Tag Archives: Spiritual Journey

AWAKENING TO EMBRACE CHAOS

Posted on February 8, 2012 | Leave a comment

In the midst of movement and chaos, keep stillness inside of you.”   Deepak Chopra

What is your first response when life feels chaotic?  Are you at ease with chaos or do you resist it?  Or does chaos excite you with its possibilities for change.

Changes May Feel Chaotic

I’ve read that the vibration of the universe is speeding up; therefore, our sense of time is changing too.  No matter how fast I move, it seems that I can’t get as much done in a day as I used to.  I could blame it on my age, but I know that’s not the reason because I’m still very energetic.  But time is only one of the elements that contributes to my feeling that life is chaotic.

Life is changing on every level.  In the last year, I have made the choice to complete a book and have it published.  This will happen in the near future and I will soon be posting information about it on this blog.  This has required that I learn about aspects of online technology and marketing that do not come easily to me.  As a result, I feel I’ve been living in the midst of chaos and stressful change.

Change and Chaos May Contain Hidden Gifts

Change often seems overwhelming, and our fear of change may develop into a resistance to embrace new experiences and limit our possibility for growth.  A wonderful spiritual teacher of mine told her students to ask the universe for what we needed because the universe would send it to us.  She also warned us that it may not look like what we expect nor come when we want it.  So, what if exactly what we need is buried in this chaos and change?  If we are unwilling to look at what is there, we may not notice the treasure.

That’s the problem with chaos.  It’s so distracting.  It may also bring conflict into the situation.  Even if it’s good chaos, it may face us with too many choices.  How can we deal with all this?  Oneness recommends the following: “When your energies are at a low ebb and you are experiencing resistance, it is time to pull inward and not to escalate adversity by directly confronting those circumstances.” (Page 94) In the silence within we can consider the value of each choice we face and get in touch with our inner, higher selves.  When we look inward, we are more likely to make wiser choices.

Embracing Change Leads to Spiritual Growth

I’m sure that you, like me, have met people who resist any change.  They may be satisfied with their lives the way they are and don’t want to “rock the boat.”  They may also fear any unknown.  Chaos is disconcerting because it reminds us that having the ability to totally control our lives is an illusion.  Our fear about it often comes down to one major fear—that we will not know how to successfully deal with the change.  But the reality is that if we’re alive, we will at sometime experience adversity, and that’s not always bad, for it often brings us face to face with lessons we need to learn.

I really admire a friend of mine.  In the last two months, her husband has had to have surgery, then he injured his knee, then their dog died, then the day before they planned to leave on a trip their car developed a major problem.  Obviously, this has been a stressful time, but she has had a great attitude because she accepts each thing as it comes, looking for a positive solution, doing the best she can without letting anger and resistance create more problems.

“For to realize the full potential of this journey, it is necessary that you be willing to immerse yourself in the treacherous waters of change, knowing that the ability to swim like a champion, under all possible conditions, is within you.” Oneness, (Page 97)  My friend is definitely swimming like a champion.  If you don’t know how to swim, this is a good time to learn.

When we can embrace the possibilities that chaos offers and trust that the answers we need lie in our deeper selves, we no longer need to fear the chaos.  Without the fear and beyond ego, we will always be led to decisions that are for the highest good of all.

How do you manage the chaos in life?  Please share your specific comments.

© 2012 Georganne Spruce

Related Articles: The Universe As I See It: Order and Chaos, The Calm Before and After the Storm, Chaos and Disorder: Why We Need Them by Dr. Larry Dossey.

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DANCING TO FREE OUR EMOTIONS

Posted on February 1, 2012 | 11 comments

“Dance first. Think later.  It’s the natural order.”  Samuel Becket

Do you have difficulty sharing what you really feel?  Do you avoid expressing negative emotions?  Do you feel torn between being accepted and being authentic?

Physical Benefits of Dancing

Dance has often been at the core of my spiritual life.  Now, when I want to escape into joy or de-stress, I turn on music and dance around the house by myself.  It is a perfect way to lift my vibration and chase away the blues!  Dancing stimulates the release of endorphins which reduces pain and gives us a natural high in addition to increasing our metabolism and blood flow.  During the sixties and seventies when so many people I knew were doing drugs, I was never interested because dancing gave me a high in a natural way.

