Discernment is a tool in our spiritual arsenal – one of the Holy Spirit gifts to us. It guides us to the will of God, which is to say the best possible outcome for us.
This year I choose blossom as my Word because it represents my intention to grow from the roots I planted as a new creation in Christ (2 Corinthians 5) and build back what was broken through the vehicle of relationship.
It was the morning of the most important interview of my career; with emotions running haywire and hormones adding a dizzying effect, I decided that I just couldn't go to my interview that afternoon. The fear shouted so loudly that I couldn't hear the voice of wisdom that knew to show up despite the very big feelings. This was my dream job, after all!
God recently revealed to me that I am holding onto the weight of my past. By holding onto my past, I’m not only carrying around a weight I was never meant to carry, but I am blocking the blessings of God’s plan for me in the future. So today I ask you: What weight are you carrying that is hindering your upward momentum?
Covid-19 caught nearly all of us by surprise, leaving us ripped of our routines, schedules and normal circumstances — everything we typically rely on for stability and consistency. If we weren’t already prone to or struggling with depression, COVID-19 certainly stirred up prime circumstances for depression to show up (many of us without any prior experience with mental illness or the coping skills to deal with it in healthy ways).
We often go through life on autopilot without ever questioning our motivations. The beauty of life is we have the ability to shift gears into manual mode. Manual mode is tough; the road is paved with unknown twists and turns and even bridges are missing that must be built.
Some people never turn on this mode because it is very tough to maneuver. With the option of auto, who would want to learn manual?
Have you ever sat in stillness to contemplate your dreams?
I have been on a wild journey of discovery that planted me right at the doorstep of my own dream: to serve others with the full expression of my true self—an intuitive healer and empowerment coach.
On a cool October evening, as I experienced the super moon eclipse from my outdoor yoga class, the instructor gave me a piece of advice: if a dream is placed on our heart, we are powerful enough to manifest it.
This nugget of wisdom empowered me to not only believe in the validity of my dreams but to turn them into my reality. The simple belief that I can live the life I imagine gave my soul permission to seek my spiritual truth—the divine essence I embody.
Within several months, when the magic of the Christmas season was stirring my heart, I came to realize that I had finally returned to my Divine essence. My true nature as a Divine spiritual being of love was revealed. It was as simple (and yet complex) as that. I am to realize that by trying to please everyone in my life and gain love and acceptance outside of myself, I had compromised everything I was truly about; I am a deeply spiritual person with a faith that runs through every vein leading straight to my heart.
Returning to a state of love took devastating loss in order to break open my heart to reveal the fullness I longed to express. It took feeling every dark emotion that lingered in my broken and hopeless heart. It took saying yes to a difficult and gut-wrenching journey to learn why I made the decisions that took me down a path that far from honored my true self. I spent so much time attempting to gain love and acceptance that I barely knew who I was and what I stood for any longer. Yet, my soul never forgot—I heard its whispers, but I chose to quiet them in favor of comfort and safety.
My despair and desperation led me to embark on a spiritual journey of self discovery. I believe challenges and missteps are our greatest teaches and catalysts of growth. Had I not chosen to visit and ultimately heal the broken nature of my heart and spirit, I am certain I would not be writing this piece from my heart.
I know the agony, pain, endless work and investment of a spiritual journey, but I also know the intense suffering caused by choosing fear over the path of love. It is my deepest belief that we are here to end our human suffering by returning to a state of love (and then living wholeheartedly in our revealed truth).
Our purpose is to express and extend our divinity (the light within us) through the highest expression of ourselves.
– Rebecca Rosen
Throughout my studies of Yoga, Buddhism and Kaballah (Jewish Mysticism), I have gleaned one universal truth: we are here to end human suffering by reclaiming our light—the light of our soul—that took human form in our body. If we can find the light within us that has lied dormant since childhood, we can return to our Divine essence. It is from this place that we find our purpose, from our heart space, and ultimately find Heaven on Earth.
We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.
– Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
If this end to suffering seems wildly out of reach, it is. However, I am proof that it is completely possible if you put in the work. What I found by returning to my true soul's nature is limitlessness, true happiness and lasting peace.
It wasn't until I accepted my soul whispering for more fulfillment in life and awakened to my essence that I discovered my own purpose. My long-lived desire to have a more meaningful career was born out of my separation from my purpose. I yearned to serve humanity in a more direct and impactful way, yet until I accepted a path of spiritual growth to reveal my own light, I could not serve others in the manner I desired.
My purpose grew out of my revealed light effortlessly, as the Universe conspired to lead me on a path of synchronicity and Divine intervention. When we begin to discover our essence and agree to reveal our true selves to the world, we will be catapulted on a wild journey of full support for our intention to honor our soul (which in turn creates more harmony in the Universe).
Every experience, misstep, tragedy, situation or loss serves a larger purpose of growth if we accept the blessing behind each struggle. If we accept an attitude of gratitude for what occurs and search for the gifts behind these "redirections," we turn adversity into our biggest blessing and teacher.
As I agreed to a life of fulfillment and chose a path of love, my gratitude turned my past into the foundation for my purpose. I endured intense suffering (human experience) in health and heartbreak in order to blossom into my essence—as an intuitive healer and spiritual coach. My health battles were necessary "education" to step into my understanding of healing on a mind, body and heart level. My heartbreak was the gateway to awakening my deeply spiritual nature—one that has led me to a transcendent connection with Spirit in the form of Angels (both guardian and Archangels).
