Grace and Clarity

I love the following description from the Guides regarding how we create the circumstances of our lives.  Through what we intend now, we eventually intersect the manifestation of all we have envisioned.  Once we send our Intent out into the Universe–either consciously or unconsciously–the rest is just a matter of linear time:

“There is nothing left to do but receive that which you have laid out before yourself as your own gift.  It is as if you have bought a card for yourself and tucked it away and found it years later, opening it to reveal the loving words you sent forward in time to yourself…”

The Guides remind us that there are many ways to fulfill our Destiny in this life, so we ourselves become the architects of how that Destiny will eventually look.  As They say,

“You create within your life those colors, as an artist does, which most please and exemplify what it is you wish to see on the canvas of manifest experience.”

So then the question just becomes: How colorful, uplifting, exciting and fulfilling do I want the greeting card to be someday when I open it up and begin to live what it says?

To read more of the Angels’ Words of Wisdom, please peruse other selections from our Wisdom category or visit www.hopeofthenewage.com/Wisdom

Many spiritual traditions remind us that difficult circumstances actually represent some of our biggest opportunities for growth.  Here is what the Guides have to say about keeping a healthy perspective in times of challenge:

“When you feel that your attempts have been derailed, when you wrongly perceive that you have lost your way, I simply want to submit to you that all that has likely happened is you have paused to work through a particularly challenging bit of your lesson.”

Of course, we have to be honest with ourselves as to whether or not we are actually doing our practice at such times.  Are we genuinely bringing our deepest committment to Truth and feeding our love affair with the Divine?  If the answer is “yes,” we can know that likely we have simply shifted into a slower pace to allow for the absorption of important educational scenery.  We can cleave to the encouraging words of the Higher Realms and remember that we are still on the right track and making our way toward freedom!

We all go through changes in our spiritual Journey from time to time and I’m no exception.  During a recent shift, I encountered a kind of energetic wall I could not seem to get through.  Since this kind of thing happens to us all now and then, I did what any dedicated practitioner would do: I pulled out my tools and got to work.

But nothing seemed to work.  I was filled with a daunting sense that all my darkest tendencies were coming up at once, so I spent increasing amounts of time in Communion asking for clarity.  It was during one of those times that I received a rather sobering bit of insight from the Angels and Guides:

“The human condition allows for a tremendous amount of yearning, but not a tremendous amount of actualization.”

As with all of Their insights, the Angels refused to sugar-coat the Truth of the spiritual Journey.  Instead of filling my head with empty platitudes, the Guides never treat me like a child.  They tell it like it is, challenging each of us to see exactly what lies ahead and standing behind us to provide hope and clarity when the Path feels a little intimidating.

As the nature of the Journey is to help us to be free, it will by definition ask us to give up anything that keeps us bound to a limited sense of self.  Since such an identity comprises the majority of what we initially believe ourselves to be, that means we give up, well…just about everything.

Enter the “not a tremendous amount of actualization” part.  As many spiritual teachers remark, the Journey toward spiritual freedom is often sold as a purely joyful, blissful one.  Don’t get me wrong–the beautiful freedom of true Communion transcends description, as you likely know.  But laying down self-limiting perceptions can feel like someone is trying to rip your heart out through your ear.  Indeed, we may end up resisting the very forces seeking to show us what it takes to actualize our spiritual yearnings.

Slowly we begin to see that the longer we are on the Path to self-awareness the more we find ourselves bagging up and donating all the things we once paid dearly for.  Like taking a $300- pair of boots to the Salvation Army, you find yourself in a haze of disbelief as you sacrifice your carefully-coiffed personal identity, your attachment to being regarded as a “seeker,” your belief that you finally know what the Divine actually is.  Such purging times can easily tempt us off of the road to actualization and into the time-warp of spiritual hibernation.

In the midst of my recent shift, I enjoyed a conversation with a student who asked about how things were going with my experience.  As always, I told her the honest truth and shared how I was exhausted but hopeful that it would settle in soon.   She laughed and said she thought it was supposed to get easier the closer we get to the finish line!

As I went about the rest of my day, I thought again and again about what she said.  “Easier the closer we get to the finish line…”  I mused as I tried to come to my own understanding of how it feels the farther along the Path I go.

