Sometimes the spiritual journey can seem like a hoax. What’s it all for anyway? And sometimes nothing else matters but the spiritual path. As if it finally provides meaning to life in a way that nothing else has.
When it feels like a hoax is when we have expectations that aren’t being met. Caroline Myss says, “Stop expecting to get something out of it. Just stop it.”
She talks about humility. How often the ego wants to do something so it can get something. Caroline challenges us to ask the question, “What can I give?” instead.
It puts a totally different spin on how you approach spirituality – your spirituality. It takes it from ego base to humility base – humility being what she says is the foundation of the spiritual path – the path of the Divine.
I continue to find Truth in this as well. Ego wants something – “give me the answer” it yells, or “there must be a reason for this!” – when what spirit is saying is surrender. Surrender to what is, surrender to what you like and what you don’t like. Surrender to who you are as you are. Stop fighting it all to be different than it is, and then ask the question, “What am I to give?”
Zen Buddhism has a beautiful adage describing two wings of the spiritual path (or enlightened path).
What I just described is the Wing of Wisdom.
The wing of wisdom is the Truth. It’s what you see clearly as you sit and listen instead of wanting and striving, or believing what I or someone else has written or said. You sit and listen with eyes and mind wide open to what’s possible, not what you believe or fear.
This is imperative on the spiritual path.
When you want to “figure it out” forget it. There’s nothing to figure out. When you push to find an answer to why when something is painful, forget it. Just feel the pain.
When you blame yourself or another for anything, forget it. You are separating yourself from yourself and spirit – that is ego driven.
The Wing of Wisdom says to listen. That’s all. Listen with curiosity. What does the wind say? What does the sky say? What does your heart say?
And that leads us to the other wing of the spiritual path: The wing of Compassion.
You can listen and find clarity, but still have a closed heart.
Are you holding back your love from yourself or others? Are you only loving certain people? Are you not letting love in all the way? Then this is your path – to open your heart…one day at a time.
If this is all you focus on you can have an open heart, yet confusion.
The spiritual path rides the waves of both wisdom and compassion. Sometimes you focus on one, sometimes the other. It’s important that they are equally tended to as a fire needs oxygen and care, so you need wisdom and compassion to become fully alive, fully you.
Today focus on opening your heart and listening. Who can you open your heart to in this one moment? And what do you hear?
I’m standing by your side as you walk this path… the most important path of your life.
Categories: Heart Centered Living