When I feel like writing something and don’t have a topic, I search for photos that inspire me. This one seemed to have such an obvious message…
Nature is such a great teacher. In these times of extreme change and darkness, we can always do as nature does and turn towards the light.
Darkness is so easy to find these days. All you have to do is look at any headline and you are hit with talk of fear, toxic behavior and impending doom and gloom.
It’s easy to become numb to it and start to lose hope for our future, our planet and life itself. It can start to feel like a constant slog through obstacle after obstacle.
However, I have found that it all depends on where we put our focus. I am reminded of the story of the race car driver who said he never looks at the wall when racing around the track at high speeds. His advice was to only look at where you want to go, not where you don’t want to go—otherwise you increase your likelihood of hitting the wall! Makes sense.
When I work with clients who want to make a big transition, it is natural that their “ego mind” is full of stories about all the things that can go wrong. The ego loves a good drama. It can be comical sometimes. On occasion, I will point out to clients, “Wow, there’s a lot of drama going on there” and we have a good laugh. Seeing the absurdity of the fear-based story can break the trance or spell that this kind of thinking creates.
I’ve been there myself. My common story was that If I made some big change everything would go wrong and I would inevitably end up living as a bag-lady on the street somewhere. Ever run that story? I actually think I have conquered that particular fear, but I remember it well!
I have come to believe that there are clues or formulas that we can follow that keep us from royally messing up our lives. One of those clues is to do as the sunflower is doing in the photo above and turn towards the light.
The ego-mind will lead us to the fear or dark side while our inner compass or Wise Self naturally gravitates towards our best options that are directed by our soul. Our soul is naturally aligned with the light or truth.
I often use the basic Hero’s Journey story elucidated by mythologist Joseph Campbell as a template or map. In a nutshell, the hero or heroine is called to expand their life by receiving a deep yearning to make a major life change of some kind. This yearning is often repetitive and hard to ignore. This is when a client often shows up in my office full of hope…and the accompanying fear.
We then do some excavation to separate out the fear from the inner guidance and put our focus on the directives of the Wise Self. This can include a of process of developing some practice to quiet the mind and calm the nervous system through meditation, walks in nature or simply spending time alone in quiet.
The Hero’s Journey ultimately requires a leap of faith. I work with clients to prepare for this leap. This usually requires getting their life in order in certain ways. I am not a believer in premature leaps. However, when preparation meets opportunity, the magic begins. Unexpected helpers appear to assist the client along the chosen path and doors begin to open.
In most cases, the chosen path is not without its difficulties in that the ego’s fears will rear their head and need to be dealt with. But once dealt with and overcome, the new life is born. It is a new life that is aligned more deeply with the soul’s mission and purpose.
It is my belief that when we use a formula that is focused on turning to and following the light—or the inner directives of one’s soul—we are guided to the next level of wisdom, growth and self-expression. When done skillfully, I do not believe that this process leads us to ruin, failure or becoming a bag lady living on the street.
So, when in doubt during these dark and challenging times that we live in, turn towards the light, listen deeply to the directives of your soul and you will be guided and protected to fulfill your next steps in a way that leads to deeper fulfillment, wisdom and faith.
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