You know how when you look in the mirror and can’t believe that the aging face you see in front of you is actually yours? Well, there’s a good reason for that.
The cause of our disbelief is that our real selves are not aging – only our physical bodies are. Our souls, the essence of who we truly are, remain as infinitely vibrant as ever. Time is kind of meaningless to our souls anyway. And they can just go right on shining radiantly once our bodies are no longer attached to them too.
So the disconnect that we feel when we see our wrinkles and greying hair is a genuine one. This disconnect helps us to recognise that our bodies are not our truest selves. The real you isn’t aging at all – and it never will. Our souls are timeless.
There are other reminders that help us recognize that we are essentially souls clothed in bodies.
When we are overeating (and we all know when we are overeating), it is a great opportunity to ask ourselves an elucidating question, “Is it my body that is hungry or my soul?”
This one simple question can bring a lot more clarity into our lives. It assists us in becoming aware that the inner emptiness causing overeating (or overindulging in any addiction) comes from our souls that need more joyful nourishment. Addictions let us know that we need more pleasure and meaning in our lives, but it’s only the greatest kind of pleasures that are genuinely able to fill the inner emptiness—reaching out to beings lonelier than us, spending time appreciating our natural world and focusing on the blessings in our lives. These are just a few of the infinite number of ways we can bring more of the lasting type of pleasure into our lives.
And before you toss it away, even a tiny seed that you find inside of a fruit can serve as a wondrous reminder. When the seed’s outer layer withers, its inner essence is revealed. That’s the part with the potential to blossom eternally.
So the next time you feel disconnected from the image staring back at you in your mirror, find yourself overeating, doing some other addictive behaviour, or even noticing the endless potential of a tiny seed. You can see each as a reminder to recognise the forever unwrinkled you.
Look at them as chances to re-connect with who you are at your core – YOU invincible soul.
Bracha Goetz
Bracha Goetz is the Harvard-educated author of 41 books that help children’s souls shine. She is also the author of a candid memoir about her journey to spiritually and joyfully overcome food addictions:Searching for God in the Garbage.
- Bracha Goetz
- Bracha Goetz