For me, the Journey is like wandering across a foreign continent: The longer you trek, the fewer possessions you have.  Your one extra shirt gets torn and is discarded, your hat blows off and is lost by the sea, your pen runs out of ink and is useful no more.  By the time you are deeply committed, you find you only have a few items left–and they are likely your most cherished.

Now imagine that that cherished talisman, photograph or journal is the one thing the Journey asks you to give up.  “Easier the closer we get..?”  Maybe not…

But let’s not forget that the foreign continent delights in its ultimate goal of helping us to reinvent ourselves.  The Journey allows us to see Reality as never before, to experience the Hush of true inner stillness.  Easier the longer we journey?  Perhaps not.  But the closer we get to the happy isles the less we live in spiritual fantasies and the more we abide in the contentment of true actualization.

To read more of the Angels’ Words of Wisdom, please peruse other selections from our Wisdom category or visit www.hopeofthenewage.com/Wisdom

Spend any amount of time in a yoga studio, meditation center or spiritual book club and you are likely to hear more than a few discussions on spiritual growth.  Seekers often gather to share the challenges of the Journey and talk about tips for success.  Indeed, there is great value in the support and clarity that comes from sharing our experiences with others of like mind.

I personally participate in such a monthly discussion group and have been amazed at how it has spurned seekers on to significant progress.  Month after month I relish the shared compassion, enthusiastic support and gritty dissection of old habits.  But real growth requires more than just talk, doesn’t it?

I recently received a bit of wisdom from the Higher Realms that reminded me that it is important for us to follow up our discussions with action if we truly want to achieve our full spiritual potential:

“Your ability to perceive your lessons far exceeds your ability to master them.  It is similar to how your ability to look at a picture of a mountain far exceeds your ability to climb it.”

It is true that a notable amount of Energy must be given to the practice of self-study in order to grow past old habits and misunderstandings.  But a much greater amount of courage and strength is required if we wish to make concrete, measurable changes as we grow.

The Angels go on to remind us that talking about spiritual growth and actually growing require as different amounts of Energy as looking at a mountain versus actually climbing it.  These are two very different things requiring two very different levels of Energy expenditure and Intent–and they should not be confused.  We must not tranquillize ourselves by believing that achievement is found in talking, “processing” or debating.

In the end, we find that as with many parts of living, the proof is in the putting.  To grow, we must actually grow; it’s as simple as that.  May you be inspired to retrieve your gear, lace your boots and continue to climb!

To read more of the Angels’ Words of Wisdom, please peruse other selections from our Wisdom category or visit www.hopeofthenewage.com/Wisdom

How often we find ourselves in challenging interactions during the week!  If you are like me it is more often than you would like, and each encounter tests our ability to stay focused on the best outcome for all concerned.  This can be especially tricky in high-intensity relationships with family members, close friends or co-workers.

In such situations, the Angels encourage us not only to follow proper protocol for healthy relationships psychologically, but to defer to proper energetic care when necessary, as well.  In challenging relationships, this often means not letting ourselves become the doormat upon which others dump their stress or fears.  Instead, we are encouraged to try to shine the Light of hope and courage upon those walking through a dark and challenging portion of their Path.  This must be done mindfully, all the while upholding the integrity of the spiritual Energy we have worked so hard to build in our own lives:

“Do not allow to fall the careful and glorious Temple of your inner space, which houses the Energy and devotion you have so lovingly and carefully created.”

We often tend to undervalue our own worth: the treasure of our bodies, the prize of a contented mind, the Temple of our spiritual essence.  This last gift must be preserved above all else for, indeed, it is the only piece that lasts forever and encompasses who we truly are!  Our life experience is meant to be an opportunity to enhance that inner Temple, adding on to its beauty, sanctity and power:

“Continue to build upon that ever higher-reaching foundation of discrimination, protection and the delineation between your energies and that of another.”

With these words we are reminded that the foundation of our spiritual practice is the ability to discriminate between positive and contracted energies and to protect the wellspring of positive Energy in our lives.  Living a spiritual life does not mean we live the life of a dish-rag, allowing ourselves to be walked all over whenever someone else’s “misery loves company.”  We are called to uphold–and indeed build upon–the foundation of spiritual discrimination and careful energetic protection we have created.

