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T
H E M
E A N I N G O
F L I
F E
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Life
on earth is a miraculous blend of spirit and matter, an expression of the
universal life force at the heart of creation. Whatever you call that force
--God, All-That-Is, the Eternal, the Prime Mover, the Ground of Being,
Allah, Yahweh, Shiva, Zeus, or an name you invent yourself--you and me
and every living thing that ever was or will be is part of this infinite
incomprehensible universe, like a cell in the body of God that has crystallized
into your physical form to use its creative power to express your talents
and abilities, and show you who you really are and how to make the most
of your life.
Enlightened
mystics and modern scientists agree that there are many dimensions of existence,
most of which we can't see or touch. But at a fundamental level, all of
the universe is one thing, an interconnected collection of vibrating patterns
of energy. You are a deep and complex being, a collaboration between a
human on a spiritual journey and a spirit on a physical one. You yourself
radiate a magnetic field that interacts with the world and communicates
with others on a subliminal level. Philosophers and prophets have described
this state as God dwelling within you as you, or as the Goddess playing
hide and seek with herself. If you quiet your mind, you can feel that energy
inside you, like a hum in the background of your consciousness.
Beneath your everyday awareness is a wiser, clearer you--what
you might call your essence or soul. Your experience of yourself is based
on the interaction between those two states of being--the internal and
the external. Even when you're still a baby, undeveloped in language and
reasoning, your inner self is awake and has its own agenda.
Either you allow Spirit to flow through you or you get
in the way of its flow. When you're out of touch with your true nature,
you feel small, separate, and lonely. Being comfortable in your own skin
starts with accepting yourself as you are--a spiritual being who is in
every moment, every situation, every flash of genius and every stupid blunder,
unfolding and expanding far beyond your understanding. Fueling the ride
is your soul, the souls of people who love and support you, your guardian
angels and spirit guides, all offering guidance as to which direction will
take you where you want to go.
You are unique. Your DNA is like none that has gone before
or will ever come again. No one else ever has or ever will affect the world
as you do. With every act, word or thought, you are adding to All-That-Is.
Making your dreams come true is a natural result of exploring your interests,
talents and abilities. Finding meaning in your life lies in unraveling
your obstacles. Instead of resisting, ignoring, or distracting yourself
from troublesome situations and people, face the difficulties you meet
along the way. Treat them as opportunities to discover where you're stuck
and what you'd rather have.
To
be nobody but yourself in a world that is doing its best,
night and day,
to make you just like everybody else, means to fight
the hardest battle
any human being can fight. -- e. e. cummings |
How
you think and act is the result of the events of your life, your every
inborn trait, and the patterns you've learned from others in the course
of life itself. Your genetics, experiences, skills, and preferences reflect
your highest hopes and your deepest fears, both of which are your tools
for unraveling the inevitable trials Spirit brings you.
At
heart, we all want to love and be loved, to make a contribution to society
and build a world in which everyone can reach their potential. Your spiritual
path has a theme--something to give, or learn, or accomplish, or teach,
and your purpose is to find out what brings you joy and how to build your
life around it. You are a unique being, in a particular place and time,
with strengths and stumbling blocks. Sometimes you find revelation; sometimes
you're stuck in confusion. But everything you do or that happens to you
is always exactly what will bring you to express more potential, to realize
the next dream. You, exactly as you are right now, have the capacity to
change for the better.
Beneath
your everyday awareness is a wiser, clearer you--what you might call your
essence or soul. Your experience of yourself is based on the interaction
between those two states of being-- the external and the internal. Even
when you're still a baby, undeveloped in language and reasoning, your inner
self is awake, and has its own agenda.
We
all have the same needs-- food, shelter, safety, love, and self-expression--
and the potential to be successful and happy. The key is to tune in to
your natural instincts so you can uncover your innate wisdom and build
a life you love. Take responsibility for your thoughts and feelings. Use
them as signposts to help you set your own course, and be willing to make
corrections if you find you've strayed from your natural progression. Beneath
your surface are the vision, strength, compassion, and love that are your
birthright. Approaching difficulties as opportunities to find your highest
potential promotes healing by helping you locate a deeper reality, which
permanently changes your perspective and deepens your capacity to love
and learn in even the most difficult circumstances.
Honor
your own truth. Trust your intuition. Look for silver linings. Do what
uplifts you. Figure out what brings you joy and build your life around
it. Your mission is to fulfill your promise, open to your inner wisdom,
follow your heart, create a meaningful life in tune with your natural instincts,
and learn from the obstacles you meet along the way. Whatever row you find
yourself hoeing can bear abundant fruit if you treat it right.
We
humans are intuitive beings, so even if we're not told, we can sense what
people want from us. Being also naturally loving, we want to give it to
them. We accept their beliefs, and adapt to the rules of the game as it's
already being played, letting others dictate how we live. But by adopting
behavior and attitudes to get along with the people closest to us, our
natural inclinations become distorted. If instead of being nurtured and
supported, we're ridiculed, ignored, or abused, we feel afraid, cynical,
or depressed. We become focused on doing whatever will stop the pain. We
divert all our energy into figuring out how to protect ourselves emotionally
and get our basic needs met, doing things we don't want to do but can't
stop. We forget there was ever anything we liked or wanted in life, that
we have innate talents and interests that are fun to explore and express.
