Anonymous asked:
How can I learn to be beautiful and good like you? I'm so ugly I can't take it
More you might like
qhelet answered:
my teacher says “all self improvement is doomed, because all self improvement begins in self loathing.”
Here is what she means: if you try to get into a yoga pose for the first time and you are intent on doing it perfectly, the body itself will prevent you. you may try to straighten your leg, only to find that this brings your pelvis out of a square position. or you may find that you try to strain forward to reach your toes, only to bring the belly away from the thighs and shorten the spine– making you further from your goal the more you reach for it.
the body makes these adjustments to prevent you from injury. your muscles could not take the strain of doing something perfectly the first time. if you were to push through these adjustments and insist on forcing the leg straight, forcing the pelvis square, forcing your hands to your toes, you would likely get hurt. but the body is wise and good. and if we listen to it we will not get hurt.
the mind is the same as the body and so it is also wise and good. if you are not practiced enough to hold your discomfort, the mind will find ways to protect you from pain: the mind will deflect blame onto others, the mind will project, the mind will justify you in your behavior. the mind does all these things not because it is bad, but because it is wise; because the mind, like the body, knows it cannot take the strain of doing something perfectly the first time it is asked to.
you cannot improve yourself on a set timeline. you cannot say: i will be a better person in six months to a year. you have to trust your body-mind to be your teacher, and trust that it knows the correct pace at which you can heal.
when you allow yourself to be as you are, and to take care of the body-mind you have, to nourish your needs as they are (instead of as what you want them to be), to allow yourself to exist without applying force, you will organically get better. the instinctive things you do to protect yourself from malnourishment and and from shame and from fear and from vulnerability and from wounds and from the past will fall away on their own. because you won’t need protection anymore.
7 Self Improvement Tips
1. Start today
2. Choose small, short term goals
3. Put one step in front of the other
4. Go easy on yourself
5. Expect to encounter setbacks
6. Keep on going
7. Expect to succeed.
“Become addicted to constant and never-ending self improvement.”
— Anthony J. D'Angelo (via purplebuddhaquotes)
I hate glamorizing over-working. It’s not healthy. The fact that there are so many people going without sleep, food, personal hygiene (not to mention time for relaxation, personal time, and socialization, which are very necessary for mental health) just to stay afloat is not something to be celebrated or applauded. It’s a problem, not a goal that all good employees should aspire to, or a norm everyone should be expected to perform.
The Sexy Tragic Muse fetishizes women’s pain by portraying debilitating mental health disorders filtered dreamily through the male gaze. The trope glamourizes addiction and illnesses like depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia – diseases that are distinctly unglamorous for those of us who live with them. The Sexy Tragic Muse is vulnerable, and her vulnerability is sexualized. Her inability to properly care for herself or make decisions on her own behalf is presented as being part of her appeal.
And perhaps this is the most frustrating thing about the Sexy Tragic Muse – the fact that this character type seems to be a neat way of removing a woman’s agency without the film or book or song coming across as overtly misogynistic. She occupies the intersection of ableism and sexism, and her mental illness is portrayed in a way that makes it commendable, even necessary, for others to care for her. We feel gratitude to the men that step up and save her, because she obviously cannot save herself. We feel empathy for the men that break up with her, because we see that she is difficult and volatile. We never get to see things from her perspective; often it is implied that this would be impossible, because her perspective is too confused and fractured.
Remember Hellenic Polytheists…
Aphrodite wants you to be nice to yourself and your body because she thinks it’s beautiful
Apollo cares about your mental health
Dionysus wants you to relax and enjoy life
Hermes appreciates your puns and pranks and silly antics
Hephaestus thinks you’re hella talented and inspiring as is
Artemis believes you’re strong enough to fight off the bullshit people throw at you
Ares wants you to keep fighting
Athena believes in you - your intelligence and capability
Poseidon knows that you can be as calm as a lake’s current or as fearsome as an earthquake
Hestia wants you to be safe and comfortable
Persephone wants you to stop and smell the roses
Hera has a beautiful future planned for you
Hades doesn’t want you to kill yourself tonight
and remember, if all else fails,
Zeus would totally start a shit-storm over you
TREAT YO SELF
Moon, Venus or Ceres in Aries:
Go on a hike to a place with a marvelous view. The sense of accomplishment will feed your self worth, inspire your ambition, & satisfy your drive.
Teach yourself an unfamiliar sport or other active hobby. Honing a new, exciting skill by yourself will make you feel more independent than ever.
Congratulate yourself. Being proud of your achievements can open healthy channels of emotion. Appreciate the finish lines you cross.
Moon, Venus or Ceres in Taurus:
Pamper yourself. Get a massage, go out to eat, go shopping, or binge-watch Netflix. Reward your steady, dependable strength with some relaxation.
Work with your hands, such as with pottery or baking. Activities of the like will freshen your creative spirit and provide immediate, tangible results for effort.
Repair or replenish one of life’s necessities. Maintaining your household and keeping things in working order will make you feel grounded and productive.
Moon, Venus or Ceres in Gemini:
Journal. Expressing your thoughts & feelings openly and completely will make you feel refreshed, validated, and a bit less stifled or exhausted.
Go to a party or other lively event. Surrounding yourself with dynamic & cheerful activity will energize you. If you engage, you’ll feel integrated.
