Your True Nature
What masks our true selves and what to do about it
This week, I’ve been taking a one-week art class with friends. The course is designed to help us get closer to our identity as artists. The teacher, Louise Fletcher, sets up exercises to get us out of our heads and paint freely.
One of the assignments was to paint something ugly. That throws so many of the participants into a full-on tizzy. It fascinates me because so many people create something marvelous when painting something ‘ugly.’ Even though it is an artistic creation, they still feign that their paintings are ugly.
I have no problem making ugly paintings because I’m not schooled in art techniques. Sometimes, when I paint, it just looks like a total mess. Other times, something emerges that I like.
While I’m not an expert, writing and making art is part of my true nature. I’ve been on a journey to ‘find’ myself most of my life. What I was looking for was my true nature.
Over the years, I’ve done things against my inner knowing, taken jobs when my intuition warned me against them, and done things I ‘should’ do, even though I didn’t want to. My true nature would peek out from the mask when I made time for something creative, but I never gave it too much thought or credence. Throughout those years, I often set aside my true nature for who I thought I was. I measured myself against other entrepreneurs and their actions.
What can mask your True Nature?
We don’t intend to live outside of our true nature. Family and society start directing us the minute we are born. Without a guide or a meditation practice, or in the absence of a concrete talent that develops early, we drift where we are blown. Life experiences, school, the news, work, and friends shape us.
Somewhere along the way, we start to wear masks that don’t represent who we are but who we think we should be. What causes us to drift from who we are as a soul inhabiting this body? Below are five of the biggest things that cause a rift between our true nature and how we express ourselves.
Emotional baggage
Unprocessed and unacknowledged emotions take a toll on our bodies, and all the confusion and discord that arise from stuck emotions are baggage weighing us down. I’ve been having digestive issues, and my chiropractor suggested I might have anger stuck in my body. So, I started looking at that and developed an approach that helped me get some immediate relief.
When we were assigned to do an ugly painting, which I remember was EASY for me, I decided to lean into anger. I had just heard about a woman who was a victim of senseless violence. I decided to channel my anger about that into putting paint on paper. I felt calmer afterward, so it helped me to work through some of my feelings on paper.
Not listening to your inner voice
Emotional baggage, fear, worry, being on the run, and never slowing down to relax or play all mask our inner voices. Your inner voice is a guide that doesn’t fail you. Nudges in the form of ‘take the umbrella,’ ‘make this call,’ ‘don’t take this job,’ ‘eat more vegetables,’ or a nudge to write a blog post on a particular topic come from your inner voice. You can tune in by being quiet and still.
Pretending to be something you’re not
Don’t get me wrong. This can serve you, and you can be very successful at pretending to be something you’re not. The problem is that you will eventually burn out because your energy and spirit can’t sustain doing something that is not your true nature. Also, this doesn’t mean we shouldn’t learn marketing, for example, because it’s not our nature. We have to be practical and be in the world. But if you are trying to be an accountant when your spirit wants to be a travel agent or blogger, you will be unhappy, which leads to blocked emotions and possibly health problems. You will get farther and farther from your true nature. It’s like piling lies on top of lies.
Doing something because you should
“Shoulds” are things you don’t want to do but feel obligated to do. This is a fine line. But if you say, “I should create some posts for social media,” or “I should write a newsletter,” rather than being inspired and part of a plan you have designed to move toward what your true nature wants, then why do it? Do you feel obligated to meet a friend in town because that friend asked? We all feel obligations and ‘shoulds.’ The thing to do is to mindfully consider which of these is moving you toward your true nature.
The last thing is not the least:
Not making time for fun and what you love
When you do fun things and what you love, your inner voice and spirit will show you what will help you get closer to your true nature.
I ignored the nudge to write and do something artistic for years because I thought I had no talent. Writing is coming along as I work on it. Although I don’t have the talent to make representational art, I enjoy making abstracts. I can get lost in writing and feel joyful and aligned with my inner essence and true nature. Since starting my journey, I have participated in three art shows.
Here are some of the things I love to do, and I encourage you to make a list with your favorite things to do:
Spending time with my family.
Studying forms of subtle energy, spirituality, and how I can connect to my inner voice and guidance.
Writing and art
Reading a good fiction book.
Hanging out with friends who are cheerful and fun-loving.
TRAVEL!
If you’re tired, anxious, depressed, sad, unmotivated, or feeling sorry for yourself, I implore you to do one fun thing. Then, work toward doing something fun every day. I’m still working toward that, but the more I do it, the more I see how valuable it is.
Four things that connect you with your true nature.
In addition to doing my best to:
Clear emotional baggage
Listen to my inner voice
Not pretend to be something I’m not
Avoid “shoulding’ on myself
Make time for fun and what I love
I’ve also found these four things to be insightful and helpful:
1. Understand my Human Design.
Human design is an assessment that describes how you can best show up in the world based on your unique profile. As a projector, I’m learning to manage my energy and do what brings me joy while using my talents.
2. Know your innate personality style.
Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) upleveled my understanding of how I use my inborn and learned preferences to interact with the world around me. With good training and expert coaching, the MBTI can help us become more self-aware of how we approach the world and make decisions.
3. Establish a consistent meditation practice.
This time of reflection and going within has profoundly affected my understanding of myself. Meditation calms an overactive mind so you can hear your inner voice. If you don't know where to start, there are classes in every town and online meditations you can tune into from home. If you stick with it, the benefits are life-changing.
4. Work with a mentor or coach.
I always have a working relationship with someone who can see me objectively and help me keep moving toward my true nature. A professional can help you see your blind spots and compassionately guide you where you want to be.
Finding your true nature is a journey. It happens step-by-step. I offer two short sessions that can start you on your path.
1. Emotional clearing—This 30-minute session helps you understand the impact of holding onto an emotion that keeps you from moving forward. We’ll process one emotion, and you’ll receive tools to continue clearing emotions on your own. Schedule here.
2. Your True Nature—Aligning your life with your true nature is a game-changer. After this one-hour session, you’ll have the tools and motivation to create more peace, success, and enjoyment. Schedule here.
Your true nature
Lives within
Free to explore
Without chains of life.
Let it out to play.
—Kathy Garland
Thank you for reading!
I like your painting! Eclectic, good use of color, and abstract. I can almost see a tree with branches everywhere in a woods someplace nice. Most people have never picked up a paint brush after they finished school. It is a fun hobby.
Great reminders!