Instead we end up mimicking or rebelling against the patterns passed along
to us.
Yet
this is not an excuse to blame your family for wrecking your life, even
if you believe that to be the case. In difficult situations, it's easy
to lose touch with your original intention. Repressing your natural instincts
for the sake of superficial harmony is the basis for most interactions
in what we think of as polite society. But as soon as you try to show that
you love someone by pretending to be what they want you to be, the trouble
begins. Cutting and pasting your behavior or beliefs to suit others is
unnatural. Your authentic expression can't find an appropriate outlet,
so it squeezes itself into an available alternative whether it fits or
not. Even the most noble or worthy substitute can never be as satisfying
as the original objective. It feels false, and is often physically painful.
Your significant others may feel better temporarily, and you may look like
you fit in, but keeping up an artificial front creates a split between
your behavior and your experience which makes you feel desperate and worthless.
Do
not look where you fell, look where you slipped.
-- African Proverb |
Peace
of mind and well-being come from putting your faith in yourself rather
than convention or history. Simply acknowleging your own truth heals you.
Deep within, you are powerful. You didn't come here to find and problem
and fix it. You came to identify and share your gifts. You are good. You
are free to do what you want with your life. You are valuable. All is well.
Clearing
your stumbling blocks and building your dreams go hand in hand. If you
neglect either side, you're destined to relive your unworkable patterns
over and over. The longer you ignore their call to action, the more strongly
they demand your attention. You feel more pain and your circumstances get
worse. Either you face your limitations and act in alignment with what
feels right to you, or you blow off steam in ever worsening self-destructive
and anti-social behaviors.
 
The
Chinese pictogram above means "crisis." It combines the symbol for "danger"
with that of "opportunity," offering a useful way to look at difficult
circumstances. Like signposts on the road to fulfillment, problems can
become the source of their own healing. The content and origins of our
obstacles provide essential clues to solving the puzzle that is our lives.
The symptoms are not the issue. The patterns that created them show us
both the real root of the problem and its solution.
Whose
life works perfectly, with nothing arising to disturb them? Having personal
problems is universal, an essential part of human development. If we had
no difficulties to negotiate, how would we learn anything? What we call
"mistakes" are not necessarily failures. They can bring great insight.
Buddha's
first noble turth is that life is suffering. This is not a statement of
hopelessness, but a starting point for understanding how life works. Even
the most trying circumstances can help us to release dysfunctional patterns
and find our true direction. Experience is the greatest teacher, whether
we label any particular situation as good or bad.
Seeing
your distortions is the first step to clearing them up. Your reactions
to the people and situations that either attract or repel you shape what
happens with them. Through inspiration or frustration, they help you clarify
your dreams and passions. The things that push your buttons provide clues
to what keeps you from having what you want, highlight the areas where
you have the most to learn, and give you the impetus to find the mess still
left inside and transform it.
| "Confront
the dark parts of yourself and work to banish them with illumination and
forgiveness. Your willingness to wrestle with your demons will cause your
angels to sing. Use the pain as fuel, as a reminder of your strength.
-- August Wilson |
Don't
be afraid of your emotions, even the so-called "negative" ones. Anger,
grief, envy, and the like are simply energy that needs to be examined to
uncover the truth and good intentions beneath the situation that triggered
them. This doesn't mean you have license to indulge your dark side or inflict
your moods on others, which are both ways to avoid your true emotions.
Instead, go into and beyond them to find the treasure hidden there.
When
you examine the tangles in your mind that limit you, you dismantle them.
Meeting the challenges within your problems and recognizing your buried
emotions and unconscious obstacles frees up your energy to find more satisfying
ways to live. Only when you bring your inner life to light can you come
to terms with and transform it.
To
do this, set aside ten or twenty minutes a day, go to a private place and
sit or lie down in a comfortable position. Breathe slowly and deeply. Think
of your inhale as bringing in peace and relaxation, and the exhale as releasing
tension and distortion. Notice what you think and feel. Allow emotions
to arise and pass through you like clouds across the sky, then let them
go. Picture yourself healing, and imagine your fondest dreams coming true.
When you feel complete, jot down anything you want to remember, then get
up and go on with your day.
| Most
people never run far enough on their first wind to find out they've got
a second. Give your dreams all you've got and you'll be amazed at the energy
that comes out of you. -- William James |
To
have happiness, peace of mind, and well-being, put your faith in what lights
you up rather than in conventional beliefs or history. Recognize your dreams
and best intentions as a message from God, and take action to make them
real. Simply paying attention to your own truth helps you awaken to the
reality of Spirit, and glimpse the meaning in your own life. Then you begin
to see others' lives as meaningful, which enables you to forgive and tolerate
difference and difficulty. Being willing to investigate your stuck places
can revolutionize your life and society as your transformation reverberates
in those around you, making the world a better place one heart at a time.Ý
I
wish
you healing and the courage to create the life you want. I know you have
it in you.
Suzanne
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