Emotional Benefits of Dancing

Not only is dance good for us physically, it can also affect us emotionally in very positive ways.  Over the years, I’ve met people who grew up in families where they were taught that any strong or passionate expression of emotion was not acceptable, especially if it was negative.  In other instances, people I know needed to hide who they really were or what they thought out of fear that the truth would damage their relationships.  Keeping our feelings hidden like this creates tension in the body and shrinks who we are, restricting our ability to express.

When we hide who we truly are and are fearful of expressing, we are denying our spiritual purpose.  We are all in this life for a reason, and understanding who we truly are reveals to us the purpose for this lifetime.  In terms of relationships, hiding behind what appears to be peacefulness also limits our relationships because what creates a more meaningful relationship is the ability to share what we truly feel and think.

Releasing Our Fear and Rigidity

There are many ways to release the fear of expressing emotions.  Therapy and spiritual disciplines may provide us with many tools.  Understanding why we are fearful is often helpful because understanding ourselves and our families allows us to let go of the need to protect ourselves.  Finding friends who accept our passionate expression reinforces the feeling that we are truly loved for being genuine.

But dance can be a valuable tool in this process.  Rigidity of body or mind is unhealthy for the spirit as well as the body, but movement stimulates the whole being to express. By using our bodies to release the mind, we become more aware of the mind/body connection and begin to feel a wholeness.  If we allow ourselves to feel the joy of the movement, we can connect to our spirit and the Spirit that connects us all.

The Wave

One of the most beautiful ways to explore the way that dance can aid our growth is in connecting with our spiritual selves through Gabrielle Roth’s 5Rhythms Healing Meditation known as The Wave.  There are groups around the country who meet to experience this together, but if you are not ready to move in a group, there are videos you can follow on your own.  Still, the energy of a group can be exhilarating.  Seeing others moving without inhibition often gives us the courage to risk a little more.

Connecting Body and Mind to Open

Dancing with music is not always necessary.  Moving in silence allows us to penetrate the silence and the barrier of our own bodies.  In that moment, the body connects to the mind, and we visit that place where body and mind are One.  If we allow ourselves to move and feel whatever comes up, we empower ourselves.  How can we possibly express what we feel if we can’t feel it?  So that is the first step, to feel in the body and then the emotions. Then we must be willing to take that information and use it to transform ourselves into a person who is not afraid to express those thoughts and feelings.  It takes commitment because it is not usually a brief process.

When we give ourselves to the dance, we stop thinking.  Fear, shyness, judgments drop away and we are just in the moment—mind, body, emotions and soul are all One.  In that moment, whatever we feel is just fine, and if we can’t express our feelings verbally, we can dance them. By dancing them, we may one day learn to verbalize them as well.

How often do you dance freely and let go of stress?  Does movement help you release the fear you feel about expressing yourself verbally?  Please comment and share your specific comments about this topic.

© 2012 Georganne Spruce

Related Articles:  (Fear) You Decide, Deepok Chopra’s 7 Steps to Release Emotional Turbulence, Feelings (spiritualhypster.com)

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AWAKENING TO LOVE OURSELVES

Posted on January 18, 2012 | 5 comments

“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe, deserve your love and affection.”   Buddha

Do you love yourself?  Do you accept your failings and forgive yourself when you don’t live up to the standards you set?  Do you accept who you really are, including your limitations?

Struggling With Not Knowing

I’ll admit it.  I’ve been pretty judgmental about myself lately.  I set higher standards for myself than I do for others and am disappointed when I don’t live up to my expectations.  Lately, as I’ve mentioned before, I’ve been learning about social media and online marketing.  Now, after ten years writing my spiritual memoir, I have decided to e-publish it.  In addition, I’ve set up a blog and learned to navigate that technology.  This has been exhilarating and exhausting because computer technology is a huge challenge for me.

