Beyond Sorrow

"As I follow the flow of life,

my body grows healthy and vital."

Shakti Gawain

If we fail to address unpleasantness, it becomes lodged within our being. When we do not allow time for grieving and loss at our own pace, our sorrow is lodged rather than released. Life itself presents stress and strain, and when ignored, the struggle upsets our natural flow.

When we do not adapt to stress, our body begins to feel the additional pressure and our energy no longer flows. It becomes sluggish and attracts drama, criticism, and stunted growth patterns. Our body grows heavy unable to take flight.

As we lift our awareness to the light, we begin to see new direction, hear fresh guidance, and maintain our physical strength. Our body begins to renew itself when we acknowledge blockages, and create new patterns of loving the self and others.

 

Blending Human Nature with Spiritual Awareness

"We just have to be ourselves, as we are now,

accepting the mixture of enlightened awareness

and human limitations."

Shakti Gawain

How great is the distance between who you are as a human, and who you are spiritually?  As we embrace both sides of our lovely selves, we will sense a growing motivation to narrow the gap.  It is only with truthful disclosure that we may begin.

When we honestly accept both parts of our selves, we can begin to develop alignment. The motivation is to live as a human being, guided by the spiritual.  Blending both aspects together, we are called to simply be our selves. 

Part of the human experience is to stumble and begin again, learning from the descent, and the ascension.  It is not about being right or wrong, but the drive to make better choices and to understand through the heart.  

 

Inner Presence Heightens

"Learning to follow the spirit within me."

Shakti Gawain

When I was pregnant, I was consistently mindful of the human within.  As it grew, so did my attention for what was best for development and growth.  The same is true with nurturing the spirit within me.   If I want to be filled with light, I must be mindful of thought, word, and deed.

When we live with the commitment to growing our spiritual awareness, it can replace anxiety, stress, and negative thinking.  We no longer feel alone as the inner presence heightens.  We are less likely to have negative thoughts, and if we do, they are purged.

When we can fill our human body with brightness from spiritual practice, our journey still faces challenges; but, we are better prepared to navigate circumstances.  As we regularly check in, we tend to sense guidance which leads to connectedness rather than detachment.

 

Discern and Dismiss

 

"I accept the responsibility of listening 

to and loving myself."

Shakti Gawain

Indeed, it is human nature to crave the love and attention of others.  The majority of lessons are learned through relationship and challenges presented upon our path.  And, although these two areas deserve observation, we often forget to regard and support ourselves.

Ironically, we seek other opinions, but frequently once heard, we dismiss them when they do not resonate.  There is truth to the saying, "We know our selves best!"  In order for this to be true, however, we must make the effort to monitor our thoughts, mind, and deeds.

We can easily become overwhelmed by available resources, and the time arrives when we need to sit back and discern what applies to our life and dismiss what does not.  We can inspire our lovely selves by choosing situations or information that lifts us with strength and possibility.  Look freshly with thine own eyes to see the betterment of our own soul.

Cultivation of the Heart

"We must have patience and love for the 

unfolding creative process."

Shakti Gawain

In a quiet time, a small kernel of inspiration takes root.  We keep it hidden as we puzzle with our ability to follow through and while the idea begins to sprout, we need to be aware to water, cover, and protect this innocent bud.

It is in our best interest to keep our idea sheltered, not exposed to other's perceptions.  Let our vision   take root, sprout, and gently open to the outside world.  We must have patience as we hone our skill, and practice to do justice to our intended purpose.

If Spirit, indeed, leads us to our creative nature, who are we to judge it?   Who are we to ignore or kill what springs forth into our being? There is no such thing as perfection, and we must refrain from cluttering our minds with criticism, preventing any cultivation of the heart.