compassion and love (a self-portrait)
as the light faded wednesday evening, i took a few self-portraits...playing with different angles and looks into the camera. i was having a lot of fun. but then, when i looked through them on the camera, i was so distracted by my arms and my tired eyes and...how the list goes on. so finally, i put my camera straight in front of me, closed my eyes, and focused on filling my whole body with love and compassion. i took several breaths just imagining this compassion and love moving throughout my body. then, while the timer beeped, i looked into the camera imagining i was looking at someone with only love (imagining the look my heart needed in that moment).
later, looking through the photos, my thoughts were softer. i saw beauty and a woman taking the time to just be in her life. i saw truth and realness and some wild, maybe even gorgeous, hair. and then i came to this photo and saw a woman choosing to love herself.
interesting how all the other stuff melts away when you let love fill the cracks.
(whispering now): i dare you to try it.
sending blessings across the miles,
liz
PS would love to see the photo you take.
self-portrait in an invitation, real
Reader Comments (21)
Wow. As soon as I saw that photo, I thought it was the most beautiful photo of you I had seen to date. And then you tell that story and it makes sense. You are GLOWING from the inside out in the photo. You captured your heart, your essence.
You are the perfect expression of the Divine that dwells within you.
I SEE YOU.
xox
My first thought was also that it was one of the most lovely photos I've seen of you and then reading the words it all made so much sense. I decided to join you. You can see my picture http://tinniegirl.blogspot.com/2011/07/sunday-snippets_17.html if you want to. Thanks for the reminder to choose love and compassion for myself.
You are a stunning woman and a beautiful soul. I love reading your work and your words.
Truly lovely...
and it is pure love (and beauty) that your shutter captured, friend. belissima!
I truly appreciate the honesty of your process, I will definitely try this.
You are so beautiful - inside and out. You have helped me so much in learning how to "love big" - including starting to love myself a little. Thanks so much for being such an inspiration to me! Keep on sharing these bits of you - they are so encouraging! Hugs!
I thought you looked so full of love and compassion in that picture when I saw it. Then I read your post.
I might have to try this. I do notice, however, that I am much more forgiving of photos of me now than I was a few years ago before I started learning to love me. I remember looking at photos of me in my archives in horror. Now I look at those same photos and I smile because I remember the moment, and care less about the "flaws". They're still the same photos, but my eye is kinder.
A lovely reminder. Thank you. <3
this is an amazingly beautiful photo! learning how to do this is one of the hardest things... i am still trying.
your little lessons of self love and acceptance carry me.
i am thankful.
You are so lovely! I may have to give it a whirl - I'm in one of those I-hate-every-photo-of-myself moods lately.
inner beauty so shines through...
it is not easy to love myself but it is worth to try hard ; )
Loooooooove this...and your hair has gotten so long!
And I loved what you said about compassion and acceptance...
I have recently taken a self portrait myself....
You can see it here...
http://itsacanadiangeek.blogspot.com/2011/07/reflection-inflection-detection.html
my first thought when i saw this pic of you was that you looked so relaxed & comfortable.! i never would have thought you were having any angst over taking this picture. just goes to "show" that we never know what is brewing inside. i also think it shows that we need to be kind & compassionate not only to others but to ourselves. as always, thank you for posting! xo
So I poured some love into the lens and I like what I got:
http://cheerytomatoproductions.blogspot.com/2011/07/first-thing-in-morning.html
I love this SO much I keep coming back and back, and back to it.
Knowing only a fraction of what you've been through this past year, then seeing you open yourself wide. Here.
Magnificent. Beautiful.
You are beautiful, on the outside, but most notably on the inside. Thank you for sharing YOU.
you're gorgeous.
What a terrific picture! You are beautiful inside and out!! Have a great Friday.
I hadn't seen this post yet and so delighted for the opportunity! (It was before we "met.")
So beautiful (again) .... your words, your photo, (((you))).
<3