19/06/2026
Do you feel at home with yourself?
I stumbled on this quote again after many years thanks to Zoe Zephyr (her substack is awesome).
Originally coined by mindfulness teacher Jon Kabat-Zinn, he even gave his book this exact title.
This week in my classes, we focused on being present.
It's not always easy to present.
It can be uncomfortable.
In the stillness and on your mat, you can't hide from yourself (at least in a slow practice).
I used to think I could outpace my feelings.
I ran. I travelled.
I studied.
I kept busy.
I talked fast.
I worked hard.
I filled every weekend with events.
It was only when I slowed down that something began to shift within.
I began to learn to love myself.
Even the parts I'm not as proud of, or perhaps wished were different.
Through yoga and psychotherapy,
I learned how to feel my feelings, the good ones and the not-so-good ones.
I had been busy for so long,
I didn't know how to be still, how to feel.
Now I don't do my yoga practice to get away from "it all", I do it to come home to myself.
I am far from perfect.
I use my practice to tend my heart and body, kindly.
To listen to what is present within me,
without judgement.
I have learnt that one companion I'll have for this life is my own heart.
Not in a sad way, but in a beautiful way.
So I mind it. I tend to it.
I don't turn from it.
I don't ignore it.
Being present still isn't always easy.
I like to think of days gone by, and wonder about what is to come.
When I was student in Germany, a professor had a poster on his wall with this quote:
"Yesterday is history,
Tomorrow is a mystery,
Today is a gift,
That is why it is called the present".
(Unknown).
I laughed at it then, but as I get older (and dare I say wiser) I see there is so much truth to it.
How can you be more at home within yourself?
How can you gift yourself that?
I don't have the answers, but as always, I do have lots of questions.
I'd love to hear your thoughts.
💞
