Self Empathy: loving oneself

Too often we align ourselves with the story, and in effect keep the story even tighter and make it more believable/ true. It’s like we empathize with our own stories (that usually aren’t true anyway) as a way to avoid what w’re feeling, and as a way to try to be in control. But that keeps us more in separation and suffering.

Inquiry invites us to have our story, but then instead of holding onto the story, to ask oneself, “how does it feel to have this story?” Sometimes more story will come so sometimes you have to keep asking that question until it takes you to a somatic response/emotional response in the body. Then when the emotional response comes, be with that as fully as you’re able to. In my experience this often leads to having empathy for that which i’m experiencing/feeling/sensing. In this way we’re not keeping the illusion of the story alive, and instead we’re loving ourselves. <3