The Trap of Becoming

There’s a trap that often awaits those walking the path of the deeply examined life.
It’s sneaky—
even when you know it’s there,
you can still slip into it.

Without wild self-acceptance,
it’s easy to fall into the loop
of endlessly trying to be better—
and in doing so, deny the parts of yourself
that most need to be reclaimed.

It can feel exhilarating to release a limiting belief.
Wildly empowering to let go of a perspective
that’s kept you stuck.
There can be deep relief
when you shed something that was weighing you down.
And sometimes, the bad feelings in the body
really do dissolve with a shift in thinking.

What a beautiful thing—
that the mind can change and transform,
and perceive in new and incredibly empowering ways.

So often, that kind of shift is exactly what’s needed.

But without tenderness toward yourself
and attunement to your own body,
almost anything can quietly become a tool of self-denial.

There is a whole universe of difference
between reclaiming lost parts of yourself—
and trying to become someone different.

Not every part of you that feels fear or pain
is something to outgrow.
Not every ache is a distortion.
Some are simply truths you haven’t yet accepted.

It’s strangely easy to slip from the energy of a glorious unfolding
into a straitjacket.

To avoid the trap, you need to trust the body.
It will speak up when you stray too far from yourself.
Try, if you can, not to fight against it.
Try, if you can, to once in a while just assume it’s right.

With reverence,

The MRA Team