Beauty and Perception

 Today I want to share a story with you, guys. A story of our perception of ourselves.

 I've met this woman about three years ago. She was teaching a workshop at the 200 hours yoga teacher training, which I took in 2010. I found her extremely competent, brilliant and confident. I spent some time, thinking what was it like to be as professional as she was and to know so well what you were doing. I also found her very feminine, warm and beautiful. I was fascinated by her lovely personality and the ability to make hard things simple, and to deliver years of expertise in a concise manner.

About a year ago I had a chance and honor to take pictures of her. She stroke me again with her seriousness and wisdom, but there was also something I will never forget: she didn't believe me, when I started giving her compliments to get a smile out of her. All of a sudden, this glorious woman appeared to be so vulnerable and insecure, that I almost couldn't take it. I refused to believe my eyes and ears. I did not understand that this gorgeous, warm, kind, feminine being didn't find herself cute. How in the world was it possible? Why???

A thought of taking a beautiful portrait of her has never left me. Not a yoga portrait. A portrait, where she would be her authentic, and gorgeous, and glorious Self....  A portrait, where she would put her guard down and allow me to see her. A portrait, where her inner beauty would shine through her eyes and light the world. A portrait, which would make her see herself in a different way and believe that she is truly and undoubtedly beautiful.

She just hired me to do some commercial work for her business. She has no idea what was going through my mind for the last year. It's my freaking empathy: I connect to a human being, start feeling what they feel and can't let it go afterwards. I've been working on getting rid of this gift since I was a kid because it hurts. I got so much better at locking my heart as I practiced for years. I figured: since it's not in my power to help everybody in need, there is no point in my compassion. I figured, I'd do a little bit of something every day to make this world a better place and that should be enough. Let's face it: it's not enough. I should become more skilled, powerful and popular so the message I send will be heard by more people. So we can do a little something together, which would make it something BIG.

Start with yourself, dear, don't change the world, just make yourself happy so you can radiate your positive energy into the world. Sounds good! It's work in progress but, I believe, I do it. What's next?

I think, one day I'll write that "all problems come from the lack of love". I'll also write that happiness and positivity on a daily basis is not granted, but earned with sweat:):):):)

This time, I'll just ask the truly amazing woman, whom I was talking about in the beginning of the post, for the permission to capture her beauty and show it back to her. I'm praying that she'll grant it to me.