Television and other media inform us that we need to conform to the societal norm to be accepted, that we smell bad, that our size and shape are wrong, that we have physical or mental conditions that require prescription medication, that we need help to function sexually, and that we cannot possibly be capable of making our own decisions or being responsible for our own actions.
New laws are being created daily to handle many of those issues on our behalf.
Critical thinking is no longer encouraged…or in some sectors, even allowed. After all, we might be a danger to ourselves and others if we use the minds gifted to us by God.
Where am I going with this, you might ask?
My point is that other-directed individuals relinquish their power to perceived authorities and become followers. They unknowingly give up their birthrights: the freedom to think for themselves, live from their hearts, find joy in their passion, and express their creativity and individuality or unique sense of self. Often, there is a blind acceptance that others know better than they do what’s right for them. Often the reason for that is that they have not clearly defined themselves and their wants, needs and desires.
Conversely, inner-directed individuals align their energy directly with Source, with their Higher Self and the divinity within. These individuals are the pioneers, the creators, the inventors, and the leaders in their field. They make decisions about their lives based on the knowledge, wisdom and guidance they receive directly from God…the Universe…Source.
Inner-directed people look for the truth that resonates with their gut level intuition and the vibrations that cause their heart to sing.They do not accept something as true or factual without first checking it out with how it makes them feel. If it doesn’t feel good, comfortable and right for them…if they cannot honestly say yes to it…then it’s not their truth. These individuals embody the qualities of a Spiritual Entrepreneur.
How do we discover and know our own truth?
Speaking for myself, it’s been a lifetime process. Just when I think that I know all that there is to know about the subject of me, something new pops up. It might be an old issue that I thought had been resolved presents itself with a new twist. And, oddly enough, most of these issues take their roots in childhood, even while we are still in the womb, and in some cases a previous/parallel lifetime.
As an adopted child, I’ve experienced a lot of deep inner work with issues such as abandonment, worthiness and belonging (where do I fit in). Oddly enough, due to some major life changes, these issues have recently resurfaced for me again. The deeper I go into my own inner work, the more empathy I have for others who are going through similar situations. As spiritual leader and author, Ram Dass said in his 1977 book with Steve Levine, it’s “Grist for the Mill.” I’ve often thought of it as grist for the healer’s/teacher’s/writer’s mill. So, for myself, the inner work I do has implications well beyond my own personal growth. By healing myself, I am more available and clear when I am guiding others.
Once while experiencing a hypnotic regression back into childhood, I found myself floating in my natural mother’s womb. I could hear and feel everything that she was experiencing. As a result I experienced extreme empathy for my mother as she endured violent verbal abuse from her own father, my natural grandfather. From his old-country (Northern European) religious moralistic perspective, he saw her as a demon child. He pushed her around and told her she was worthless, a disgrace. He then said she was a bitch and a whore, then shoved her out the door onto the street to fend for herself at 16, in the middle of World War II.
I felt my mother’s extreme pain and hopelessness, and still can. As a teenager in times when women had few rights or recourse, she was forced to give birth to me in a home for unwed mothers. As she had no family to turn to, no resources, she was also forced to give me up for adoption at four days of age. Unfortunately, we never had the chance to bond.
I was told that after my birth she became despondent, and likely anorexic, as she died of cirrhosis of the liver due to malnutrition at age 21. I discovered the cause of death many years later when I recalled seeing her name on my original birth certificate (later destroyed in a house fire) and searched for her death certificate in the county records. It matched what I’d been told.
From before birth, I was already feeling compassion for people in this lifetime. I knew as a child that I came here to do something special. However, I didn’t know that I was destined for a life overflowing with “Grist for the Mill.” The adventures and people I have encountered on my journey have served me well. In truth, I have no regrets. Each experience is a swatch of fabric from which I have fashioned and happily wear my coat of many colors.
Throughout my years of tasting much of what life has had to offer, I learned to seek guidance when I found myself in a situation too difficult or painful to handle on my own. I’ve received professional guidance in workshops and private sessions from counselors, therapists, ministers, coaches, body workers, energy healers and other practitioners. They have come from a variety of disciplines and ethnic, religious and spiritual backgrounds. I have always been guided to the perfect professional with the ideal skills to match my needs at the time.
Connecting with Source and Your Own Inner Guidance
There is no amount of education that can replace life experience. Some things we simply cannot get at a deep level simply by listening to lectures or reading about them in books. For instance, God…the Creator. How do we come to understand God? By knowing God.
As East Indian guru, author and world teacher, Paramahansa Yogananda, told his disciples, “prove to yourself that God exists.” This is something that can only be learned through experience. By silencing the mind, going within, and connecting with Source you can find and know God for yourself. This is the practice and experience known as meditation.
By silencing the mind through yoga and breathing, the yogi is able to relax into a state of receptivity. In this state, the answers are revealed, the truth we seek that comes directly from God. Almost anyone can do this with guidance and practice. In this busy world of doing, to sit in stillness and listen seems foreign and counter-intuitive, yet it is one of the most profoundly intuitive gifts we can give ourselves…some time with our Creator. As Brother Lawrence’s book title suggests, “Practicing the presence of God.”
There are many ways to connect with Source, with Spirit. Meditation is just one of them. However, all methods, including prayer, work best when we quiet our minds and listen in silence to receive our own messages from the Creator…from God.
Receiving Support and Learning How to Reach Your Inner Wisdom
Just as there are many ways to connect with Source, there is a wide variety of methods for learning how to connect with your Higher Self, the Divine within. Additionally, their are many teachers available to guide you through a plethora of processes to help you achieve your objectives as a Spiritual Entrepreneur.
You, as a client, are always in charge of your process. When selecting a coach, a counselor and/or a spiritual guide, be sure to address up front any questions or concerns. You may want to clarify that their values resonate with your personal philosophy. You will probably find most of your answers by checking out their websites and reading through their biographies, their offerings and testimonials.
If you are looking for someone to guide you through the process of becoming a Spiritual Entrepreneur, please check out my Offerings. I’ll be happy to help you discover your passion, envision your business, and create the life of your dreams. I’m also available to help those who are already in business to shift the energy from the old paradigm to a 21st Century heart centered co-creative focus.
I’ll soon be adding a 90 day quick start and a 6 month mentoring program specifically designed to help you to give birth to your vision in a way that feels easy, effortless, exciting, energizing and rewarding.
