Unearth the Plan

 

"The smallest gesture of valuing your life is to carry out God's work."

Mark Nepo

At birth, we struggle to inhale new breath which seems foreign in the moment, until we realize the newness is moving us forward.  This is a cycle repeated throughout our life.  Shallow breaths may sustain us, but deep breaths propel life forward.

The unknown can be viewed as frightening or adventurous.  We can enter unfamiliar waters, kicking and screaming or diving into the pull of the tide.  This is followed by an adjustment period,  prior to a full understanding of our destination.

God has a plan for each of us, and we are born with gifts to reach the intended fulfillment.  We release Divine Spirit as we step forward with faith and trust.  Outcomes may not be what one anticipated, but in time, we are able to look behind us to discover the amazement of how all things align with each other.

Force of Light

"The dearest things in life cannot be owned,

but only shared."

Mark Nepo 

Mark Nepo shares, "As soon as we start to separate what cannot be separated, our mental health will suffer."  He references how the flow of life can be interrupted, but at cost.  When we divert our intentions from our highest good, we delay our journey.

Mark Nepo speaks of how love, compassion, and kindness cannot be 'owned'.  He says they are meant for sharing, not coveting for our selves alone.  When we stay in our natural flow, competitiveness, jealousy, and negative intentions tend to be avoided.

First, we fill our lovely selves with love, compassion and kindness. Second, we let our light shine out into the world.  Third, we intentionally share our qualities with others silently or through action.  It is through gathering together that we will become one force of light entering peace.

 

Audience Be Gone!

"We no longer need an audience to fly"

Mark Nepo

It is human nature to desire attention, but if the attention is gained through misrepresentation, there will be no fulfillment. Falsifying the self and receiving false recognition, makes us feel even more unworthy and adds pressure to continue to disingenuous.  

To project our true nature, we must first recognize who we are at the core.  We dig within to discover what makes us unfold and blossom.  Attention is focused on heightening our strengths, not in discrediting who God made us to be.  The longer we put off self-involvement, the more difficult the unearthing will be.

If we can embrace who we are inside, we can love our selves enough that others will be attracted by our light.  Those who turn against us for being who we are, will not advance our growth and development.  To experience genuine attraction, fuels us to continue to find our gifts and soar! No longer is there a need for an audience.

 

Clouds Above Us

"... believe in light when we are

covered by clouds."

Mark Nepo

There are times when we awaken and our heart is already heavy without even knowing if the sun is shining or the rain is in a downpour.  Mark Nepo states: " Some days I wake with a cloud around my heart, and it dulls everything except the weight I carry deep inside."

If we but observe Nature when the sun is hidden behind clouds, we learn the trees do not wither, the flowers do not fall apart, and the grass does not stop growing.  Like Nature, we need to have faith that the sun is above the clouds, continuing to shine.

Perhaps, it is an opportunity to strengthen our faith that light never truly disappears.  We hold a flame within us, kindling it with hope of resolving our pain and creating anew. We are drawn forward, believing in positive change and fulfilling results, even if they do not live up to our expectations or possibly exceed our original desires.  It is by embracing the clouds, knowing light is never far away. 

 

Heavy Heart

"Consider what you are currently trying

to keep out of your heart. "

Mark Nepo

During these inconsistent times, it is challenging to fill our hearts with promise and joy when they are already filled with worry and sorrow.  Our hearts are like any other part of our beings meaning they require attention, cleansing, and sprinkles of hope.

We may overhear a person state, "My heart is heavy."  Instantly we know what they mean.  We have all done our share of housing not only our own troubles, but concerns of friends and family.  It is challenging to not be anxious about special people in our lives.

There are options to return our hearts to a healthier state.  Through silent communication we can share in nature or in prayer what is heavy in the heart.  Try to release it knowing there is no control to most outcomes.  Fill the heart with hope and trust while life continues to unfold.

Express, Not Repress

"I've come to see that much of my confusion in life

comes from giving my attention to the next thing too soon."

Mark Nepo

There is more time these days to reflect upon my reading, writing, and dreaming.  Depending upon what I read, certain emotions pop up unexpectedly.  I am then distracted by the emotion wondering where it came from.  Why now?

In various ways, I write daily, and often get carried away on a tangent which had been intended.  It can be filled with anger and loss which obviously has been building for quite awhile.  It seems as though it bursts through like a pent up fire.

Once I tracked my dreams for seven years in a row.  This experience taught me so much about how we continuously repress experiences we do not feel like facing.  The facts may present in entirely different symbols but the significance remains the same.  Whether prompted by books, writing or dreaming, we cannot hide our feelings indefinitely.  Let feelings flow rather than be surprised by inappropriate actions.