Make a postcard of “you”

I was at a meditation session tonight. It’s at a place that just recently opened up in West Hollywood (California). Yes, West Hollywood, the city known for its great art galleries, vibrant live music (sunset strip) and happening gay life, has a meditation center. We used to have Bodhi Tree bookstore,  a well-known landmark housing spiritual books and hosting occasional gathering and events. But that place closed its doors and sadly, to my knowledge, there wasn’t another place like-minded people could go to find their center in the hubbub and chaos of this city (and Los Angeles county in general).

So here I was meditating tonight. The spiritual guide, Haize Rosen, at one point asked us to visualize a place or person that made us feel really serene and calm. In a few minutes, she asked us to visualize a person or place that uplifted and energized us. I followed her lead and it took me to beautiful images and feelings. As I came back home and was thinking of what to write about tonight, suddenly the following hit me….

Many of us look back at the year that past and the only things that we can (or want to) remember are the places we traveled to. We used to send (or bring) back post cards (now we take tons of pictures) and we would reminisce over those images and experiences.

But tell me….

How often do we look at ourselves (yes, our “selves”) as postcard-worthy images? When was the last time we looked ourselves in the mirror and said: “I am truly amazing” Does self-judgement and self-criticism leave any space for that? I’m either too fat or too short. I either have too much hair or too little. Etc. Etc. Etc. There is ALWAYS something missing. BUT if I truly look back at the year that past, the most amazing place, feeling and experience I had was “me”. I radiated with energy. I protected and nurtured me. I allowed myself to grow and glow.

So next time we reminisce over travel postcards sitting on the mantel (or images in our image gallery), let’s add a postcard of ourselves and celebrate all that “me” has brought to each one of us and is bringing to us every day. That “me” is the jumping board for untold new travels.

P.S. For those interested or curious, the meditation place is called Project Service L.A.

Shawn