The Gift of Imperfection – by Louise Lavergne

Joyfull Living, April 2014 – by Louise Lavergne

When you make a mistake, do you beat yourself up emotionally or can you forgive yourself and let it go? Or are you quick to blame someone else or a situation?

We all have varying degrees of perfectionism. Each time it shows up it presents us with an opportunity to practice what I call the FLAG. I mentioned last month:

• Forgive yourself, others & Life
• Love unconditionally—let go of conditions, judgments and expectations.
• Accept with compassion,
• Give Thanks—Be Grateful for the opportunity to dissolve the prison bars of the ego mind.

To err is human; to take responsibility for our part and move beyond the bad feelings with humility, compassion and unconditional love is one of our soul purposes.

I had a student once ask me how I felt about a student pointing out a mistake during class…“Doesn’t that bother you?” I am so OK with not being perfect. None of us are here to be perfect. I show up and do my best. I have a sense of humor about it. With humility, love, compassion and gratitude, I celebrate each mistake and share with all my students the gift of imperfection. The need to be perfect is often Ego-driven and relates to our self-worth. It is usually a self-inflicted condition; chances are the only one pressuring you to be perfect is you.

YOU DO NOT NEED TO DO ANYTHING PERFECTLY—JUST DO YOUR BEST IN THIS MOMENT. Can you feel the ease in your body when you hear this? There is nothing wrong with perfection or striving for perfection, but is important to be able to accept whatever the result is. That is why I love helping people through Yoga: it is a practice that encourages you to do your best in the moment. Perfection is not required.

Perfectionism can block our creativity, which is a crucial part of our well-being. Your creative center is what is referred to as the second or sacral chakra. When this center is out of balance it can result in psychological and emotional issues like low self-worth. By denying or avoiding our feelings, we block the flow of energy in our body, creating tension that can potentially cause health issues. The sacral chakra governs the sexual organs, bladder, kidney, bowel and lower intestine. If you are having issues with any of these, like constipation or lack of energy, you may have an imbalance in this area. You should consult your doctor and there are also things you can do to help yourself, including drinking plenty of water.

A fun way to balance the 2nd chakra is to bring some creative energy into your life. This requires you to allow and embrace imperfection. The need to be perfect can keep you stuck. The gift of imperfection can set you free and open your creative center. Being creative isn’t just about doing an artistic endeavor; it can be anything that you do fearlessly, for the joy of doing it without expectation. Put on some music and move like no one is watching…do it as a prayer honoring your creative expression through your body or go to a JoyFull yoga© class or cook a wonderful meal.

“To live a creative life we must lose our fear of being wrong.” ~Joseph Chilton Pearce

This alone will do wonders to balance your creative center. Also get in touch with your feelings; think about what makes you happy. Make the effort to find pleasurable things and activities for yourself. When your 2nd Chakra is overactive, it can manifest with addictions around sex, food, drugs and alcohol. So easy does it. It’s not about quantity, but quality.

”The very purpose of our life is happiness, the very motion of our life is towards happiness.” ~The Dalai Lama

The secret to Joy-Full Living is to find balance in our life, body, mind and spirit. Our body has 8 different energy centers that can help us navigate. Each contains special gifts which, when balanced, can contribute deeply to our physical, emotional and spiritual well-being. I am so excited to be offering a spring session of my Tele-Class: Healing Your Self-worth and Spiritual Nature Through the Chakras. Each class, from the comfort of your home, takes you on a transformational journey of self-discovery. This 9-week coaching series starts with Developing a Personal Practice and then takes you through each of the 8 chakras. It offers you tangible tools and ways to restore healthy balance in your mind, body and spirit. Spring is a great time to reconnect more deeply with your life purpose, to live life with passion and joy. Call or email for more information today, Register by April 10 for special price.

Breathe in Gratitude, Live in-joy. ©Louise Lavergne 2000-2014

Louise Lavergne of JoyFull Living Wellness Center

Louise is a spiritual teacher of Personal Growth & Empowerment. As a JoyFull Living Coach she offers effective, transformative tools, guidance and inspiration to assist you in releasing the attachment to struggle, pain and suffering. She empowers and inspires you to partner with yourself for success with personal and health goals, offering tools and strategies to live your best life NOW. She is also the owner and creator of JoyFull Yoga, which has it’s home here in Jacksonville. www.joyfull-yoga.com; www.joyfull-living.com, 541-899-0707.

Posted March 28, 2014