Join online forum discussions. Engaging with other people over subjects you’re knowledgeable about will fire up & satisfy your complex intellect.
Moon, Venus or Ceres in Cancer:
Take a lot of photos. Being able to re-immerse yourself in old memories will satisfy your sentimentality. Sometimes a little nostalgia is good for you.
Hug someone. Random expressions of affection are important. Savor the emotional fulfillment & sense of safety created by this sweet, simple gesture.
Create a sanctuary for yourself, a safe place you can retreat to. Peace & quiet are special resources. Learn to appreciate and enjoy your own company.
Moon, Venus or Ceres in Leo:
Post selfies or create self-portraits. Show off a little. Draw some positive attention to yourself to replenish your confidence and self-assurance.
Arrange / administer to a group activity. This will spark pride in the accomplishments you orchestrate / in the respect leading something garners.
Attend some kind of extravagant event. Belonging in a luxurious atmosphere will make you feel like royalty – valuable and significant.
Moon, Venus or Ceres in Virgo:
Take care of your body. Exercise, eat healthy, try a new skincare routine. Improving your health & appearance will boost your self-worth & confidence.
Edit, refine, or critique something. Assisting others in their pursuit of improvement & doing work that needs to be done will make you feel useful.
Watch over a pet or plant(s). Animals & nature are pure things, and to be part of their well-being could be an immensely rewarding experience.
Moon, Venus or Ceres in Libra:
Go to an art gallery or something similar. A beautiful, sophisticated atmosphere will make you feel comfortable & fulfilled. Your refined taste will be satisfied.
Grow a garden or decorate a room. Creating a peaceful, aesthetically pleasing place will remind you of your own splendor, and you can share it with others.
Reinvent your style. Finding a new way to express yourself can make you feel refreshed. It will be a major step toward cultivating self-approval.
Moon, Venus or Ceres in Scorpio:
Take down another one of your walls with someone you trust. Cultivating intimacy will satiate many of your needs, insecurities, and discomforts.
Go to a place where you are completely anonymous. Be someone new for a day. Become one of the mysteries you love so much. It will be inspiring.
Meditate. When you’re alone, you probably analyze things intensely; take a break from this. Clear your mind. The relaxation will be very rewarding.
Moon, Venus or Ceres in Sagittarius:
Look into a religion or ideology you know little about. Gathering unfamiliar knowledge will expand not only your mind, but your self-satisfaction as well.
Go to a “boring” town and discover something interesting about it. Finding intrigue where there is only monotony is the greatest kind of exploration.
Start a deep discussion with someone who is very different from you. If no one turns unnecessarily hostile, you can probably teach each other something.
Moon, Venus or Ceres in Capricorn:
Write a detailed to-do list for a weekend and complete the entire thing. This will open up free time for relaxation afterwards & make you feel very productive.
If you have an important goal, devise a plan for it. Giving yourself a secure path to follow will promote steady workflow and a comfortable sense of safety.
Lighten up. Find a safe space to be yourself in, and relax. This will refresh & energize you, and release a lot of your built-up tension. Let a few things go.
Moon, Venus or Ceres in Aquarius:
Contribute to a good cause – donate to a charity or someone in need, or volunteer somewhere. This will boost your self-worth and may enlighten you.
Take a day to spend time with friends, or go out of your way to make new ones. Trust, expression, and connection open healthy channels of emotion.
Appreciate your own uniqueness. There’s no better way to feel like you matter than to find yourself worthy of your own attention and approval.
Moon, Venus or Ceres in Pisces:
Do one unsolicited favor a day. Expressing & manifesting your own kind nature in a way you will notice will increase your self-approval and self-worth.
Create something. Set your imagination free & let your inspiration run wild. This will be refreshing & you’ll have a lasting extension of who you are.
Go to an immersive art event, like an interactive play. Losing yourself in a tangible fantasy will release a lot of your negative feelings & may inspire you.
Spellbinding Candles by Magic House
Inspired by nature, love, inspiration and beauty of spirituality, designer Brandie Taylor from Magic Hour has concocted a collection of candles, compromised of a cotton wick, a glass container, soy wax, gemstones, flower essences, essential oils, and herbs to radiate positive energy and manifest wishes.
Created magically with a lot of love, Taylor promises us that “the gemstones are charged under the most favorable astrological night skies and the wax is carefully spelled for power and purpose.”
Overall the spiritual artist aims to inspire love and well-being. Find them in her Etsy shop.
Spirituality is not about being positive, always- it is about shining a light on the aspects of yourself that are not positive, always.
Shamanism actually is dependent upon ones ability to travel to the underworld (shadow self), and retrieve lost soul fragments..
Cindy Anneh-bu (via spiritualpoet)
honestly i respect religious lgbtq ppl so much? cause in all honestly, it’s fucking hard when both ppl who are and aren’t part of your religion are constantly questioning and attacking you. there are ppl who might ask you how it’s possible to be trans/gay and religious at the same time. there are ppl who tell you that you’re gna be punished for who you are, but that’s all bullshit. religion is a deeply personal thing, no one can dictate it for you. you’re not contradicting it by being trans and/or attracted to the same gender. yall are some of the bravest ppl out there, and your faith is just as valid as anyone’s. your god(s) accept you. fuck everyone who says otherwise