Tara Brach’s book, Radical Acceptance, literally changed my life.  I read it the year before I started SoulCollage^®, and knew immediately after my first workshop that I wanted to create a card to honor this wonderful, compassionate teacher, counselor and author.

Who are you? I am the one who wrote the book Radical Acceptance.  I am the one who teaches you to accept your self and life and everything about it- to accept it completely, utterly, radically, freely, no matter what.  I am the one who teaches you to pause, to listen within first.  I am the one who teaches you to breathe, to move through life slowly and with conscious awareness.  What do you have to give me? I give you the deep joy and peace that comes from fully accepting yourself.  I give you a sense of completeness, wholeness, and beauty that you didn’t have before. What do you want from me? I want you to accept yourself, to love yourself deeply- all of you, to live consciously, to not hide, to truly accept and love your radiant blossoming self.                                                                                                                       *************

This card has shown up a few times in my Daily Readings as well… and with profound messages for me whenever I’ve drawn it.

3/11/06- What I say to you today is this: sit and rest with yourself today.  Enjoy your own company, BE your own best friend.

9/23/06- It is no coincidence that I have shown up in your reading today, Dear One.  You are struggling with your body image all week.  I am the one who says that the pathway to joy and wholeness is a deep, abiding self-acceptance.  I am the one who is passionate about living in the moment, about being aware.  I tell you, you are not a failure.  I tell you, the road to true self-acceptance is a journey and you are a traveler on this road.  It’s not somewhere to “get to.”  The journey itself is the point.  See?  Look at yourself in the mirror today and instead of seeing how heavy you still are, see the ten pounds that are already gone.  Stand back from ______ today and don’t judge yourself for criticizing him and wishing he wasn’t the way he is… see instead how far you’ve come that you were able to turn to your SoulCollage^® cards today for support and advice and encouragement.