The story begins in the ancient Sukhothai Kingdom, in what is now Thailand. In the 18th century, the Burmese army launched a major invasion, looting most everything in their path. Arriving at the temple in a city called Ayutthaya, they stole all the precious items inside. It was here that they came across a giant statue of the Buddha, but left it alone because it was made of cheap and unremarkable plaster. Before they left, they killed all the monks who were there guarding the temple. The temple remained abandoned and in ruins for nearly 200 years. Then in May 1955, workers were trying to move the statue to a new location and they accidently damaged some of the plaster. In an attempt to repair it, they realized there was something underneath. Workers began to chip away at the plaster, ultimately revealing a 12,000 lb, 18 karat gold statue of the Buddha.

The discovery sent shockwaves through the country, unveiling the true identity of the Phra Phuttha Maha Suwan Patimakon, now recognized as the world's largest solid gold sculpture. Today, the Golden Buddha is prominently displayed at Wat Traimit, Bangkok.

Here's what happened...as the monks in the temple heard about the invading Burmese army, they covered up the statue in plaster to protect it. Because everyone was killed in the attack, no one was left to tell the story of what happened. And so, the Golden Buddha was forgotten for almost 200 years. 

In many ways that is exactly what happens to us. We are born into this world as precious, golden beings, full of radiance and potential. Then, in childhood, as we face threats to either our physical or emotional survival, we construct a facade to protect ourselves. This facade is an accumulation of all our protective parts, and their job is to help us survive. But, just like in the story, our Golden One is too soon forgotten. All we can see - all anyone anyone can see- is the plaster facade. And we forget who we truly are. Yet, all the while, underneath, is our shining, luminous, Golden Self.

Your true self

Your unchanging essence 

Who you have always been

Who you will always be

Is worthy of all your unconditional love and compassion

In fact, you are the only one who can give you that unconditional love and compassion

Not the kind that you have to earn, or perform for, or “deserve”
The kind that is yours simply because you exist

You are worthy of this love regardless of the latest performance
The outcome, the results

Regardless of the moments you wish you handled differently
The missteps you replay in your mind
The ways you think you should be further along by now

You are worthy of compassion even in the places you judge most
The personality traits that sometimes make you cringe
The imperfections you try to hide
The fears you wish would finally disappear

These parts of you do not disqualify you from love
They are the very places that need your gentleness the most

Unconditional love is not something you wait to receive from the outside
It is something you learn to offer yourself from the inside
Again and again, with patience, tenderness, and truth

Because who you are beneath the layers
Your essence, your gold
Has always been worthy, and always will be

What if we let our hard exterior, our plaster facade slip off. Fall away. What if we let go of whatever belongs to the past? Just let it be? Let go of whatever is ready to release.

How might it impact how we view ourselves, our partners, kids, family and friends, and all the “others.” Would they feel better having been seen, held or appreciated by us, from this shining place inside us? I believe so. I believe we would feel the difference. I believe they would feel the difference. AND I actually believe this is how we make this world a better place.

So here is the gift of the unchanging self; by letting our golden, luminous light shine into the darkness– we feel better in our own lives — and the world around us feels better for having us in it.

Just like the Golden Buddha, each of us carries a luminous, unchanging essence beneath the layers we’ve accumulated over time. The monks covered the statue in plaster to protect it, and eventually everyone forgot what was underneath. In the same way, our own protective parts, old identities, and emotional armor can harden around us until we mistake them for who we are. 

Shedding Old Skin To Begin Again is our upcoming workshop to support us in the process of letting go. We are invited to gently release those layers - much like peeling an onion - in order to reveal the radiance that has always been there. As we let go of what no longer serves us, we let the gold reveal itself. We let our true essence reveal itself.

Thanks for being here on the journey.

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