118. Fast Friday: Opening the Door to your Generous & Confident Self: A New Look at the Myth of Narcissus with "Rumi's Gift Oracle Cards" and Ari Honarvar

Where does unwavering self-confidence end and narcissism begin?

Have you ever worried that acting confidently from a place of unconditional self-love may be mistaken for narcissism?

Is there an alternative explanation for the conventional and toxic “narcissism” of the West?

I find the gift of having a unique perspective to be especially rich when we consider different cultures’ interpretations of myths, fairy tales and religions. In this episode, I read a card from Ari Honarvar’s Rumi’s Gift Oracle Cards: an exquisite deck of cards that allows me to explore poetry, images and insights selected by my soul.

Today, my soul chose to share a reading from Ari’s oracle card on confidence. It features a powerful Rumi poem and the Persian tale of Narcissus: the beautiful– and mortal– son of the gods. You may be surprised to hear that Ari’s telling recounts a man driven by his own dazzling self-love rather than the famously flawed idea of vanity. This Persian approach to the myth of Narcissus reminds us that the root of confidence is in realizing that the beloved is “...manifest and unmanifest,” and that we are always welcome to dive into a self-love that is deeper than our image.

Ari is an award-winning writer, visual artist and speaker. She is the Iranian Musical Ambassador of Peace, Vice President of Gente Unida (a human rights border coalition), and founder of Drop Poems Not Bombs. I was honored with Ari’s presence as a guest on my show in Episode 36: Feminine Strength Among Terror; Surviving Heartbreak, Fear and Uncertainty and Finding the Beauty, Joy, Treasure and True Freedom in Suffering with Rumi and Ari Honarvar. I highly recommend tuning in to hear Ari’s amazing story!

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You can find Amy at amyfournier.com and watch this episode on Awakening Aphrodite Podcast/FitAmyTV! For special discounts on her FAVORITE products, visit her affiliate page!