New Awakening

I was told to read A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life's Purpose weeks before it became Oprah's Book Club choice. So I knew it was a sign I had to read this book when "The Maven" touted it. I never read his other book The Power of Now but I heard from many who have it was very powerful. I can tell you I am only on page 60 and they have been the most powerful 60 pages I have read in a very long time (probably ever). This is no joke - I am completely serious. I read a lot of "spiritual guide" books and by far this is the best one and I am not even a quarter of the way through. His words make sense to me and hit a chord that resonates throughout my mind and body. My mission is to now put these things I have learned into practice everyday for the rest of my life. Very TALL order but I feel it will empower me and enable me to have a fuller richer life than I already do. Always room for improvement I say.
As a Personal Trainer and Fitness Professional for the past 26 yrs I have formed many "personal" relationships with clients (mostly woman) who have deep emotions when it comes to their own body. They identify themselves through what their bodies look like and what they can do having it be more the external focus to "train" rather than an internal focus on improving the body's condition. When I read on page 51 of A New Earth "If you don't equate the body with who you are, when beauty fades, vigor diminishes, or the body becomes incapacitated, this will not affect your sense of worth or identity in anyway. In fact, as the body begins to weaken, the formless dimension, the light of consciousness, can shine more easily through the fading form". This hit me over the head like a lead balloon. It was so simply stated, concise and a "to the point" way of saying what you externally look like and are able to (physically) do does not define who you really are. In fact in can take away from who you really are.
This year on March 26th will be the 20th year passing of my sister Joyce. She died of breast cancer at the age 35 after fighting the disease that overtook her life for 6 years. Joyce was not only beautiful inside but gorgeous on the outside with the most enviable body. In fact, in her high school yearbook she was voted "best body" and her dream was to be a model. I watched this stunning & amazingly beautiful person deteriorate before my eyes until she was 65 pounds of literally bones & skin, a dull shade of gray and lifeless on the day she died. The one thing she never lost was the light of who she truly was, it never faded over time as her body did. I still to this day feel her spirit and sense the lightness of her being. And that is truly what matters in life not losing those 5 pounds to fit into those size zero jeans.

So next time you stress over the number on the scale, a tighter fitting pant or another line on your face decide if it really matters and truly defines Who You Are - You may want to think twice.

Until the next time....Njoy - LG