New things begin to take precedence as a process of change progresses. The mind and body may feel deserted as old habits and behaviors are left behind, as old thoughts are refused, as old worlds are departed from and the joys and conflicts of the new journey encountered. As the connection to spirit and true self grows stronger other parts of the self may protest, feeling disconnected and even deserted. In truth, all parts are shifting and coming into new alignment and so each day must be greeted as a totally new experience in a new body self.
A changing self requires attention to all parts. And so, a gentle and kind attitude toward both the old and the new selves is important, even as they shift into new alignment with each other, and even as they change within themselves. A changing self is in a magical process of total transformation, morphing from one state into another. After all, making new connections of any kind, within and without, can be quite shocking to all systems and yet, with the gentleness and kindness now required by all aware beings fully activated, your journey to fuller spirit and spiritual awakening may progress without a hitch or glitch.
A warrior knows that the only thing that matters is staying on the path. Change will come anyway, but a warrior is always ready to greet and engage and learn from the experiences of choices made, knowing that they are all part of the journey. And so a warrior accepts what life presents and remains focused and intent. And if a warrior stumbles it is only a moment before the path is found again and the journey resumed with renewed vigor, the heart’s intent acknowledged as of the upmost importance.
A process of change brings with it permission to become a new being, to shift into not only a new being on the outside but a new being on the inside as well. As the challenges of change are confronted and worked through, inklings of new life begin to trickle into conscious awareness. Physical changes emerge too.
Though desires, habits, and even laziness may attempt a takeover, the longer one stays upon the path of change the less powerful those old entities become. Soon they have no charge at all but are merely shadows of a past life. Soon the energy of new life is fully lived in the light of the changing self.
The path of change is always right there offering its opportunities, daring that a step be taken upon its promises for new life. Let that powerful energy of change take you from out of the old and into something new. You will not be disappointed. Even though the way may present some tricky situations and some challenging confrontations, if you are intent you will succeed. So keep going. If you are to be overpowered by anything let it be by the powerful energy of change!
The conscious self, the Adult Self, is the most powerful self we possess in our human form. It is the self that will determine the fate of our life in this world.
The crux of the adult self’s power lies in its freedom of choice. Even in the most dire of circumstances nothing can ever take away our freedom to choose the attitude we take toward our predicaments. And that attitude will define the path of our lifetime, now and beyond.
All circumstances in human form are not equal. Like all of nature, some circumstances are more physically favorable than others. A seed that lands in a fertilized garden is better positioned than a seed that squeezes into a sidewalk crack. Our first challenge is to recognize that life is not fair, all life is not treated to equal circumstances. Herein lies our primary opportunity to exercise our freedom of choice.
This is the fundamental truth the Shamans of Ancient Mexico teach: entitlement, which builds its protest from the unfairness of circumstance, and which consumes the lion’s share of our energy, can be squarely defeated by an attitude that acknowledges: “I am not special.”
This is not an attitude of resigned, negativistic defeatism, but an objective acknowledgment of the truth: being special is an ego construct rooted in entitlement. Being born entitles us to nothing other than an opportunity for life, and even that is not guaranteed for long.
Despite the glamour and power differentially distributed and enjoyed in the world, detachment from defining one’s value by dint of circumstance frees one to humbly navigate life without the burden and nuisance of entitlement.
To be unshackled from the chains of entitlement is to be freed to assess the truth of who we are, the circumstances we were planted in, and the core issues we are confronted with and need to solve in order to advance and resolve the problems that so weightily block us from the light of fulfillment. What are the karmic seeds fashioned for resolution by the context of our present lives?
What does freedom really mean? – Photo by Jan Ketchel
From this perspective we can see that we are completely freed, in this life, to advance our spiritual journey and attain fulfillment. Our seed fell where it needed to fall to grant us the opportunity to specifically address and solve an impediment that is unique to our personal Soul’s journey.
From this perspective, from a Soul perspective, all lives are equal in that all lives are planted where they need to be planted for their own opportunity for advancement. To be born into another’s life, no matter how attractive that may appear, would have little value for our own unique journey of advancement in this lifetime, or in infinity beyond this life.
From this perspective, the greater the challenge in this life, the greater might also be the opportunity for advancement. For example, people who have experienced severe trauma in their lives have unparalleled opportunity for spiritual advancement.
Firstly, fully mastering the impact of trauma requires a mastery of entitlement issues in order to have the energy and focus to take on the impact of the truth. Secondly, trauma is a natural, or unnatural, hatchway to the discovery of the energy body or the living soul, that which is mental and emotional awareness that remains entwined with the physical body for the duration of physical life.
The direct experience of this spirit essence in trauma ushers the person deeper into the truth of who they really are at an energetic and soul level and what life really is: a spiritual EXPERIENCE, far beyond what any religious teaching rooted in faith and belief can offer.
Entitlement is a vestige of archetypal domination from infancy that produces an imprisoned self, sentenced for life due to a felt paucity of material or emotional advantage. In other words, lifes’ circumstances run deep, even deeper than we might suspect. We are all dealing not only with the circumstances of our present lives, but also with the deeper issues of being alive in a world that is set up for us to have to confront and learn about our personal spiritual journey separate from this world and all that keeps us attached to it.
Somewhere in our karmic load lies all the answers… – Photo by Jan Ketchel
Though crimes should be prosecuted and victims recompensed, spiritual freedom requires a shift of attitude. And spiritual freedom is the essence of life. Physical circumstance is the playing field for spirit life and spirit evolution. Freedom from the bondage of physical entitlement sets the stage to truly resolve the seeds of our karmic load as materialized in the circumstances of our lives.
As Janis Joplin put it: “Freedom is just another word for nothing left to lose…” And I would add: because our karmic load is completely sewn, completely freeing us now to choose where we go next!
A time of change and transition may cause deeper issues within the self to surface, previously unknown or unattended emotions, memories, or traumas. As changes without bring changes within submerged feelings may arise, truths may make themselves known. Coping with what comes is part of a process of change, requiring, as time goes on, attention to the self on many levels. You may feel strained or tired, but these are natural occurrences and should be accepted and dealt with as such.
Gentleness and kindness are good partners to invite along and cultivate as you journey on your path of change. Even while remaining on the new path, firmly grounded in new convictions and greeting the everyday experiences of these changing times, remain in alignment with the deeper self and the deeper intent and meaning of change: that it is leading you forward into new and vibrant life. A path of change may be the most difficult of paths, but it is also a selfless, courageous act, most beneficial for ALL of life.
Change requires patience. A period of adjustment may be needed and experienced, a time of confusion, until new balance is achieved. A warrior knows that making changes leads to everything else in life shifting and getting into alignment too, both within and without, moods and temperaments alike.
A warrior knows that change may be a precarious process, that there may be as many steps backwards as forwards, but a warrior is intent and soon is bounding forward totally changed by the thrill of the changing process itself.
Intention alone may be the instigator of change, but soon the momentum of the energy of change and the freeing rhythm of life take over and the old is left behind, rarely thought of or desired. A warrior is then catapulting forward, without a glitch, desirous only of what is to come, enjoying new life in every moment.