Sometimes I feel overwhelmed.  Everyday, it seems there are ten new questions I can’t answer.  Even when more savvy people answer my questions, I don’t always understand the answers.  Because of this, my greatest challenge is how inadequate I feel on a daily basis. Even after researching information on the internet, I often have to ask the same question again.

Understanding the Fear Beneath Our Inadequacy

When we feel stressed and inadequate, it is worthwhile to ask, “What is really causing this discomfort.   Frequently, it’s fear.  We are afraid we won’t succeed at this challenge. We’re afraid we won’t do it well enough, or we’re afraid we will disappoint others. When what we are doing becomes too difficult, we may give up and run away. Eliminating this source of discomfort seems like a simple solution.  But is it?

Refusing to face the challenge and solve the problem rarely gives us any lasting satisfaction.  What we really want is not to escape, but to feel capable of solving the problem or to feel all right about not knowing how. At these times, more than any other, we need to remember to accept and love ourselves.

Taking the Time to Love Ourselves

When we feel loved, we feel more capable.  We can do anything.  So perhaps, in these moments of doubt, what we most need to do is love ourselves.  What does that look like?  For me, I think it means accepting my difficulty understanding technology and telling myself it’s all right.  It means letting go of my ego’s need to handle all the challenges by myself.  It means congratulating myself each time I have the self-confidence to admit I don’t know what to do next and am willing ask for help.

We are each precious spiritual beings.  We must accept and love who we are in order to feel peaceful. If we feel inadequate or are self-judging, we need to raise our vibration. One way to do that is to turn inward, quiet ourselves, and release our fears and expectations. Then we may be able to hear that voice within that is so much wiser than ego. Breathing deeply, and with each breath, directing our minds to release the fear, we create a space where peace and new solutions can come through to us.

Doing what we enjoy, such as walking in the forest or by the seashore, eating a really nice meal, visiting with a good friend, or dancing, will also raise our vibration.  Taking our attention away from the fear and stress clears the mind.  Doing the things we enjoy nurtures us at the soul level and is a way of loving ourselves.  If we tend to take better care of others than ourselves, we need to do for ourselves what we do for others.

In the end, we need to accept we are fine the way we are.  Life will continue to offer opportunities to grow and become more of who we are.  When we stop feeling bad about our lack, we will be able to see the good we have done and the courage it took to do it.

What do you like most about yourself and what you’ve learned or done recently?  What lifts your vibration?

Please comment.  If there are topics you would like for me to discuss, please let me know by leaving a comment.  I’d love to respond to your interests.

© 2012 Georganne Spruce

Related Articles: Forgive Yourself-Powerful Self-Help, Accepting Oneself (A Buddhist view), Forgive Yourself (Wayne Dyer)

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DANCING TO THE MUSIC OF YOUR HEART

Posted on January 11, 2012 | 11 comments

“And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music.”    Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche

Do you ever feel that you don’t belong? Or that the people around you at work or home don’t understand who you are?  Are you searching for more meaningful experiences with others?

Tina Turner Chickens - Biltmore Estate

Is Our Inner Music Positive or Negative?

If you can answer yes, to any of these questions, perhaps you are dancing to the music that others don’t hear. And that’s okay as long as you like the music within. Is it a song of joy and love of life or of depression and sadness?  If you don’t like the song vibrating within you, then it’s time to change it.  If you do like it, then it’s important to just accept you are in a different place than those around you and that’s okay.

It is not surprising that we sometimes feel we are dancing to different music than the people around us.  When we are rooted in Spirit, we often do not share the values of our society at large.  We may try to explain to others who we are, but often they are not ready to hear this, for our different point of view threatens them.  In this situation, we experience discomfort because we feel separate.

But we are the only ones who can release feelings of separation by choosing to raise our vibration.  For example, I have a tendency to sing when I’m drying my hair.  It distracts me from the discomfort I feel holding the much too large hair dryer over my head.  Lately, I’ve been singing “Summertime” from “Porgy and Bess.”  I suppose it’s wishful thinking.  When I finish drying my hair, instead of thinking the usual, “Thank goodness that’s over,” I feel cheerful and in touch with my passion for life.  Throughout my day, I dance to the energetic music I created from the heart.