For example, this may mean rather than being a party to another’s victim mindset, we should instead remind her of her power and ability to flourish regardless of life’s challenges.  If we truly want to help pull someone out of the quicksand, we must stay on solid ground ourselves and assist him or her from a place of steadfastness and strength.  To climb in after them only means the downfall of both!

So this year, let us release empty gestures of being “nice at all costs,” which only serve to create disingenuous and debilitating relationships.  My hope is that we preserve our carefully-built Temple of peace, wisdom and devotion, allowing It to serve as a place of refuge and encouragement for those in need.

To read more of the Angels’ Words of Wisdom, please peruse other selections from our Wisdom category or visit www.hopeofthenewage.com/Wisdom

This is the time of year when many of us interact with friends and family members we do not get to see at other times of the year.  Some folks we wish we could see more often, others we choose not to spend time with on purpose.  Perhaps they bring up difficult emotions in us: fears, resentment, reminders of a troubled past.  Other times we avoid seeing loved ones because there is the feeling that we or they are not living up to the other’s standards.  We are afraid to disappoint or be disappointed, so it seems easiest just to avoid one another entirely until the holidays dictate we all reconvene.  However, instead of experiencing disingenuous interactions this holiday season, consider the possibility that you can truly open your heart to those around you–even those who have caused you to feel conflicted in the past.  How?  Enter the magic ingredient: allowing. 

We hear from many spiritual traditions that resistance is the root of all suffering.  Sometimes we resist the way someone is acting, which means that we have an aversion to what that person is doing with his or her life.  Other times we resist someone changing their ways because we are attached to the way they used to behave and we want them to stay the same forever.  Aversion (“I don’t want that!”) and attachment (“I want that back!”) are the two main branches of the tree of resistance.

Here is what the Guides have to say regarding how we feel about others and how releasing our resistance can help create more harmonious relationships:

“Resistance in the form of attachment or aversion is the root of all suffering–ever.  Release your attachment to what someone is and they are free to become more.  Release attachment and you, too, will be free.”

Of course this sounds easier said than done!  Take, for example, the child who becomes a drug addict or the partner who decides to have an affair.  It is difficult to allow when we deem such actions inappropriate.  But allowing does not mean that we become the doormat of society.  We can still speak our boundaries clearly and uphold them, while simultaneously allowing others to have their own lives.  Remember, too, that allowing is not the same as acceptance.  Allowing does not mean that you condone or accept someone’s actions as proper or appropriate.  It simply means that you acknowledge that person’s right to choose, which is the freedom that all sentient beings possess.

I have come to realize that when I become attached to who or what I think someone should be, I am actually resisting an experience that might lead them to tremendous growth.  Simultaneously, when I have an aversion to someone changing their ways, I must realize that I am holding them back from the route–however circuitous it may be–that may in time lead them to their greatest self-awareness.  And let us not forget: some of us have to learn through pain.  There are always those who must hit rock-bottom before bouncing back up again.  This may be the case for some of your loved ones this holiday season.  Instead of feeling sad for them, know in faith and confidence that all find their way eventually.

It is a tricky business, allowing, but it can be done.  Consider making time each day this holiday season to ask the Divine to help you allow certain loved ones to be who they are.  Spend some time affirming that each soul is on a unique Journey of self-discovery which will inevitably lead them home.  Turn your loved one over to the Divine, asking the Allness to care for, encourage and guide that person as he or she travels through life.  Always be sure to end with gratitude, giving thanks for some of the blessings on your own path.  Then continue undaunted as a positive role model for others, standing firm in the faith that all will eventually arrive at a place of Truth and Understanding.

Journey along the spiritual Path for any length of time and you quickly realize that it is not a flat, featureless trail.  The Path to self-awareness usually presents us with alternating hills of challenge and cool valleys of repose.  Often referred to as the spiritual roller-coaster, these are the fluctuations associated with fading in and out of spiritual awareness.  One moment we are compassionate and wise, the next moment we are suspicious, resentful and afraid.  A wonderfully down-to-Earth spiritual teacher named Adyashanti calls this the “I got it, I lost it” experience.