The clarity in my heart now recognizes that my human suffering became the classroom that allowed me to graduate to my soul nature, one that can see the beauty of life when our light is ignited and we reclaim our wings. As I trusted my ability to fly and began to own who I truly am, my resilience and faith paid dividends in miracles. Each courageous step led to where I needed to be to fulfill my dreams.
By answering our soul's calling, we plant a seed in our heart that says we are worth living our best life. Our dreams may seem unreachable or even far-fetched in our limited mind, but once we allow the truth in our heart to be known, we surpass any self-perceived road blocks placed by fear.
The first step to manifesting our dreams is to believe we are powerful enough to manifest them. We must believe in ourselves EVERY step of the way.
The joy in my heart as I begin to fulfill my purpose is unfathomable—I still find myself laughing while I question, "Is this real life?" But even as I step further into developing my gifts and return to school, I suffer from bouts of self-defeating thoughts. My mind recalls all too clearly my undergraduate experience (one that was plagued by poor health and crippling anxiety). As I sat with my fears and acknowledged them, I began to believe that I am equipped with a newfound sense of wellbeing in mind, body and spirit. And I am strong enough to see my dreams through; after all, I know for certain I wouldn't be called into this purpose without the strength to endure any challenges it presents.
During my morning meditation with intuitive counselor, Kari Samuels, I received the reassurance my soul craved; my measure of success has nothing to do with performance in school, gaining more certifications and launching my business. I measure success by the amount of joy and passion pulsing through my heart. This happens when I am expressing my true essence—as a writer, poet, healer and coach. This is how I know I am fulfilling my purpose. I have the Divine privilege to use my God-given gifts to serve others through my true expression of self.
We do not need to be living the full expression of our dreams to embody a feeling of success or to feel joyful and fulfilled.
Don’t look for your dreams to become true; look to become true to your dreams.
– Michael Bernard Beckwith
We do, however, need to express our full Divinity as light-filled souls to manifest the unfolding of our dreams by taking faithful action daily. If we live and love with the passion that pulsates through our being, we give ourselves permission to be our truest selves.
How we live, love and treat others creates the tapestry of our soul nature. I find that in order to fully express our nature, we may need to step into a life that honors our very essence.
So, contemplate your dreams. Set forth intentions that will ultimately determine your future. Choose to reach for the moon and listen to your heart; admit the dreams lingering within its walls.
The Universe is waiting to answer our call so long as we believe in our power to manifest them.
Send in your "order form" by writing your truest intentions and dreams on paper (or repeating them in your mind). Whether we seek our true essence, a fulfilling path or higher love, make sure to honor these intentions today (and every day).
And repeat:
I am powerful beyond measure. I trust the Universe. I trust in Spirit. I trust myself. I trust my purpose. I am supported. I am light.
I invite you on a journey to align with your soul's purpose and answer the call to live through your heart.
The blessings of the past 10 days (and year) have put me in an unshakable state of gratitude. If you ask anyone close to me, they’d tell you how lost and unlike myself I felt this time last year. And I’d agree with them. I was constantly sick, working a job I hated, and in an unhealthy relationship (months away from our wedding). By January, I was unemployed, heartbroken and left to pick up the pieces. I have my loyal family and friends to thank for helping me wake up to my own life and not only cherish it, but grow into the resilient person I am today (even if I didn’t always believe in myself). Life has a funny way of working out. Sometimes you have to head down the absolute wrong path to learn what the right one is. I learned to laugh and cry and brave my way through this year. And I have incredibly strong influences who continue to touch my heart deeply.
I am blessed to say I am the happiest I have ever been, not because I have a perfect life or the perfect relationship; my life is far from perfect and I am happily single. The reason for this is I make the best of everything.
If you don’t love the person you are or who you’re becoming, change your perspective because it will change your life. Choose to become the best version of yourself.
I found practicing gratitude goes a long way; so does resiliency. I had the privilege of stumbling upon Cheryl Richardson's podcast on resiliency featuring Dr. Joan Borysenko. I discovered you must adopt the ability to adjust your sails while realistically approaching necessary changes.
Dr. Borysenko refers to this attitude as faith: the willingness to be present to reality moment by moment as it evolves. My personal perspective encompasses a strong faith in a higher power (knowing if I take each step, I’ll be guided to where I need to be). But this mentality only works if you take initiative to move forward based on what you can realistically achieve today.
Aside from realism and faith, Joan’s keys to resiliency are:
These gifts all have one major component in common (and not just because they were my combined saving grace). The keys to resiliency keep you grounded in the present rather than prisoner to your past mistakes, regret or heartbreak.
Dr. Borysenko goes on to share the last key to the equation in the wake of change: to keep the best kind of company you have—people who believe in your potential while refusing to let you forget why you’re walking this new path.
And possibly more key than this is creating a new network that supports where you’re going. These fresh souls will only know the you that you are working to become, and they will reinforce the blessings of charting your new course. Developing a "soul tribe" is vital for fostering your best self.
We cannot control the outcome of certain situations in life, but we are given the opportunity to choose how we react; we can either succumb to our failures and shortcomings or rise with a resilient spirit to create a life we can proudly embrace.
I hope you choose faith, but most of all, I pray your open heart leads you to the most magical of places.
To listen to the entire Podcast with Dr. Borysenko on "Developing Resiliency During Change," download it on iTunes.
