“To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment.”
- Ralph Waldo Emerson
When we don’t know who we are — or if we are afraid to be who we are — we betray ourselves. We pretend to be who we think we are. Our self image is made up of our experiences, desires and other people’s ideas and expectations of us.
Maintaining this false self is a betrayal of ourselves. In all deep spiritual journeys, there is the experience of betrayal. Betrayal always tells us to adjust our life to be more authentic. What we identify with is all important.
There are large betrayals (e.g., your partner leaving you) and small betrayals (e.g., disappointments). They are all experiences of being wounded for the purpose of breaking down the defenses of the personality. When we allow the wounding and accept the betrayals as divine gifts, we greatly benefit.
“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.”
– Dr. Seuss (via Elena)
“What you must dare is to be yourself.”
– Dag Hammarskjold
