One of the most
frightening things we have to deal with is when
the body begins to break down, and nothing the
traditional medical approach offers, including
drugs, seems to alleviate the condition. If this
is happening to you, trust that what you are
experiencing is much deeper than what can be
detected on the surface. It is an EMERGENCE
rather than EMERGENCY. In some way, your soul is
calling you to attune to the deeper work you are
here to accomplish. But even if you sense this,
even if you know somewhere deep inside that this
is true, where do you begin to access the
assistance you are surely going to need in order
to facilitate this emergence, this opening to
the depths of the soul?
Doing the work of soul
requires a time commitment that many find hard
to assimilate into their busy lives. Most people
want the "quick fix," a pill to offer instant
relief. The soul, however, does not respond to
such remedies. Instead it requires that we get
in touch with our deepest desire and express
this yearning in a meaningful way. This is a
process which takes time. If we are to find
balance, if we are to experience quality of life
in the years we have left on this planet, a
lifestyle change may be in order. Positive
change can begin with an honest review of how
you spend your time and money. Using a
day-by-day calendar, write into each time slot
(down to 15 minute increments) what you do with
your time, each day for a week or two. Only
carry a small amount of cash and use your
checkbook. List every expense you pay out for a
month, accounting for every penny, if you can.
(A couple of months ago, Oprah Winfrey had a
program where she demonstrated how working class
people with average to low incomes became
millionaires, and it was by saving small amounts
of money, here and there, over several years.)
After you do these exercises, it is time to
decide what you are worth.
What ARE you worth? What
are YOU worth? How much time do you spend on
self reflection? Prayer, meditation, time in
Nature, physical movement? How much money and
time do you allocate to self care on a regular
basis? Do you see a counselor, go to a support
or prayer group, get a massage, go to a beauty
salon, read, listen to music, go to a self
improvement workshop or take yourself out for a
healthy and relaxing meal? Perhaps you don't
think you can afford these little time or
financial luxuries and depend on medical
insurance to take care of you when you fall
apart. Notice I say when, because unless you are
extremely lucky or have amazing genes, without a
focus on MAINTAINING your physical, mental and
spiritual self, sooner than later, things will
break down. Once you have cleared this mental
hurdle and really have the DESIRE to care for
the self, there are steps you can take to
reorganize your life to accommodate YOU. After
all, though we may try, we can't give to others
when we, ourselves are tapped out.
Clearing our resistance to
change is an important step. When we realize
change is difficult but ultimately rewarding, we
can embrace the excitement of beginning a new,
more self respectful way of living. Anyone at
any level of income can find ways to improve the
self. Each one of us has challenges in life.
Accepting and moving through these challenges
matures the soul. Dedication to a path of self
awareness and self improvement helps us handle
what life doles out. We can choose to accept our
challenges as GROWTH OPPORTUNITIES rather than
cursing our lot in life. We can possess an
ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE.
Once we accept that we
must allocate time to ourselves, we can
establish several life-enhancing practices which
can facilitate growth and alleviate the
soul-deep pain we are experiencing. One is
reading.
There is an overwhelming
amount of material dedicated to self improvement
these days, and we can obtain it either from the
library or from the bookstore. Some of the
leaders in the field of alternative health are
Larry Dossey, M.D., Carol Pearson, Ph.D., James
Hillman, Ph.D., Don Miguel Ruiz, M.D.,
Christiane Northrup, M.D. and Carolyn Myss,
Ph.D. Every work written by each of these gifted
and highly credentialed specialists is worth
reading. Then there are others who are gifted
and less burdened by degrees, but well worth a
peek: Oriah Mountain Dreamer, Mary Murray
Shelton, Evan Pritchard, James Redfield, Dan
Millman, Pema Chodron and many others too
numerous to mention.
Reading enriches and opens
the mind to possibilities beyond our current
understanding. When we open the mind, we loosen
the fear gripping our bodies. We nourish spirit
and soul. If we don't have time to read, we can
listen to books on audiotape.
Then there is the feeding
of Higher Mind. No matter how we perceive the
Divine in any or all of Its grand
manifestations, it is important to allow
ourselves time to connect with this Source of
energy, ESPECIALLY if we are being challenged
beyond our capacity to cope. Integrating even
five to ten minutes of daily spiritual practice
will create a sense of comfort and support,
beyond imagining. If you feel you need
professional help, go back to your budget and
DECIDE WHAT YOU ARE WORTH. Even when we do not
feel we have choices, limitations are often self
imposed.
Free up some time, energy
and money for yourself. When you put YOURSELF at
the top of your list, help often comes in
unexpected ways.