Awakening to the Highest Response For All

We feel good when we feel One with All that Is.  When we meditate or walk by the seashore, we become One with the beautiful energy of Spirit.  In less peaceful situations, we need to allow that core energy to resonate within us.  We do not need to repress our feelings.  We need to feel them, then go within to take the time to choose a wise response.  We need to ask our inner selves, “What is the highest response for all concerned?”  That response will also be the best response for us as well.  We need to learn to be responsive rather than reactive.

The highest response does not always guarantee that the other person will agree or understand our perspective, but it is an opportunity to influence others.  Oneness says, “Those of you who have chosen to experience your awakening amongst the masses are planting the seeds of that heightened perspective in plain view, right where the world needs them most.  The lives of those you touch, even in passing, or teach by example, as you follow your own inner path in their presence, will be transformed by it.” (Pages192-193) Being different is often a blessing.

As with many things, we may not be present to see that transformation in our adversaries.  It will first be internal and invisible.  It may take place years from now.  We need not become attached to knowing what happens.  This was a lesson I had to learn as a teacher.  Over the years, so many students came through my classroom, and I never knew what influence I had on all of them.  I could only do my best and know that those who needed to learn the nonacademic lessons and were ready to learn, would learn.

Dancing With Others to the Music of Our Hearts

When others can hear the music to which we dance, we are energetically drawn to one another.  The more I concentrate on keeping my own vibration up through dancing and exercise, meditation, good food, mental stimulation, and positive thinking, the more I draw  like-minded people into my life.  After all, we are responsible for the song our heart sings.  Although it may be tempting, betraying the song within in order to connect to what is around us is never wise.

If you continue to dance to the beautiful music within you, others will begin to hear the music of your heart and soul.  Blessings for the New Year.

© 2012 Georganne Spruce

Related Articles:  Beyond the Beyond (how music and prayer transformed Tina Turner), Heart Chakra Meditation, Conflict Resolution or Heart-Centered Communication

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AWAKENING TO OUR TRUTH

Posted on January 4, 2012 | 7 comments

“To know that you do not know is the best.  To pretend to know when you do not know is a disease.” Lao Tse from the Tao Te Ching

The beginning of a new year is always a good time to look at our lives and evaluate if we are living our truth.  Have you told any white lies lately? Exaggerated an event to make yourself look better? Embellished your resume or job application? Told a loved one what they wanted to hear rather than what you really felt?

Fear Keeps Us from Telling the Truth

What is it that keeps us from telling the truth? It is always one of two things: the fear of rejection or the fear of inadequacy.  Fear is what separates us from ourselves.  When we are not truthful to ourselves, we separate ourselves from the Oneness of Spirit that is our essence.

I learned during my first year of teaching high school that it was pointless not to admit when I didn’t know something.  The students could spot a lie in a minute.  When I began the second year of teaching, I explained to the students on the first day that if I didn’t know the answer to their questions, I would tell them and help them find the answer.  They liked that and it set a tone of trust for the year.

I was in my twenties, and just after I married, I realized there was something I didn’t like about myself.  I occasionally told little white lies.  I had started doing this when I was growing up with parents who fought frequently.  In order to avoid upsetting a parent, I would answer a question based on what I thought they wanted to hear rather than the truth.  It made me uncomfortable, but it was better than being screamed at or having them scream at one another.  Most of all I needed peace.

When I married, I wanted an open, honest relationship and knew there was no longer a reason to lie.  My husband was easy-going and loved me.  Not to tell the truth seemed like a violation of our commitment.  I began to monitor myself and eventually let go of the insecurity that had led me to believe I needed to lie.

Lies Separate Us from Love

Where there is fear, there is separation—not just from another but from Spirit.  Our inner and outer must match.  If we pretend to be loving when we don’t feel it or do it just to impress people, we betray ourselves and them.  Love cannot exist where there is fear.  When we pretend, we do so because we feel we are not good enough.  We think that if we do good deeds, we will earn spiritual points.