For many seekers, especially those just starting out, there is an unfortunate misunderstanding about this naturally undulating experience.  It is the myth that in a “real” spiritual practice there are no longer such variations; all is peaceful within us and we are forever content.  But this is nothing more than a fallacy.  Even the masters affirm that contracted emotions can continue after realization–they are simply not invested with meaning or allowed to sever one’s Connection with the Divine Reality.

For many years I, too, believed that the back and forth of my spiritual state was a sign that my Journey was hopelessly flawed.  Recently I asked the Angels and Guides about this roller-coaster phenomenon.  Here is the encouraging explanation They shared with me regarding the spiritually elevated state:

“The problem is not that you cannot sustain it.  The problem is that you resist that its nature is not to be sustained.”

These eloquent words simply mean that the problem is not my spiritual condition, it is the fact that I judge my spiritual condition as unacceptable.

The Angels immediately reminded me that change is the nature of all things.  It does not really matter if we accept it or not, the nature of the Universe is to ebb and flow.  Please be aware that in the spiritual context, ebb and flow do not mean “good” and “bad.”  Rather, ebb refers to Reality in Its state of rest or potentiality while flow indicates activity or manifestation.  It is the nature of the Universe in all areas–including physical manifestation, mental understanding and spiritual Evolution–to ebb and flow.

The invitation, then, is to acknowledge that the ebb and flow of our spiritual condition is not the problem.  The problem is that we believe it should be different.  Therefore, instead of judging the ebb and flow of our spiritual state, the Angels encourage us to see that there is no “better” or “worse” in our inner condition.  Everything simply is.

To illustrate this point, the Angels used the analogy of an ebony fan.  Imagine that the spiritual experience is like a woman’s ebony fan, ornately decorated by hand.  Sometimes it is closed, sometimes partially open and sometimes it is fully expanded.  It does not matter whether the fan is open or closed, it is still an exquisite work of art.  You would not judge it to be better or worse when open as opposed to being closed; regardless of its condition, it simply is. 

Most seekers judge their spiritual experience vertically: an illuminated state is imagined to be higher on the “spiritual scale” and therefore better, while a state of contraction is lower on the spiritual scale and therefore worse.  Make no mistake: there are more and less skillful ways to live.  There are states of being that incur fewer ramifications later (more skillful) and states of being that create a lot of drama and many ramifications later (less skillful).  But in Universal Reality, these are not considered to be better or worse than one another, they are simply more or less complex or efficient.

The Angels encourage us to throw away the old vertical spiritual paradigm and open our minds to a whole new way of viewing our spiritual experience: Is it more or less skillful?  When we are filled with an Energy of compassion, we are in a more efficient and skillful state; we do not say or do things we will have to apologize for later.  This expansive state should not be considered “better,” it is simply more efficient than a contracted state, wherein we may say or do something we will later regret.  Just like a fully opened fan is no better than a partially opened one so, too, is our expansive state no better than our contracted one.  It is simply more skillful in its use of Energy.

If we will accept this new paradigm we can begin to adopt a new, non-judgmental perspective: “I simply am.  This is what is today.”  Can we take steps to be more skillful?  Absolutely–and we should, any time we can.  Can we use the tools in our spiritual tool box to create a more efficient spiritual condition?  Indeed.  But it is important that we slowly shift our belief system away from the sense that “I am ‘good’ when I am expanded and I am ‘bad’ when I am not.”  The tension that arises from such judgments only creates more problems.  In the end, judging our spiritual progress just means that we are piling more snow on top of the mountain we are trying to shovel through as we grow and evolve.

So give yourself a break.  Commit to seeing your practice as a constantly flowing work of art, like a dancer’s fan opening and closing with  symbolism.  Some days you will be proud as you look back, some days maybe not so much.  But what matters is that we are trying, all of us, to make a difference as we grow.  What matters is that we see the beauty and artistry in the ongoing dance–regardless of the step we are on at the time.

It is a tremendous challenge to try to distill down the wisdom of the Higher Realms so that it may be ingested by the human mind and heart.  Seeking to do so is kind of like trying to describe a sunrise to a person who has lost his or her sight later in life.  That person is capable of resonating with a memory of what a sunrise might look like, but it takes some effort to pull up long dormant information.

