Raise your hand if you’re at a place in life that you never thought you’d be? Or, you’re in a circumstance you never imagined you’d have to face? My hand is up; now it’s down so I can type. As COVID-19 stopped the world in its tracks, I was, unbeknownst to me, at the end of a twenty-year journey. And, as the lives of many changed or ended due to the coronavirus I realized the impact the pandemic would have on our lives would cause a trickle-down effect strong enough to change the very essence of everyday life. I am confident enough to say that after 2020 life as we knew it will never be the same.
When I conceptualized Self Temple, in early 2019, it came from a place of knowing. Having tossed around countless ideas for over a decade and most of them not strong enough to hold my interest, the idea of ‘Self,’ who I am and what I contribute to the world, was at the forefront of my mind. It felt like such a gift! After almost two decades of trying to figure out who I was, my true authentic self, and deciding to make a go at moving forward with at least one business plan or idea, I instantly thought to help others do the same. Uncover true passions, examine beliefs, explore interests, and create a life that’s meaningful. My vision is for Self Temple to be a place where our creative ‘magic’ can be discussed on a level that includes our whole selves – spirit, mind, and body.
Over the past few months, I have watched, listened, read, prayed, meditated, and cooked my way towards a deeper understanding of ‘self’ and what I thought I knew about me, the people, and the world around me.
‘Self’ has always been a catchall word used to capture the notion of who we are at our core. In modern culture, it has taken on a more external meaning. Phrases like, ‘self-help,’ ‘self-care,’ ‘self-love,’ ‘self-expression,’ ‘self-development,’ etc., all imply a need to add a process or action to what Merriam Webster dictionary describes as, “the union of elements (such as body, emotions, thoughts, and sensations) that constitute the individuality and identity of a person.” “The entire person of an individual.” On top of that ‘self’ is defined as “an individual’s typical character or behavior.’
When we hyphenate the word ‘self’ to another word, as you’re already aware, it reflects that word’s meaning onto it. In doing so, implies a part of the ‘self’ that we’re attending to for a specific purpose. But, the ‘self,’ ourselves, are not stagnant. We constantly experience, grow, evolve, and change who we are as life progresses towards its end.
For example, in times like these when people of color raise our voices, once again, to strive for justice and equality against police brutality, systemic racism, and inequities in employment, healthcare, and housing we have to look to ourselves and our individual communities to shine a light on why these movements must continue. Why the LGTBQ+ and transgender communities look to create a system that sees them as whole members of society who are free to love, work, and live without judgment, is key to being a true collective. And, why women all over the world still have to protest to protect ourselves against all forms of assault and control or to receive and maintain political rights.
A shattered economy due to COVID-19 has broken open the blindspots of comfort we in America thought had fully recovered after the stock market crash of 2008. As individuals who deal with each of these elements in our own way, the ‘self’ comes into question.
JUST WHAT IS THE ‘SELF’?
Individually we make up the collective of society. Who we are, who I am, who you are is what makes this world and our lives in it. Here’s the thing:
You are more…than your name.
You are more…than your race.
You are more…than your age.
You are more…than your sexuality.
You are more…than your creed.
You are more…than your economic status.
You are more…than your title at work or at home.
Those are labels the world gives us to make others feel comfortable enough to interact. They somehow imply value. But, the world is evolving, maybe too fast for some. The ability to evolve for marginalized and underrepresented groups, people of color; women, has been tested to the detriment of our spiritual, mental, physical, and financial well-being. The ‘self’ is a representation of that and how we perceive ourselves under the strain of existence throughout history.
Photo: Jackson David
WHERE IS THE ‘SELF’?
It is in the ever-changing current of your thoughts. Right now, who do you think you are? Where do you fit in – with your family, relationship(s), and career? It shifts day to day, hour by hour, minute to minute, moment to moment.
You find the ‘self’ in your thoughts and actions. Those choices then become who you are…your life. It’s nothing we can help. Through this lens, the ‘self’ can only be changed or strengthened by how we think and what we do – the actions we take based on how we feel.
For a coronavirus world that plays in the backdrop of social unrest and daily struggle, the ‘self’ and finding strength in it is all we can count on. This year, 2020, has its own category of life in my mind. It continues to live up to the notions of hindsight (being 2020), clear vision (being 2020) as many things about society, the truth, comes to light. We are now seeing people, the world, and life for who and what they truly are. 2020 continues to provide people with the opportunity to get to know themselves. Regardless of whether you’ve had to endure close quarters with loved ones whom you hardly saw on a daily basis, or if you’ve managed the pandemic alone; your unique situation provides at least one insight into a deep sense of ‘self’ that you may have forgotten or not realized before.
So, to find yourself, look in the mirror, or close your eyes and reflect on you, your life, and experiences. There you will find it. Now, in what ways do you want to make your life better, and in doing so, a situation or cause that you are passionate about for the future past 2020?
Join me, here, at Self Temple as we explore all the things that make us who we are from the inside out. Our faith and beliefs. Our passions and struggles. Our love for ourselves and one another. And, of course, examining who we are in the process. The ‘Self’ is you. The ‘Temple’ is your body, home, the places you dwell. Let’s enjoy the experience of life regardless of the angle of approach.
Welcome to Self Temple,
Rémy
Self Temple 