The Ego Feeds on Fear

Admitting our mistakes and weaknesses is not an easy thing to do.  Our ego will rebel and insist its well-being is more important than our soul’s.  Ego will give us all the reasons why we need to appear more competent, more beautiful, or more loving because ego feeds on our fears.  When we are truthful and at peace, ego is diminished.  When ego is diminished, we make wiser choices.

Speaking the Truth from the Heart

How we tell the truth to others is just as important as telling it.  If we think it will be hard for another person to hear what we have to say, we need to center ourselves first and speak from the heart.  It is more likely that another will be able to hear what we say if it is said with love.  If we speak from love, then we speak with integrity and are one with the other person.  In this place of Oneness, we will know if we really need to speak this truth.  Many relationships have been damaged by the way in which we express our truth.

Lao Tse’s words are very wise.  When we don’t know what to do and allow ourselves to know that we don’t know, we open ourselves to the possibility that Spirit will provide the answer.  If we remember that we are one with this loving, creative energy, we can release our fears of inadequacy and rejection, knowing that all is well just as we are.

How do you maintain your truthfulness?

©2012 Georganne Spruce

Related articles: Where Does Your Sense of Self Come From – Eckhart Tolle

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THE SPIRITUAL DANCE OF INSPIRATION

Posted on December 7, 2011 | Leave a comment

Who inspires you? Whom do you inspire? Where does your inspiration lead you?

“You are here to enable the divine purpose of the universe to unfold.  That’s how important you are!”  Eckhart Tolle

You are unique. Live your life authentically, for only you can bring to the world what you were meant to bring.  If you do not live out your passion, it is not only your loss, but the world’s loss.  As the days grow longer and we spend more time inside, now is a good time to look deeper and explore whether you are living your true purpose.

I’ve been a dancer, teacher, and writer.  I love creating a new dance or piece of writing, but beneath all that is my real purpose—to inspire.  When I was first presented with this purpose, I thought, “How superficial.”  Compared to all the people who were feeding the hungry and curing the sick, it didn’t seem concrete enough to matter.  But then, I realized that I had done things I would never have done had I not been inspired by others.

As a teenager, I read about Isadora Duncan, the mother of modern dance.  She defied convention by living free from the constraints placed on the women of her time and created a new, freer form of dance.  She inspired me to become a modern dancer, but also to reject a conventional life that defined who I could be in terms too narrow for me to become who I truly was. As a result, dance became a powerful spiritual as well as creative practice, and in the process, my body which had been weakened by childhood diseases became strong.

In 1958, after living in the segregated South most of my life, I wrote an essay on prejudice for a ninth-grade English assignment.  My teacher’s comment was “With this objectivity, you would make a good journalist.”  She was the first person who encouraged my writing.  I was shy and introverted and couldn’t imagine interviewing people, but I thought, “Maybe people need to hear what I have to say.  Maybe my words matter.”  So I enrolled in speech classes and continued writing, knowing in my heart that someday I would write seriously.

By the time I had to make a choice about how to earn a living, another teacher had inspired me.  My eleventh grade history teacher had his students read and discuss classics like Utopia, The Prince, and 1984.  Instead of teaching wars, he used literature to teach the great ideas of each period and history came alive for the first time.

How Living Our Purpose May Inspire Others

As a result of these two teachers and the motivation that I could teach dance as well as teach English, I became a high school teacher dedicated to teaching students how to think.  I loved seeing their eyes light up as a concept became clear.  I loved seeing them become totally absorbed in creating a project.  I wanted to help them become lifelong learners and have the courage to become who they really were.

Find Your Calling to Live Fully

As my life has evolved and people have responded to my work, regardless of its form, I have come to understand inspiring others is my calling.  At the heart of each of us is a passion and purpose that enlivens us.  As it calls to us, we must find a way to answer the call or we will always wonder what could have been.  Sometimes the call comes from our interaction with others.  Sometimes it comes from that voice within whispering to us during the night when we lie awake.  Sometimes it slams into us because of loss and tragedy.  But it is our soul calling us back to ourselves and who we really are.  May you find your calling.

If you are searching for your calling, I highly recommend the classic book, Callings: Finding and Following an Authentic Life, by Gregg Levoy.  It speaks deeply and eloquently about this topic.  If you live your calling, what is it?  Please share what it means to you under comments.

