I want to share with you the most important lesson I learned in my recent bouts of depression. Well, actually, I ‘knew’ this before but this time, I’ve ‘got’ it at a new and deeper level.

Here it is: I’m seeking a deeper level of acceptance. An acceptance of who I am now, no matter what this looks like. There’s no need for change of any kind – I’m fine just the way I am.

As soon as I got this flash of insight, I found these incredible words from Oriah Mountain Dreamer in her book, The Dance. She writes that a Grandmother spoke to her while she was sleeping and said, “Wrong question, Oriah.”

“What if the question is not why am I so infrequently the person I really want to be, but why do I so infrequently want to be the person I really am?

“ …what the Grandmother is telling me is true: that who we are by our essential nature is enough; that we are right now in this moment capable of being compassionate and fully present in intimate relationship with ourselves, the world, and the Mystery; that we are all we need to be by our nature; that there is no need for self-improvement; that we live our deepest soul’s desires not by intending to change who we are but by intending to be who we are. And clearly our intention—to change or to be who we are—profoundly shapes how we live, what we believe we must do to learn, whether we feel we must ceaselessly push ourselves to reach higher or simply find the courage and confidence to allow who we are to unfold.”

Thank you, Oriah! I am choosing to let go of the struggle and allow who I am to unfold.

~ Patrice

“Why be afraid, beautiful one?
Nothing is required of you.
Truly.
Simply breathe and be the perfect expression of love that you already are.
Everything else is gravy.”

-- Jennifer Louden