On Self Acceptance

I just finished reading Yoke: My Yoga of Self-Acceptance by Jessamyn Stanley. In Yoke, Stanley discusses her yoga practice as a fat, Queer black femme in relation to the American yoga world. I wanted to share this paragraph that has been sitting with me since I finished reading the book.

“Hating myself is a reflex of getting to know myself. In self-hate, I see the reflections of those who’ve hurt me and those who hurt them. I see the necessity of my pain and the futility of avoiding it. Everyone is doing the best they can with the cards life deals them, including everyone who hurts me.” (Stanley, p. 157).

How profound to access this place of noticing the roots of your self-hate and being able to extend humanity to yourself but also to those who have hurt you. Acceptance, compassion, and forgiveness are a daily practice. What aspect of compassion, forgiveness, or acceptance can you offer to yourself or someone else today?

As always, take what is helpful and leave the rest. I hope you have the week you need.

Stanley, J. (2021). Yoke: my yoga of self-acceptance. Workman.