©2011 Georganne Spruce

Related Articles:  What Oprah Knows for Sure About Your Calling, How to Find Your Calling

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AWAKENING TO NEW PATHS

Posted on November 30, 2011 | 1 comment

Do you usually agree with your friends’ ideas?  Do you do what they want regardless of how you feel about it?  Do you always tell your boss what he or she wants to hear?  Are you afraid to act differently than those around you?

“Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.”  Ralph Waldo Emerson

What Values Guide Your Spiritual Path?

We all travel different paths in life even when we appear to conform to society’s values.  At the deepest level each spiritual path is unique even when, on the surface, we appear to be the same.  The real question is: Does the path you have chosen serve you well?  Does it meet your deepest needs?

Is the path you follow based on values that serve you well?  I’m thankful that when I was growing up, my parents taught me to respect others, be honest, be responsible, and care about others.  In addition, we didn’t have much money and had to be creative and work for what we got.  I was taught how to set priorities about what was of value.  People always came first.

Individual Values Challenged By Society

But living by such values is not always easy in a society that puts materialism first.  I often feel my values are at odds with the society’s and yet they serve me well.  Black Friday is a perfect example of what I try to avoid—events created to manipulate mass consciousness.  It is well named, for it appeals to the darkest part of human nature.  It seduces by appealing to our scarcity consciousness and greed.  It feeds that part of ego that fears we will not be valued if we don’t own the latest smart phone or 54” HDTV. It encourages the idea that competition, even if it involves harming others or being harmed, is good.  It reduces our humanity.

Creating A New Spiritual Path for Us All

Perhaps it is time to create a new path for our society that puts the basic spiritual values of love and integrity first.  Ralph Waldo Emerson was an innovative thinker in his time and his words resonate today.  The path of greed our society has been following has failed to bring us what we really need. It separates us through competition rather than bringing us together with cooperation.

When we cannot afford to mask our insecurities and deeper needs with glamorous and distracting things, we may become angry and resentful or we may choose to take a positive approach and adapt to a new life.  Do we really need such a large house or so many cars?  Do we have to vacation in Hawaii? When our lives are simplified, we have more time for each other to develop loving relationships.  We learn the value of giving and sharing.

Create a New Path

Who really matters in your life?  What are the things that bring lasting joy?  The greatest contribution we can each make to change our society for the better is to find the best path for our own lives.  Does the path you are following bring you peace, love, and joy? Are you fulfilling your true purpose in this life?  If not, what is the path you need to follow in order to bring about the change you desire?  Create a new path and leave a trail for others to follow.

©2011 Georganne Spruce

Related Articles: Getting in touch with Your Own Spiritual Energy, Wayne Dyer – Interview with a New Age Retailer

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BEING GRATEFUL FOR THE SPIRITUAL JOURNEY

Posted on November 23, 2011 | 2 comments

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving Day.  What are you thankful for? If your life couldn’t be better, do you take the time each day to say “thanks?” If you’re having some challenges in life, can you look beyond them to see what is good?  If life is a disaster right now, are you willing to hunt for one simple thing to appreciate?  Maybe it’s the song of a bird or the smile of a stranger you meet on the street?  That one small thought of gratitude can change your life.

“It is impossible to be negative while we are giving thanks.” Donald Curtis

Gratitude As Daily Practice

Since I’ve incorporated expressing my gratitude into my daily life, I find that this always uplifts me regardless of the specific circumstances of the day.  Although I may go over my gratitude list during meditation, I have chosen to take it further than that.  At the moment when something good appears, I say “Thank you.”  The energy of those words seems to uplift the energy of the experience even further.

Creating a Positive From a Negative Experience

What is perhaps the most challenging for us all is to be thankful for the unpleasant experiences in life.  They come into our lives to help us learn lessons although we often only see what we learned in retrospect.  In the 1990s, I had Chronic Fatigue Syndrome.  I had probably had it for two years before I was diagnosed because I couldn’t remember when I hadn’t been exhausted.  Most doctors knew nothing about it or discounted its existence.  Fortunately, I was able to find a wonderful doctor through a friend who had it.

