Returning Yourself to Yourself

Love life, engage in it, give it all you’ve got.

Love it with a passion, because life truly does give back, many times over, what you put into it.

~ Maya Angelo

Recently, I’ve see myself and other women, particularly in my age range, feeling somewhat disillusioned with an inner fatigue.  Years of embracing our worldly service and working to improve ourselves has brought us to a place of just feeling tired. We held anticipation that someday we would see a turnaround in our imbalanced patriarchy based society and materialistic greed.  Over the years we’ve done our best to spiritually uphold the changing of times with the belief that we would soon see great changes.  With 2012 finally here, we find ourselves wondering if any significant changes will occur in our lifetime.

We walk this spiritual path day in and day out.  Certain days we may experience spiritual fatigue, a lack of motivation, or just wanting to lighten up and take it easy.  I see myself and others frustrated, depressed, un-inspired, and wanting to let it all go, travel to faraway lands, or just play with grandchildren.  We yearn to be taken to the lighter side of life.  By increasing our focus and attention on that which feels good, we’re able to create and experience more positive feelings every day.  Yet we must still take responsibility for our lives as spiritual beings.  We cannot forget that we are Spirit in form.  With that understanding, we turn inwards, and continue our practice.

Honoring that my feelings are what they are, I look to them as guidance.  Feelings let me know when I need to make adjustments in my life, in order to know greater happiness.  It first takes an awareness of honoring where you’re at and accepting the truth of an experience, to give rise to positive changes.  I then interact with my feelings as they arise as if they’re a compass assisting me in navigating towards creating an ever more so sweet and happy heart.

Picture an emotional guidance barometer, with good feelings at the top, and bad feeling at the bottom.  Imagine that the good feelings expand into an allowing or openness, while the bad feelings induce resistance or tightness.  While experiencing a heavy, negative feeling, such as anger, soften around the anger, and acknowledge the opportunity for growth.  With the awareness of being at choice with your feelings, you can move up the emotional scale by replacing a bad feeling thought with a better feeling thought, allowing for an opening, softness, and generosity.

The legacy of our Grandmothers and Grandfathers is one of strong faith.  Consciously accepting the responsibility of being a person of great faith, we accept and know that we’re Spirit in form.  Over and over again, I find it necessary to turn towards my own heart, and towards knowing who I am.  Practicing the art of self-compassion brings me comfort in getting myself ‘back-on-track’ versus wanting to escape.  Faith and compassion allow me to trust the quiet, find the stillness, and feel the calm.  With the practice of self-compassion, we can forgive ourselves for that which keeps us less than, or keeps us from our own healing.  Self-compassion allows us to claim our own growth.  The practice begins by moving into your own heart, and creating a positive inner dialogue centered around loving yourself.

Again and again, I turn to this quiet space within, often calling on my Grandmothers to feel their presence and love surrounding me.  Softening of the heart space and residing in the stillness is an on-going practice.  For myself, I find it easiest to find peace in the surroundings of Nature.  We’re all natural beings; a truth many have forgotten.  Renewing our connection with the land and water assists in grounding and centering ourselves.  In these moments of peace, we gain greater access to our own true nature.  Through knowing my true self on a deeper level, my vibrational energy level is raised, and I feel more joy.  I strengthen my ability to focus on opening, and to allow Spirit’s all-encompassing grace and All-Good to flow in and through my ever present moments.

We come from a linage where our ancestors left us with a legacy of great faith.  What’s important is our relationship with the Divine; to know in our own hearts that which Is, and that we are love.  As we practice self-compassion, we recognize that which we truly are.  We recognize our divinity.  As we practice self-compassion we are claiming our faith, saying YES, this is who I am.

My journey is perfect and sacred just as it is.