselves with these acts of ‘showing up’ for ourselves.
{if you feel inspired to look yourselves in the eyes in a photo today, please tag it with #beyourownbeloved on Instagram
or link to it in todays comments as I’d love to see it}