First of a series on Spiritual Growth and the Process of Healing
by Shirley Williams
Ready to take the journey of your life? This journey is about to begin and you have the opportunity to share this journey with me and with others. The destination of our journey is wholeness, wellness, self-empowerment, alignment, and integration, which will enable each of us to open with purpose just as our world and all that grows within it opens with purpose as the season changes from winter to spring. We have had the long rest of winter and now we are invigorated to begin a journey which will lead us more deeply into our individual springs and discover at a deeper level who we are, our uniqueness, our wonder and our glory. Join me as we develop the stages of the hero(ine)’s journey. Be prepared to move into a more expanded level of consciousness as we move toward the Millennium. The time is NOW! Prepare for Y2K!
There have been many attempts in metaphysical literature to help us
understand that spiritual growth is a process. This means that it prescribes for us a way
of living, thinking, doing, and being based on steps or stages or rites of passage
that are designed to guide us gently through periods of transformation and healing.
Each of these steps, stages, or rites of passage helps us reunite with aspects of
ourselves that we perceive to have been injured, betrayed, abused, shamed, traumatized,
ignored, or not forgiven. These aspects can take on a life of their own and become who we
are and thus decrease our energy fields; or they can be walled off energetically, and we
disown this part of us, which also decreases our energy.
Either way, we produce symptoms or disease. The symptoms or disease tell us we are out of
balance. They tell us we need to learn what has led to disease, i.e., our thoughts,
habits, or relationships. When we “master the lesson”, we are able to move on
and redirect our lives and our energies. We come into balance.
In either scenario, we have become defended. Our goal when we are on the spiritual
path is to become undefended. When we become undefended, we look at ourselves in truth and
in love. This means we see all parts of ourselves honestly and we observe these parts,
neither judging nor praising. We observe, use the information we obtain, and set
our intention to change; and we change slowly over time.
When we can observe ourselves in truth and in love, we are ready to walk the spiritual
path. When we can begin to make this observation, it moves us into the first stage of
healing.
The first stage is one in which we suffer. We feel helpless. We recognize that nothing or
very little is working in our lives at this time. When we suffer, we recognize that the
way we are living dishonors, denies, or alienates the core of our being.
We generally feel like victims of something or someone outside of us. Our sense of self,
who we are in the world, has become rigid and fixed and is not open to change. We find
ourselves repeating the same damaging behaviors over and over.
We either experience a great deal of fear or we block the fear. If we stay in either of
these places, we become stuck. To move out of being stuck, we have to move into the
suffering and the fear.
This is the challenge. It is not easy for us to deal with our fears. The part of us called
the personality or little ego tells us we won’t survive, so we look for someone else
to blame or to fix us. It is only by honestly acknowledging that the way we are living our
lives is not working, without judgment, that we can move into the fear. As we move
into this space, the space expands and we begin to recognize new options. We survive.
When we walk the spiritual path, this is our first place to go. We know we are there when
we recognize that our lives are not working; and, when anyone attempts to fix us – to
tell us that everything will be all right – that it’s not as bad as we think it
is – that here is something we can try, we experience irritation, frustration, and
anger surging inside us. It is only by going into that place of suffering that we
recognize that we are living our lives in a self-destructive way.
This is a time when we feel vulnerable and raw and scared. However, it is also the time
when we begin to work on ourselves. It is a time when we need someone to acknowledge
how miserable we feel with no judgments or “I told you so” attitudes toward us.
When we begin the task of observing ourselves in truth and love, it is time to focus on
“I” and “me”.
When we are in this stage, we experience the stuck spots within our physical bodies. It is
supportive at this time to lie down, put both hands on the spot where the feeling is
stuck, and breathe into this spot. Sensing your energy in your feet also promotes the
release in stuck spots. Yoga stretches and journaling also help. If you have a healer, a
visit will allow you to release some of the energy that has become trapped.
For me, when I moved into this stage, I experienced great misery and also great joy at the
same time. I was miserable with who I was and how my life was going but filled with joy
that I could recognize my misery and what I was doing to create it. I revisit this place
from time to time, but I now have better tools for dealing with this place. I know there
is a path that will take me up and out. I know I need to look at myself, check my options,
make the best choice, set my intention, and discipline myself.
Sometimes, I experience difficulty in balancing my polarities. This is the second step or
stage in the healing process, which I will address in the next issue.
For now, set your intention to stay inside yourself, to be aware of everything you
are thinking, feeling, and doing with total honesty and love for who you are
– because you are the Godspark.
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