Hi, and welcome to your Daily Mindfulness. Today, we're going to talk about how, what you reject, you project. So, because we do not like to identify with or accept some parts of ourselves, they often become part of what we refer to sometimes as our shadow. The parts of ourself that we can no longer see clearly. So most of us actually go to great lengths to protect our self image from anything that unflattering or unwanted.

And so it's easier to observe another person's shadow before seeing and acknowledging our own. But have you ever had the experience of getting stuck in the same old patterns again and again, without knowing why? Maybe it was in a relationship or at work or with particular bad habits? And it can be pretty painful and bewildering, right? When this kind of thing happens, you can bet that it's got something to do with something hidden in our shadow. So while the idea of identifying the parts of ourselves that we don't like or accept might sound a little intimidating, the reality is is that seeing an integrating our shadow allows us to be more self-aware, wise and kind. And I would add happy. So how can we identify what's in our shadow? Well, there's an old saying, "What you reject, do you project." In other words, what you do not like and accept about yourself, you will likely start to react to in other people.

So if you're up for this practice, see if you can begin to notice what you strongly dislike in others, what triggers you, what annoys you, what gets under your skin, what you react to, especially if they're certain patterns. Like maybe it always irks you when people are too controlling, when people are too hedonistic or too serious or too lazy, or they work too hard. Maybe you become annoyed always in the same kind of situation with the same kind of person. Whatever it is, see if you can bring a playful curiosity into these moments and try to reflect on how you might not be accepting about yourself what you're reacting to in the other. So this is a wonderful practice because in meditation, we're training in understanding ourselves more fully, but sometimes we just can't see everything.

Sometimes it's only when we're going about our day, that we have these opportunities for the grittiness of everyday life to rub up against us and reveal our tender spots, the parts of ourselves that we've not yet been able to accept. So this is the invitation to practice, today and ongoing, if there's a really strong feeling of resistance or dislike towards a personal behavior, remember that what you reject you project. Become playfully curious about what the situation might show you or teach you about yourself. And just knowing that the more we acknowledge and accept all the parts of ourselves, the more we can live with authenticity, wisdom and presence. As always thank you for your practice and your presence here with us.

And let's settle in now for today's meditation.