A Wabi Sabi Lesson on Self Love

By Arielle Ford posted Jul 29th 2011 12:47PM

Is your opinion of yourself contagious? If you criticize yourself internally, your man may join in.

A elderly Chinese woman had two large pots, one one either end of a pole which she carried across her neck. While one pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water, the other was cracked and a steady stream of drips trailed behind her.
At the end of the long walks from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full. For a full two years this went on daily, with the woman bringing home only one and a half pots of water.
Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, after all, many thirsts were quenched over the years and there was great value in its service. That mad the poor cracked pot feel terrible about itself. Ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it could only do half of what it had been made to do it seethed with disappointment.

After two years of what it perceived to be bitter failure, it spoke to the woman one day by the stream.
"I am ashamed of myself because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your house."
The old woman smiled, 'Did you notice that there are flowers on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side?'
'That's because I have always known about your flaw, so I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back, you water them.' 'For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house.'
What parts of you having you been finding fault with? Take some time today to love 100% of you, exactly as you are, because YOU bring love, beauty and value to the world, not in spite of the broken pieces, but because of them.
In my new book, Wabi Sabi Love: The Ancient Art of Finding Perfect Love In Imperfect Relationships (To Be Released in Early 2012), I explain how the ancient Japanese art of Wabi Sabi can break through your blocks to self love.
Wabi Sabi is a well documented practice that places great value on brokenness. If a fine piece of porcelain is cracked, the crack is filled with gold to draw attention to it. This mindset is perfect for those of you who feel like the cracked pot in the story. Accepting your cracks...your imperfections makes you easy to love.
For a free chapter of Wabi Sabi Love, click right here: Wabi Sabi Love

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Arielle Ford

Author, Speaker/Presenter, YourTango Expert Partner Author/Speaker
Arielle Ford is the bestselling author of the highly acclaimed relationship book, THE SOULMATE SECRET: Manifest the Love of your Life with the Law of Attraction.
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