In a world driven by social media likes, in which we consider « friends » to be « followers » and our worth in clicks, it can be tough to cultivate a true sense of self-love and inner peace. Renowned yoga teachers, it turns out, are not immune from the bait of the ego. Eoin Finn, founder of Blissology and regular Wanderlust teacher, was leading a retreat in Bali when he had the revelation.
« In Bali, there are stars, there’s are no walls, » says Eoin. « So I’m sitting under the stars, looking at the light on my phone, when there’s so much beautiful light coming in from all those beautiful stars. And I realized I was plugged into the wrong light. »
There’s nothing wrong with wanting to be liked, of course. But for Eoin it was a reminder to cultivate his sense of worth within before he could accept it from outside sources, even if those sources are thousands of followers.
I realized I was plugged into the wrong light.
« Yoga is a beautiful teaching because the way the texts are translated in English is there’s a small “s” self and a capital “S” Self, » says Eoin. The self is concerned with ego gratification, while the Self is an inner knowing; a place in which we’re happy without external reason.
« Our happiness comes because we have an amazing relationship with the universe, with love, with light, with God, with nature; you fill in the blank, » Eoin says. « If we don’t have that love of our higher self first and foremost, we’re going to get pulled in a thousand directions. In that humbleness, light comes in. Ironically, it’s in feeling so small that we realize the contribution of our own hearts to the greatness of humanity unfolding. »
Instead of picking up your phone to search for comments first thing in the morning, try Eoin’s Self-Love Meditation. Watch the likes roll in.
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Lisette Cheresson is currently the Director of Content at Wanderlust Festival. She’s a writer, storyteller, yoga teacher, and filmmaker who is an avid vagabond, dancer, dirt-collector, and dreamer. She received her Level II Reiki Attunement and attended a 4-day intensive discourse with the Dalai Lama in India, and received her RYT200 in Brooklyn. Catch her teaching @dayayogastudio, or find her on Instagram @lisetteileen.