how to actually be seen (chapter 1)

series of personal essays on authenticity & being seen

I was texting back and forth with a friend about what it means to be seen in your gifts, and all things authenticity.

We usually text each other in Farsi, and I noticed that every time I tried to write “authenticity,” I had to switch to English.

Then it dawned on me: I don’t actually know what this word means in my native language.

I went straight to the translator.

The closest translation I found is اصالت (esālat), from the Arabic root أصل ’aṣl = “root/origin.”

Suddenly, I understood the word on a whole other level.

The theme of authenticity has been coming up for me strongly lately, especially since I slowed down back in April.

I kept asking myself:

What does it mean to belong and serve without betraying myself?

We never really know our true essence, even as kids. As we grow up, our need for safety and security shapes us.

We learn to edit ourselves to be loved and approved by family, and we start performing for our parents’ love and validation.

That same craving for security follows us as we move into society.

With social media, that need to perform (often in the name of authenticity) has reached a whole new level.

Here’s what I remembered:

Authenticity is expressing yourself simply because you exist, and your existence is enough.

And your existence is Love.

To truly embody this is to be free from judgment.

To be truly seen by you.

Imagine yourself on the stage of your life.

You may be the only audience, or one of many.

But what kind of an audience are you to yourself?

This is a series of personal essays on authenticity & being seen, subscribe for chapter 2.

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Thank you for joining me on the path of unconditioning,

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Hedi Shah
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👁️ Mindfulness Teacher & Bodyworker
🐉 Nervous system regulation, breathwork, and posture-focused strength training to target the cause of what keeps you stuck and in pain, not just symptoms.

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