Self-Acceptance is the Magic Dragon

Reading time: 45 seconds

“We never lose our demons, Mordo. We only learn to live above them.” - The Ancient One, Dr. Strange

One of the biggest misconceptions I used to have on this journey was believing that with enough work on myself—with spirituality, self-improvement, shooting laser beams out of my third eye, twisting myself into yoga pretzels, whatever—I'd reach a point where I'd eradicated all fear, anxiety, and so-called demon-ness forever. I’d have that magical transformative shift… that final, definitive lighting bolt moment that changed everything forever.

To be sure, I have had the kinds of realizations and experiences that changed everything. But sometimes the big, life-changing ah-has can start to feel meaningless when old patterns sneak back to the surface and you find yourself tangling with narratives and emotions you thought you were long done with.⁠

At some point, after years of watching this same movie, it hit me: ohhh…I see… this is the lightning bolt! The real shift isn't about getting rid of unwanted emotions, unwanted thoughts and/or unwanted parts of my life or myself—reaching some sort of perfectly harmonious state of being—it's about inviting all of my humanity to the party. (Which, ironically, creates that more harmonious state of being). It's about giving my demons some respect, passing them the peace pipe, feeling the energies they bring in, without resistance, judgment, or papering over with false positivity. By allowing it all to be what it is, whatever it is, not trying to whack-a-mole it down or obliterate it (which only creates more resistance and fear), I free up that previously captive, stuck energy. Freeing up the energy puts me back in choice, allowing me to move through life connected to the fullness of who I am. E-motion, from the Latin: to move.

Put simply: whether or not “healing” happens in the way we think it should or the way we want it to, accepting ourselves exactly as we are right now—not living in denial or distraction—is what keeps us connected to the deep-down essence of ourselves. With this greater awareness and allowance of ALL.OF.IT, we stay rooted in our essential nature, what Eckhart Tolle calls the “Deep I,” freeing us to make the kinds of day-to-day decisions that align with the infinite potential that we are, that keep us connected to our passions, creativity, dreams and visions… regardless of what fear-based thoughts happen to rise now and then on the screen of consciousness.

And that, my friends, is what I call freedom.

Puff the magic dragon,⁠
KB 👹⁠