LIFE IS A MIRROR
I am also a writing teacher, and this week I got handed a lesson as big (if not bigger!) than the one I was dishing out…
I have a really accomplished writer on my books right now who is a fabulous writer buuuuuuuuuut- he just isn't doing the work. We had a chat, and he said he was a bit stumped for story and was waiting till he felt more inspired.
And I was annoyed. Very annoyed! The only thing getting in his way is him! He doesn't need to wait for the right time, we CREATE the right time.
Doing the thing gives you the energy to do the thing.
You know… that old rhetoric!
But as I sat with myself, I got a bit curious about my annoyance. Why was I so annoyed??
And the answer?
I am annoyed at him because I am annoyed at me!
I have not picked a pen up (other than my blog and these emails!) for 18 months.
I have been busy you know, opening a yoga studio… 🤪
And whilst that is absolutely true, I have been busy, it is also an excuse. As is his about waiting for inspiration to strike.
And so my annoyance was really because he was mirroring back to me exactly what I have been doing and it SUCKS!
Life really is a mirror.
When we get annoyed by someone, there are three things that could be going on-
1. That person is mirroring back to you behaviour in yourself that you dislike and have not worked on
2. That person is mirroring back to you behaviour in yourself that you have worked really hard on, and so you are annoyed that they have not done the work
3. They are a dickhead (could also be true!)
In the 8 limbs of yoga, one of the most important niyamas (if you ask me!) is-
SVAHDYAYA
~ self study
Learning about ourselves is our lifes work, and this mirror malarkey is a big teacher! But here is the clincher though-
Svahdyaya encompasses looking inward, reading sacred texts, and observing your habits without judgment
WITHOUT JUDGEMENT
There it is friends. Without judgement. There is no point me weaponising this lesson of mine. The learning is in holding the reflection with compassion, and enquiring about what I really want and then taking small steps to make it happen.
Like picking up a pen…
So the next time you get annoyed by something, if you have capacity, take a moment and get curious about where that annoyance is REALLY coming from- might be time to dig out that glass cleaner 🤪