Your Spiritual Awakening
Articles By Lynn Claridge
If you are looking for enlightenment, you may ask yourself where do I begin?
There is only one place you can start your journey of enlightenment, and that is your life’s journey.
A place you could start is where you are right now.
Let’s start with the knowledge that you already know, the answers you are seeking, you are simply pretending that you do not know or that you have forgotten.
First you must start to understand the apparent paradox that you are alone on your journey, and yet you are at one with everything and everyone else in the universe. You need to acknowledge that you are a divine being, a part of "all that is".
Know that all that has gone in your life before this moment has brought you to where you are right now, that there is a purpose for everything that happens. Rejoice in every obstacle you are faced with in your lifetime, and that it is both a gift and an opportunity. This has certainly enabled you to grow.
Remember that the only thing that stands between you and your goals is your hearts desire, your greatest wishes, and fulfilment or is it your fears.
Start to face the truth and take note that every moment is an opportunity to create a new reality, NOW, and in every moment of your life. Base this on the unlimited possibilities of what can be, not on your fears of what has happened in your past.
Start to understand that your successes and your happiness is limited, only by what you believe is possible. The range of possibilities are only restricted by limited human understanding. Trust the universe, it will show you the answers when you are open to receive them.
Now perhaps some of these ideas are new to you, perhaps you want to reject them as nonsense or as impossible, that is your right. You don’t have to accept anything in life or what I say. You have your own free-will to reject or accept that there might be something in these ideas, even if it is not clear, right now, what or how or why.
As you continue your journey of enlightenment and self-discovery you may find some things that made no sense at the time, might then begin to seem possible and perhaps even probable.
What is important is that you apply yourself with an open mind and an open heart. Rejecting everything that is out of your hands just because it does not make sense will not lead to spiritual understanding.
Everyone’s path is different so do not assume that what works for someone else will necessarily work for you, or vice versa.
You need to find for yourself those things that work for you and those that do not. You will also find the speed of your journey and the timing of events in everyone’s lives will vary. Its important not to give yourself a hard time just because events are not happening as quickly as you would like or that your experiences are different from someone else’s.
Spiritual awakening is about understanding your higher consciousness. It means letting go of old beliefs and fears, releasing old ways of being, and doing and thinking in ways in which you feel comfortable. It means accepting responsibility for your life and accepting the power you have. This means not placing your power over others but using that power on yourself.
The mind can be a barrier to spiritual enlightenment. You should experience your life not contemplate it. You need to look deep within yourself to find those things that are keeping you in the past. You will need to face up to your fears before you can let go and move on.
It will certainly get uncomfortable at times but remember there is no growth without risk and enlightenment can not work without growth, love, trust understanding and compassion. You are perfect just the way you are although if you wish to grow in love and light you need to be prepared to place yourself into situations that will take you too the limits and you may feel uncomfortable.
The fact is that they are only uncomfortable to you, no one else. There may be times when you need to face up to some unpleasant truths. You have nothing to gain by trying to deceive yourself or others. When you take the easy options it will not lead to growth and enlightenment.
So are you ready to take the risk and to take yourself on?
There are no teachers; you are your own teacher. Just as you would learn from a teacher you learn from yourself. The two go hand in hand, just as the only way you can receive is for you to give, the only way to be loved is to give love back, and the only way to be forgiven is for you to gain forgiveness.
The most important thing to remember is to love, respect, and honour and forgives ourselves as well as others.
This journey of self-discovery and enlightenment can be difficult and lonely.
The one thing I can assure you is that once you start your journey you will not want to stop. You will find that despite the discomfort you will almost certainly feel from time to time you want to keep up the momentum. Just remember true friends are those who tell you what you need to hear, not what you do not want to hear. So choose your friends carefully.
This is a journey so enjoy the travelling and don’t forget to smell the roses on the way.
I was passed this short story and through it would be nice to share with you.
Water Bugs and the Dragonflies Written by Doris Stickney
Down below the surface of a quiet pond lives a little colony of water bugs.
They were a happy colony, living far away from the sun. For many months they were very busty, scurrying over the soft mud on the bottom of the pond.
They did notice that every once in a while one of their colony seemed to lose interest in going about with its friends. Clinging to the stem of a pond lily, it gradually moved out of sight and was seen no more. “Look” said one of the water bugs to another. One of our colony is climbing up the lily stalk. Where do you suppose she is going?
Up, up, up it went slowly. Even as they watched, the water bug disappeared from sight. Its friends waited and waited but it didn’t return.
"That’s funny"! Said one water bug to another.
"Wasn’t she happy here?" Asked a second water bug.
"Where do you suppose she went?" wondered a third.
No one had an answer. They were greatly puzzled.
Finally one of the water bugs, a leader in the colony, gathered its friends together "I have an idea. The next one of us who climbs up the lily stalk must promise to come back and tell us where he or she went and why."
"We promise to", they said solemnly.
One spring day not long after, the very water bug who had suggested the plan found him self climbing up the lily stalk. Up, up, up he went. Before he knew what was happening, he had broken through the surface of the water, and fallen onto the broad green lily pad above.
When he awoke he looked about with surprise. He couldn’t believe what he saw. A starling change had come to his old body. His movement revealed four silver wings and a long tail. Even as he struggled he felt an impulse to move his wings. The warmth of the sun soon dried the moisture from the new body. He moved his wings again and suddenly found himself up above the water. He had become a dragonfly.
Swooping and dipping in great curves he flew through the air. He felt exhilarated in the new atmosphere.
By and by the new dragonfly lighted happily on a lily pad to rest. Then it was by chance he looked below to the bottom of the pond. Why he was right above his old friends the water bugs! There they were, scurrying about, just as he had been doing some time before.
Then the dragonfly remembered the promise: "The next one of us who climbs up the lily stalk will come back and tell where he or she went and why.
Without thinking the dragonfly darted to reach the bottom. Suddenly he hit the surface of the water and bounced away. Now that he was a dragonfly, he could no longer go into the water.
"I can’t return!" he said in dismay. "At least I tried but I can’t keep my promise. Even if I could go back not one of the water bugs would know me in my new body. I guess I will just have to wait until they become dragonflies too. Then they will understand what happened to me and where I went."
The dragonfly winged off happily into its wonderful new world of sun and air.
About the Author
