Multiple "Me's"

I'm deep into Stephen Cope's "The Wisdom of Yoga" right now. I happened upon this book at the Library when, seeking another book which turned out not to be on the shelf as catalogued, this one seemed to jump right out at me. Kismet. I'm learning so much.

The latest section that I've been pouring over has to do with the multiplicity of selves -- the question of "Who am I?", or how do all of the different "Me's" come together? I gave this some thought yesterday as I stole away for a delicious hour of quiet (and Americano sipping)... who are the multiple selves in me - at times cooperating with one another, and at times seemingly so at odds?

Here goes ...

1. Zen-Girl:  the calm, seemingly unflappable woman with deep roots into the Earth.  She likes to be barefoot *all* the time and edges the lawn with scissors because she really enjoys the quiet concentration it involves.
2. New Age Hippie-Chick:  All down with chakra balancing, crystals and meditation.  Pulling in positive love and light from the Universe at every turn.  ;)
3. Sporty Spice:  Athletic and enthusiastic.  She races out onto the soccer field with as much zip as the kids.
4. Organization Dominatrix:  CRAVES order and minimalism.  Truly wants to recycle/re-home 1/3 to 1/2 of the household contents and gets pretty bossy keeping everyone else in line.
5. The Serious One:  Loves quiet and alone time.  NEEDS alone time.  Sometimes she looks at her reflection in the mirror with disbelief at the loud and sometimes frenetic life reflected back.  This is the girl who once told her fiance "Just so you know, I don't think I ever want to have children". 
6. The Scared Little Girl:  She's there, sometimes she's front and centre.  She's almost waiting for the bottom to fall out from under her.  "What if it's all too good to last?", is her anxious mantra.
7. The Earthy-Birthy Mama:  Homeschooling, co-sleeping & so into her daughters and family.  Loving every moment and savouring each breath.  She sometimes feels like an old woman looking back with magic eyes, being able to relive these precious days.
8. The Teenager in Love:  She still can't believe that she and her Love are old enough now to have all that surrounds them.  Together, they laugh, tell rude jokes and sneak in those stolen moments together... ♥
9. The Healthy Girl:  Vegan, Organic-as-can-be, smoothie-sipping Kale muncher.  ;)
10. The Coffee Queen:  Sue, it's now decaf that she drinks 95% of the time, but she still worships the bean.   When she goes to Starbucks, it's always a 1/2 Caf Americano.
11. The Parmesan "Cheese" Junkie:  she sometimes sprinkles that "cheese" on her pasta.... and likes it. ;)
12. The Dreamer:  she has inspired plans, hopes and dreams ~ to *be* something, to experience all that she can.  She wants to drink in the World.
13. The girl that feels like her ambitions are somehow slipping out of reach.
14. The one who seems to have it all figured out.
15. The one who doubts sometimes if she has a clue about what she's doing, after all.
16. The Friend:  she has many friends and can meet and talk easily with new people.
17. The one who sometimes feels like strong, close friendships are just beyond reach.
18. The Future Tough ol' Lady:  95 years old, and sitting on that bench overlooking the Bow River in Banff, just as I promised myself back in 2007.
19. The young woman who is terrified sometimes that she many not live to see her daughters grow...
20. The Queen of Wanderlust:  itching to toss a few things into a backpack and just go - - travel, live, explore, see, be.

Somehow, they all come together as me.

It's kind of cool to see them all laid out like this.   I love them all, though I seek to comfort, to heal, some of them.  Still, I love them *all*, and - wow - it feels so good to look at all of me and accept all of me.

Cope says something that really resonates with me:  Knowing that the only real self is the Witness,

"We can stop the war with all of the fantastic parts of our experience  We can soften our clinging and craving for "I", "Me", and "Mine".  We can soften our aversion to difficult parts.  We can stop trying to make them all fit together nicely."


What awesome freedom exists in this awakening.


Who are you, in your multiple selves?