how to actually be seen? (chapter 3)
series of personal essays on authenticity & being seen
I was sharing my breakthroughs on being seen with a friend, long before I wrote about it here.
My friend said, “Wow, I feel like so many of my mental knots got resolved after you shared that.”
Then they said, “You could share this with your community, you know?”
But my first thought was, How?
My human mind couldn’t turn all of it into an educational piece of content.
There was no clear structure, and the more I tried to force one, the less it made sense.
Staying on the theme of authenticity, I paused.
I asked: if I return to أصل ’aṣl = “root/origin,” how would this want to be expressed?
And I heard:
you overcomplicate things
simplify
share it as is
your raw expression is enough
That’s why this series on how to be seen came to life.
How often do we complicate things just to make it make sense for others?
We edit ourselves to be understandable because we’re consumed by judging other people’s judgment of us.
Here is what came through:
Dear child,
You believe that, by default, every relationship might be hurting you.
You came to believe you are a victim in any exchange.
Because you learned you only belong by hurting yourself.
By ignoring your wants, needs, and feelings.
Yes, this might be what you learned early on, but it’s time to give yourself permission
to belong without losing yourself.
To let yourself come as you are,
without filtering,
without adding extra,
without complicating yourself.
Only then does your essence come through clearly.
Let it fill the room.
Then it’s clear where you truly belong.
And remember: clarity is the truest form of kindness, to you and the world around you.
{This is my personal essays on authenticity and being seen, subscribe for chapter 3. Click to read chapter 1 and 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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