Integritus Prime

I’ve spent only a week in Fiji and it’s already been very eventful. I traveled to a resort to be with family, entertained house guests, and caught a cold. In the middle of all this, I was inspired to do a talk in Mornings with Marilyn about the humble Fijian pineapple. As usual, the inspiration came to me intuitively.

Pineapple is one of my most favorite fruits. Fijian pineapple is special, and I think the best in the world. Of course, I’m just a little biased, but I’m allowed. After all, being born in paradise, and raised on this succulent and divine goodness is bound to leave its mark.

The talk I gave on Mornings with Marilyn about life lessons from a Fijian pineapple received a lot of attention, so I thought I’d write about it and share it with other audiences. I note that these life lessons are not only about how to live, but how to be more authentic. True Self Methodology from a Fijian pineapple? You heard it here first!

So, here are the 6 life lessons, and here’s how they help us be more authentic:

1. If you’re going to wear a crown of some sort, keep it modest. The Fijian pineapple has a crown but it’s not as large as other varieties. Humility is an important path to authenticity, because we shed the ego, which is not the true self.
2. Be sweeter than necessary. This lesson is about kindness. We can always be kinder than a situation demands. Kindness, too, demands detachment from ego, and attention to the persons and situations in need. With kindness, we can always be of service.
3. Don’t be afraid to shed the outer hard layers to reveal your essence and sweetness inside. Another important consideration is that our outer guards are not us, and when we remove our defenses, we can be vulnerable and authentic. An open heart is vulnerable, but it’s also our truth.
4. Have a strong core. It’s important to have integrity and stand up for what we value. A strong back bone, as it were, is crucial.
5. Don’t be afraid to surrender your sweetness in the service of others. The pineapple is by its very nature selfless, giving its gifts to nourish others. We can do the same; the only difference is we have the option of not getting destroyed in the process. This is why self-love and self-care are so important.
6. Be a catalyst! The pineapple gives us bromelain, an enzyme that breaks down proteins so the body can absorb them. We can also be catalysts, or change agents that bring positive change to everyone we interact with. Let’s be nourishing to others!

One of my dear viewers asked me what I thought about all the “eyes” of the pineapple, and that led to a seventh insight: Drop the vigilance and hyperawareness and be safe in your vulnerability. Once we remove our guards and release our defenses, we can enjoy being in our sensitive, vulnerable state, which is our true self and our heart. The sweet stuff.

So, there you have it. Lessons on authenticity and true self from the Fijian pineapple. The other day, I was inspired to do a talk on life lessons from ginger – check out Mornings with Marilyn for that one. It’s hot and spicy, obviously. More to come in our tropical edition of the video series, soon! If you like what you’re reading, join the community and let me know what you think.

The Fijian pineapple can teach us so much about being our true self.