Emergence (Part 2 of 4)

"Truth Beyond Assumption"
Mixed Media Mask by Kate Jobe 1/2011

Each new year I pick a word or phrase that is to be my intent for the coming year.  I meditate upon this intent and trust what comes to me.  I then create some form of art that assists in grounding the energy of these words.  "Truth Beyond Assumption." was revealed to me as my intent for 2011.  The mask I created to reflect its expression to me included symbolic components of  two of my mandalas: "Datura Moons"; & "Diversity"; Peregrine Falcon and a tiny crystal ball.  I hung the mask in a location where I could see it every day and felt strength and appreciation each time I looked at it.  It is difficult to pinpoint when the inception for a paradigm shift actually begins. That spring I began feeling the perceptible impetus to make changes in my life. I made the definitive statement to myself that, up to this moment,  I had lived my life one way and now, for the remainder of my life, I was going to live it another way. Case closed. Every cell of my body heard the power of this truth and responded with gratitude. 

I read the book, Women, Food & God and was impacted by its message.  Among other things, it spoke of how so many women are at war with food and their bodies. Shortly after that I joined Weight Watchers and from that moment on, I realized that I truly was shifting my paradigm regarding my attitude about food and my perception of myself. I attribute part of this shift to Noreen, my meeting leader.  Her spirit of motivation and support was a catalyst that further activated the momentum of my intent. 

Making peace with food released a huge weight from my energy.  Not only did I shift my physical weight, but also the heaviness I had been carrying regarding the pressure I had put upon myself to manifest the weight and proportions of my much younger body.  As I dropped assumptions about myself and owned my truth, I realized that trying to be the person I was a number of years ago meant continuing to own the dramas and energy of that person.  My intent was not to remain stagnant, but to transform and expand beyond who I was into a higher level of energy. In the following year I joyfully released 70 pounds from my body. 

Since the evolution of my skin challenge I had pursued many holistic methods for its healing and had achieved slow but progressive levels of success through their implementation.  More profoundly, and ironically, the imperfections of my skin assisted me to accept and love myself more completely.  An unexpected outcome of my commitments in 2011 was that my skin began to heal more noticably.  The mask of my skin was transforming and the fibers that comprised my cocoon were unraveling.