I had to radically change my life in terms of going to bed at 9:00 pm, eating only organic food, eating only certain food, taking dozens of supplements, and avoiding stress.  In order to afford the treatment, I had to continue teaching full-time.  Because I was exhausted all the time, this strict lifestyle seemed overwhelming at first, but it did heal me.  Many of the changes became a part of my life even after I healed and have made me very healthy.  I have none of the physical problems most people my age do and the ones I have are very minor and don’t limit my activity.

When we can learn something from a negative experience and can feel thankful for the lesson, it transforms our memory of the experience.  We can focus on what is good and let go of feeling like a victim.  We can be grateful that what we have learned from the challenge makes us healthier or happier or more competent or more loving.

Gratitude Uplifts Us

Do I wish I had not had to go through this experience to learn how to be healthier?  Of course I do, but that’s not the point.  Like so many things in life, we do the best we can until we learn better.  That’s why I’m grateful for the journey.  I know that if I stay open, I will continue to learn and that always improves the quality of my life.

On this Thanksgiving holiday, may you be blessed by the gratitude you give and receive.  May your spiritual journey enrich your life.  From all the lessons you’ve learned, what is the lesson you are most grateful for?

© 2011 Georganne Spruce

Related Articles:  Seven Practical Steps to Turn Around a Bad Experience, How to Raise Your Vibrational Frequency

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A DANCE OF SPIRITUAL FORGIVENESS

Posted on November 2, 2011 | 1 comment

When we have been deeply hurt by someone, especially someone we love, reaching a point where we can truly forgive can be a challenge.  It is easy enough to say we forgive the person, and we often say that because we know that is what good people do.  But to truly feel that forgiveness on an ongoing daily basis, to be unattached to the painful feelings we experienced as a result of another person’s words or actions, we must go much deeper.

Awakening to Detachment as Forgiveness

What often blocks our desire for true forgiveness is the feeling that in order to forgive we must accept the fact that the other person is not to blame for their unkindness.  By saying we forgive them, we feel we are saying that they weren’t responsible for their actions when we know what they chose to do was a free choice.

 Oneness describes those feelings this way: We give “lip service to releasing the blame for a past action.”  It could be ours or someone else’s.  “While in theory this effort appears to be well-directed…it rarely produces the desired result.  The key to completing these patterns is not to forgive the other party their transgression, which keeps the energy polarized, but rather, to release in total detachment, any care one may still be carrying, whatsoever, about the outcome of any drama revolving around that issue.  The gesture then becomes…one of total transcendence of one’s attachment to the outcome.” (Page 62)

Understanding Attachment

So how do we come to this place of harmony and detachment?  I have often found that if I can understand why a person has done what she or he has done and see the situation from his or her point of view, I find it easier to let go of my resentment.  Sometimes that is all I need to know, and I can feel enough compassion to release my anger or hurt.  This may apply when I need to forgive myself as well.  But when the negative energy around an issue is more powerful, releasing my attachment is not so easy.

One of the things we need to remember is that some people come into our lives in order to act as adversaries or “triggers.”  The most infuriating interactions may be the very dramas from which we learn the most significant lessons.  The more powerful these experiences are, the more likely they are to be karmic.  They may be part of the agreements we made prior to coming into this life.  (Oneness, p. 59-61)  These situations are the most challenging to detach.

Being in the Moment Beyond Past and Future Fears

Beyond finding empathy for our adversary’s motivation, we must learn to release the fear that attaches us to the past and the future.  We are often caught up in the fear that what has happened is a repetition of old patterns and we wonder how many more times must we go through this pain.  Or we fear that what has happened is a pattern we cannot break.  As Eckhart Tolle suggests, we are concentrating on the content of the situation.  What will liberate us from our past and future fears and pain is to be in the moment.

