Short: A Diamond in Tupperware

When I was in Yogaville, during the Living Yoga Training (LYT) program, there was a teaching that stuck with me.

The teacher, sitting on the floor, filled a glass tupperware with water. Then she held up a large diamond.

“This is you,” she said. “Your true essence.”

She dropped it in the water and spun the water with her finger.

As it circled, she started adding all manner of things. A few bits of cooked pasta…

“…but then comes your beliefs.”

A stream of soy sauce…

“…and your fears.”

Some peas and carrots…

“…and what your parents told you. What that bully said…”

A bit of tomato sauce…

“…your traumas. Judgements.”

The water kept spinning. Every once in a while you’d catch a glimmer of the diamond hitting the side wall… then it would disappear again into the murk.

“This is you, in life,” she said. “The goal of yoga is to clear this water back to its original form. To allow the real you to shine through.”

I’ve carried that image ever since.

We don’t lose the diamond. We’re “taught” to bury it. Doctrines, fears, beliefs, other people’s voices, old wounds, judgements… they cloud the water, hiding your true self. But your true self is still there, hidden. Hidden in a mixture of our own making. We weren’t aware that we were building this mixture, just that we wanted to fit in, be loved, survive. Each time, hiding a part of ourselves. We’ve talked about this before as Triangulation.

The goal in life isn’t about becoming someone new. It’s about clearing the water… so the diamond can be seen again. A part of that is understanding why we’ve added each ingredient, what purpose does it serve?

Let the world see the real you. Do you have questions? Join us at badadvicebooth.com, or sign up to be notified when we’re live.