Self-Love Acceptance At The Being With Our Bodies Event

In society, we see an “ideal outlook” of what we should look like spread across fashion magazines and in various television shows.  At the end of the day, it is normal for some people to take a long look in the mirror and point out their flaws. Next thing you know, we start zoning in on our flaws. Highlighting our flaws end up having a multitude of negative thoughts about our appearance.  My friend Diana Morgan invited me to the Being With: Our Bodies event at the Willam Vale hotel in Brooklyn, New York. The event allowed people to help find beauty within their internalized body flaws.  To sum up, the workshop wanted attendees to adhere to the concept of self-love completely.

Upon arrival, my friends and I  presented our tickets. A large performance dance greeted us.  The dancers clothing resemble the shade of a black crow. Each dancer was spread across the hotel’s foyer, men on the right and women on the left.  Each one stretched their arms and legs and twisted their body languidly with an emotionless face. Observing these dancers and how they let their bodies speak for them, their feelings and thoughts, it just took my breath away.

After the performance art, my friends and I took a seat to wait for the event to begin.  The event started with a recording of a series of people voicing what their bodies meant to them and why. Afterward, we were instructed in a short five to ten-minute meditation. The direction of the reflection is in accepting who we are as people in a physical and spiritual form. The meditation was one of my favorite parts of the event. I ‘m happy to hear members of Being With teach meditation classes.

Once we complete the meditation, three inspirational speakers told their stories. The speakers included the following:    David Harrell, Lauren Silbert, and Ericka Hart. The speaker I favored is Ericka Hart. She is a proud queer woman of color. Her journey of accepting who she is and every difficult obstacle that came in her life is relatable. Once the inspirational speakers finished telling us their heartwarming stories; we broke off into groups. We shared something we felt as we needed to work on within ourselves.

• David Harrell-ACTOR, WRITER & DISABILITY ADVOCATE
• Lauren Silbert –NEUROSCIENTIST WORKING AT INTERSECTION OF ART & SCIENCE
•  Ericka Hart-CANCER-WARRIOR, ACTIVIST, ARTIST, AND SEX-EDUCATOR

The speaker I favored is Ericka Hart. She is a proud queer woman of color. Her journey of accepting self-love and overcoming every difficult obstacle that came in her life is relatable. Once the inspirational speakers finished telling us their heartwarming stories; we broke off into groups. We shared something we felt as we needed to work on within ourselves.

Ericka Hart Is Self-Love

The speakers helped guide us in the right direction embracing our flaws and showing how to overcome our negative thoughts.  I believe we need more of these events in our community to decrease the hatred that marketing builds in today’s society. We need to take time out to love and appreciate ourselves. Self-love appreciation is what  Being With Our Bodies showed me.

*If you want to catch the next event check out Being With’s Instagram Page