"As soon as you
trust yourself, you will know how to live." Johann Wofgang von Goethe
Uncovering the Naked Truth
Do you know the story of two monks who happen upon a naked
woman standing by a river? It goes something like this:
The woman wants to cross the river and asks the
Monks if one would carry her to the other side. One Monk agrees while the other
steps back in horror, but says nothing.
When they get to the other side, the Holy Man carrying the woman puts her down
at the bank of the river and the two Monks walk on, traveling the next 10 miles
in silence.
The Monk who maintains his purity by refusing to touch the woman ponders
the incorrectness of the other's action. As he walks down the road, he simply
cannot get the image of the naked woman out of his head. He plays the
image of his Brother carrying the naked woman over and over.
Finally at the end of the day the uncontaminated Monk can stand it no longer.
He breaks his silence and says, 'how is it you soiled your body and
mind by touching that naked woman?'
To which the other
Monk replies, 'I left her at the bank of the river while you, on the
other hand, have carried her with you all day.'
Two Faced
Which Monk Are You?
We all carry the spirits of both Monks within us.
There is the side of us
who jumps into life with simple, straightforward non-judgmental action, and the
other side who is filled with shoulds, don'ts, rules and judgments--who continues to ruminate and second-guess actions and experiences long after they're over.
Which Monk do you relate to most?
Do you spend more time carrying negative
thoughts and experiences with you? Or do you strive to walk through your negative experiences so you can let them go, and move on with your life?
Feeling Alone and Vulnerable
'Naked Lady' Experiences Leave You Feeling Vulnerable
Let me share one of my 'naked lady' stories with you. Early in my career, when I was a trusting and fresh-faced professional, I had a
charismatic colleague I admired very much who methodically turned other
co-workers against me. This was a very public experience that left me
feeling exposed and vulnerable, and influenced my outlook for years.
Initially when I revisited my old stomping grounds after moving away, my mind would be
drawn to revisit that uncomfortable experience, and I had to deal
with the feeling everyone was judging me each time we came in contact.
Yet years down the road as I was conversing with a colleague who was a major
player in THE EVENT I discovered she had no memory of it at all. My naked lady
experience I carried within me as a HUGE memory
she put down immediately after things transpired.
Furthermore, when I checked in with other people who were involved in my BIG
EVENT, their recollection of the experience was minuscule or non-existent.
There was no group memory of what transpired--only what I carried with me in my
mind. I could have put my 'naked lady' experience down instead of carrying
it with me all those years.
What 'Naked Lady Experience' are you carrying with you today?
💧 What events,
experiences or embarrassments are your 'naked lady' experiences causing
you to feel exposed and vulnerable?
💧 Have you been publicly
embarrassed, laid off, divorced, or 'made a fool' by a love interest?
💧 Are you embarrassed
because you've lost your home, failed to get a job, or while you may have
a job you're being underpaid for your skills and talents?
💓 What do you
need to name, examine and let go? 💓
Most people are too busy with their own lives
to maintain an inventory of your negative events and experiences. Don't
let your 'naked lady' experiences get a toe-hold in your mind. Let them go and
move on unburdened with negative experiences of the past.
'Don't carry your mistakes around with you. Instead, place them under your feet
and use them as stepping stones.' Sun Gazing
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For more than 35 years, Susan Meyerott has been helping people lighten up
and step over invisible barriers to change one step at a time. She speaks to
your heart, puts you at ease, and makes letting go and moving forward with life
easier than ever before.
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