When we are truly in the moment, meditating or walking by the shore or through the forest, we are able to experience that beautiful, peaceful energy at our core.  In this place we are beyond the drama and content.  We do not need to label an experience “good” or “bad.”  At this moment, we do not need to understand.  We understand that what is, just is.  When we have practiced this enough, we are able to move back into the situations of our lives without resistance and attachment.  And maybe when the next challenge appears, we will be able to stop, observe what is happening and choose not to lose ourselves in the drama.  As I learned when I studied Science of Mind, forgiveness is not about the person who hurt you, it is about you learning to let go.

What are your greatest challenges with forgiveness?

© 2011 Georganne Spruce

Related Articles:  *Eckhart Tolle-Not Reacting to Content (Video), How to Forgive Yourself, Bouncing Back

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DANCING WITH SPIRIT IN A NEW WORLD, Part 2

Posted on October 12, 2011 | 2 comments
Hut of Toda tribe (Nilgiris, India)

Image via Wikipedia

Taiowa is the breath, humankind is the mouthpiece

to carry the sounds of creation to the far reaches of eternity.

 “The people are the building material, bringing on their wings the lessons of time.

Finding the Perfect House

I will never forget the feeling I had when I first looked at the house where I now live.  I had been looking for months, and there were two houses I had almost chosen, but each had a very steep driveway, not a good choice for mountain winters.  This house also had a somewhat steep driveway; yet, the moment I entered it, I knew it was mine.  The peaceful energy enveloped me, and I wanted to stay there forever.

What I felt in the house was not something I had created, but was the energy of the person who lived there before me.  Whoever she was, she had left good energy for the next owner to enjoy.  I didn’t realize until later that much of the house had also been arranged according to feng shui principles.

In addition, I loved the materials used in the house: light, bright hardwood floors, red brick and white frame, the green door, and an all white interior where the reflection filled most rooms with light.  Somehow, it all fit together in a perfectly complementary way.

Building a Spiritually Based Life

Just as the builder of this house chose the materials to fit and blend in a balanced way, we choose the materials with which to build our own lives.  We are the materials of the Universe, and as we each build our lives, consciously or unconsciously, we help to create the world in which we live. If we make choices that are spiritually based, then we help to create a world that is more spiritually based. What are the basic materials of our lives?

The Foundation Is Our Soul

Like the foundation of a house, our core or soul is who we are when all temporal circumstances and physical exteriors are stripped away.  It is our eternal spirit.  In the “dark night of the soul,” it is what seems like that tiny thread to which we cling when all else has crumbled or fled.  It is that place in us where the light of Spirit reminds us we are always One, and we become aware that we are never just me.

The Frame Contains Our Spiritual Philosophy

Like the frame of a house, we need something sturdy to hold us up which will weather time and all circumstances.  In addition to our core, our principles and ideas form a basis for our decision making.  For some, these are religious principles, for others they may be intellectual or spiritual guidance that support good decision making.  Some may follow Jesus’ teaching of “Love your neighbor as yourself.”  Others may follow Confucius who said, “They must often change, who would be constant in happiness or wisdom.”  Regardless of the philosophy, these ideas provide us with another level of guidance in addition to our core’s guidance.

Our Boundaries Create Our Walls

 Just as the walls of the house provide us with protection, and within them, we experience a safety zone where we can rest, the emotional boundaries we create serve much the same purpose.  However, if we pull these boundaries too tight around us, restricting greatly the people, ideas, and opportunities we allow inside our lives, our home will be a small one.  We may feel safe, but we may suffocate in such safety.  If we trust the flow of life and allow our boundaries to expand and open our hearts, minds and souls to more possibilities, we will find a deeper richness.

Awakening to a Life That Is Good For All

So, as we move through time and share with our world the materials we have used to build our lives, we help to create the world in which we live.  Sharing the lessons we learn empowers others and may also help them avoid some of the negative experiences we have had.  As we awaken, we will build the future together, and so we must choose our materials carefully for the greater good of all.  When our choices come from deep inside our spiritual being, we are dancing with Spirit, and the result can only be beautiful and the energy peaceful.

What are the materials of your life? the foundation? the frame? the walls and roof?

© 2011 Georganne Spruce

Related Articles: Tips and Pointers For Building A Spiritual Life From Scratch,  Wayne Dyer on Living A Spiritual Life 

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