Perfect Poise, Perfect Life
Bring your body into balance and revolutionise your life
By Noel Kingsley
Publisher Hodder Mobius
AVAILABLE HERE
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The man in the mirror
Looking in the mirror this morning, I saw an older man. My appearance is much the same as yesterday, but somehow I recognised that I'm a little older. I would also like to say, a little wiser and happier too.
I looked in the mirror and thought, whoever you are....whoever I am, I must be true to myself. Some words from William Shakespeare came to mind....,
"This above all - to thine own self be true,
And it must follow, as night follows day,
Thou can'st not then be false to any man."
We may have ideas about what we want to do, head held ideals, concepts of how we should behave, what our responsibilities are, who we need to support, impress or challenge. I think the greatest challenge is recognising 'who' we actually are, ourselves. The greatest challenge is understanding, not what's in our head, but what's in our heart. And then the next greatest challenge is honouring it.
Watching a baby or young child express, ask, demand laugh or cry shows us spontaneous and uninhibited emotion, all from the heart. They express their heart's desires. I look at myself in the mirror and think how wonderful if I could express a little more of my heart's desires. "To thine own self be true."
I ask myself, what do I want today? I want to be happy and fulfilled. So today I shall go out there and be happy, and I shall fulfil myself with pleasures. These need not be special pleasures; they may simply involve me taking pleasure in what I'm doing. I shall satisfy me. But it is my intention to go out and help other people feel good too, through my teaching of the Alexander Technique. But this is only part of it. Looking in the mirror, I see someone who really wants to play the violin a bit better, to make a beautiful sound. This is something I shall do, a struggle as it has been, frustrating at times. Working on solid principles and riding over the bad days to soar on the good ones....I shall improve and this will satisfy a large part of my heart's desires. To quit, tempting as it's been at times, will not satisfy what is in my heart. I know that perseverance and patience will bring its rewards.
Looking in the mirror again, I see someone who wants to change a little, to express, to venture forth into a few new areas that will bring enjoyment and happiness. This involves taking risks with myself, but all at the same time, I want to ensure I'm being true to myself, satisfying my inner needs and wishes. To really know what these are requires a degree of contemplation, of listening to my heart in the early morning on awaking from my sleep. It involves me hearing my 'baby cries' from deep down, the ones I ignore or suppress.
Another quote comes to mind from a book on the shelf,
"One has just to be oneself. That's my basic message. The moment you accept yourself as you are, all burdens, all mountainous burdens, simply disappear. Then life is a sheer joy, a festival of light." Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, Indian Spiritual Master.
Sitting and quietly thinking for a half hour seems to be appropriate, putting all out of my mind and allowing mind wandering and quiet contemplation. To sit down in an armchair and empty my mind of all concerns and activities just to contemplate 'my life' is a luxury I rarely afford. But it's so helpful. Today, I shall do this.
There was a man in my shaving mirror this morning who looked at me in the eye. I realised this man in the mirror is entirely dependent on 'me' for everything in his life. This man needs to be honoured and allowed full expression of his needs and desires. It's up to me to satisfy them.
I'm going to make him smile.