The same is true when discussing the Words of Wisdom shared by Angels and Guides.  It is difficult to communicate the depth and profundity of the energies and meanings conveyed.  I believe all people possess the ability to hear as I hear or see Energy as It truly is, but to do so asks us to call upon long dormant soul-skills.  To help others harmonize with the meanings presented by the Guides’ Energy, I sometimes expand upon a statement so that it may be properly understood.  Today, I would like to share a bit more of the Guides’ meaning regarding Their most recent words:

“When Truth is heard It must be lived.  And when it is not, it is a disgrace.”

It is important to understand what is meant by the word, “disgrace.”  Disgrace as used here does not mean that we should be ashamed, that we have let down some judging God somewhere, that the Angels are dissatisfied with our progress.  What the Guides are trying to convey here is best grasped by first understanding the tremendous value of this human reality.  The Angels and Guides tell us that the human existence is a rare and profound arena for learning, dissolving old energetic patterns and healing wounds.  It takes extraordinary amounts of evolution to advance to the level where a human experience is warranted.  Therefore, a human incarnation is considered to be a treasure and should be recognized as a remarkable opportunity for growth, allowing us to leapfrog ahead spiritually.

When we receive spiritual insight–which is one of the main triggers which allow us to leapfrog forward–we have a choice: we can either act upon what we have learned or let the insight remain dormant within ourselves.  If we do not live what we learn, we essentially turn a blind eye to our very reason for being on this Earth.  To put it bluntly, we miss the point of why we are here: to evolve spiritually.

The human experience if filled with pains, challenges and difficulties.  Every time we receive wisdom which would allow us to rise out of the mire of human confusion and we do not follow it, we are devaluing every one of the challenges we have laboriously surmounted.  Simultaneously, the human experience is filled with joys, moments of epiphany and deep communion with other forms of life.  Every time we hear Truth and we do not live by It, we likewise dishonor the gifts we have received.

It is by our actions that we reveal our true state of spiritual attainment.  In the Christian tradition it is said, “Faith without works is dead.”  Indeed, in all traditions we are taught that it is our actions which reveal if we have grown; through our actions we see ourselves maturing and we finally inherit the fullness of what we truly are.  When we only think about the opportunity to become compassionate or wise, we do not automatically become those things.  We must act according to our Highest Truth if we wish to physically manifest those potentialities.  We cannot actualize our Highest Potential until we live our Truth, moment by moment.

The word “disgrace,” then, is understood not as a judgment or value statement upon the human condition.  Rather, it is an acknowledgment of the depth of import that this human existence represents.  It is an extraordinary and rare opportunity to leapfrog ahead in our spiritual evolution.  Every time we receive an insight that allows us to grow and we do not live by it, we devalue the powerful and precious existence we hold in our hands.

While spending time in Communion recently, I heard an important message regarding our responsibility to live wisdom when it is shared with us.  It has become commonplace for spiritual seekers to take classes, read books and attend workshop wherein real wisdom and Truths are presented.  Yet sadly, many of us fail to actually incorporate these insights into our lives as powerful and life-changing actions.  Today the Universe reminded me what it takes to live an authentic spiritual life.

Hearing Truth and letting It pass us by is kind of like being an actor in a play.  We may wear a spiritual wardrobe or recite spiritual words, but if the Truth is not taken out into our lives and enacted beyond the venue of public affirmation and adulation, It is nothing.  It is in the privacy of our own minds and hearts that Truth is tested and given the opportunity to flourish daily.  When others are not watching, when there is no way for them to know what we are thinking, will we still uphold the Highest Truth in our thoughts and actions?

I invite you to write these words in your heart, for they are the guidance of the Guides and Angels who wish to see us our most radiant, spiritual selves.  They remind us:

“When the Truth is heard It must be lived.  And when It is not, it is a disgrace.”

I must ask myself, am I living the Truth as I know It in this moment? If not, I can still take heart: it is never too late to get back on track.  This very moment we have the power to pause and redirect our Energy for the rest of the day into the Highest Truth in everything we do, think and say.

Today I invite you to be more than just an actor playing the role of a spiritual seeker.  Embody your spiritual Understanding fully and live what you know to be Truth–whether anyone else is watching or not.