Acceptance

Ditching the Dirt

Whatever attitudes we habitually use toward ourselves, we will use on others, and whatever attitudes we habitually use toward others, we will use on ourselves. The situation is comparable to our serving food to ourselves and to other people from the same bowl. Everyone ends up eating the same thing–we must examine carefully what we are dishing out.

– Bhante Henepola Gunaratana, “Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness”

I love this quote. It reminds us that what we think about others is a reflection on ourselves AND if we want to change on the inside we have to look at what we are dishing out to others. Try using the word “acceptance” as a mantra (usually a word or phrase used in conjunction with meditation) when working out at the gym or while riding on BART. Just repeat this over and over to your self – and you’ll soon find that there is a concurrent change on the inside as well.

The Man in the Mirror segment on the DVD Opening the Gates was meant to address just this aspect. Men find it difficult to stand in the mirror naked gazing at themselves – the mind wants to go for the critical, the not-quite-right or up-to-par, comparing themselves to others or wishing they had a bigger cock, or a hairy or smooth body, blah, blah, blah, the list goes on. Geez, give yourself a break, eh?

So the next time you feel like dishing the dirt, try focusing on acceptance and see how it feels. And if you can’t get there with yourself, start with others and see what happens.
You might just fall back in love with yourself.

The MEN in my life

The last few classes have been full, and I can remember exclaiming in the middle of one session “God, I love men!!!” In the moment I was filled with the beauty and sexiness of men of all shapes and sizes – I could see something erotic in each and every one of them. This is the secret to an open eroticism in our lives because every man has something about them that is sexy: perhaps the hair on their forearms or the nape of their neck, or their cocky smile, or chest hairs running down a man’s belly, or even cute ears (yes, this I notice too). Ah, and there is the good stuff as in the above pic taken at my surprise 50th nude birthday bash at the Heartwalker Studio. Any guesses who’s behind me?????? It’s all good………..

PS the photo credit goes out to Cal Gilbert and to Scott Nichols for the excellent job at cropping.