Meet Yourself Before You Meet the World
Slowing Down to Meet Your Ego
Slowing down is the hardest thing to do when you’re in survival mode.
Your body is trained (by the ego) to keep moving, your mind is scanning for the next thing, and any pause feels like danger (a very big lie).
But here’s the truth most people don’t want to hear: the moment you try to come back home to yourself, your ego is right there at the door.
Ego doesn’t want you to slow down.
It thrives on the noise.
On the outside, yes, but especially on the inside.
When you can’t find peace, calm, or happiness, it’s usually because you’re carrying far too much that isn’t yours.
Why Slowing Down Feels So Hard
Ego convinces us that the problem is “out there”, a difficult situation, an unsupportive person, a diagnosis to chase. Keeping us spinning.
It tells us we’ll find relief when the outside changes, but the noise on the outside is only amplified by the noise within.
Slowing down strips ego of its distractions.
That’s why it feels uncomfortable and unproductive (another lie).
But it’s the only way to meet the part of you that’s been preventing you from actually finding peace.
A Morning Practice to Come Back to Center
This morning, my ego wanted me to start the day frustrated. The deck was covered in black soot from the neighboring chimney… again.
Cleaning it felt like a waste of time. But I know that how I start my day shapes everything that follows.
So, I made my coffee, poured water over the deck to wash it clean, and set up my little space.
My patio doesn’t get sun until the afternoon, but if I stand on my outdoor couch, the morning light just reaches my face.
I stood there for a few minutes, letting the warmth hit my eyes.
That alone was a meditation.
No phone. No agenda
Just standing in the sun, meeting myself exactly where I was.
After that, I moved through a short flow, focusing on balance. Checking in with my feet, my center, my breath.
The asanas weren’t about achieving a pose; they were a mirror for how steady (or unsteady) I felt inside.
Mini Practice: Meet Yourself Before the World
Try this tomorrow morning before you reach for your phone.
1. Clear a small space.
Even if it’s just a corner, make it feel ready for you. (Yes, even if that means tidying soot.)
2. Make your grounding drink.
Coffee, tea, or water - something you can hold and sip slowly.
3. Find the light.
Step outside if possible, or stand where sunlight touches your face. Close your eyes and feel the warmth. If you need support reconnecting with your body’s natural rhythm, try the somatic tools in Returning to Your Nature in Practice.
4. Stand still for one minute.
Breathe. Let thoughts pass without following them.
5. Add gentle movement.
If you want, move through a few balance-focused poses like Tree Pose, Mountain Pose, or simply shifting your weight between feet.
6. Notice your state.
Ask, “Where am I right now, in my body, my breath, my mind?”
Why This Practice Works
This isn’t about the sun or yoga. It’s about creating one moment each day where you meet yourself before you meet the world, as I shared in Being vs. Doing? What Spiritual Teachings Often Miss
When you do, you see ego for what it is, the part of you that’s used to running the show.
You can’t bypass this with a hack or a quick fix. There’s no shortcut to presence. But you can practice slowing down until it stops feeling like a threat and starts feeling like home.
An Invitation for You
Tomorrow morning, before your phone, before the to-do list, take one small action that connects you back to yourself. And if you’re in a season of starting over, For the One Who is Rebuilding offers a gentle way to ground before you begin again.
Stand in the sun. Sip your coffee in silence. Feel your feet on the ground.
Meet yourself before you meet the world.
What’s one small way you could meet yourself before your day begins tomorrow?
Where does your ego try to keep you moving instead of slowing down?
