The SOUL...

(There is a reason all religions have very similar mystic roots as one another- they were all born, and grew, from the collective consciousness over space and time as a method to process our human experiences with the divine.)

I received an amazing gift today from a friend.  A story- her story, and all the beautiful recognitions that came along with that for her.  It was one of the more meaningful, engaging and insightful conversations I have ever experienced, and that is profound as I spend most of my days thinking, feeling and conversing with others in deeply meaningful ways.  She drew an image that she had been seeing over and over, and then its evolution and finally after speaking with me about some things, her conclusion about the image.  She believed it was the symbol for the Soul.  It was beautiful and the ideas and insights behind it were mesmerizing, and, we both concluded from what our experiences have taught us, correct.  It was the Soul (on paper, explained in a way neither of us had ever been able to articulate independently with such clarity).  We were each others missing puzzle pieces in that moment.  It was incredible.  Absolutely incredible.

My point in sharing this is not to now explain to you what we were looking at or concluded, for it is something I believe you witness in your own time, as you need to see it, when you are ready.  My point is, as she put it today, that we offered such important reflections to one another.  We provided each other with confirmation, support, and insights that were both shared and new, but that pushed both of us beyond our boundaries, and into a new and peaceful space. 

I feel many of us have forgotten this truth- that we are but reflections of each other, for better or worse (doesn't matter, it all has the potential to be our teacher), and as such we must share, support, listen, serve, love, honor, and challenge each other in order to grow.  Over time, the Oneness of our experience as humans has been splintered into an array of personalities, habits, preferences, judgments, addictions, and egos.

Using my spiritual path as an example, a great many years, anytime I had a profound recognition I thought 'I' was the one who had made that conclusion- 'I' was the founder and owner of that progress and I would feel very proud.  I remember it always felt very rooted in ego, rather than rooted in peace if that makes any sense at all.  It was an idea I had in my life, as opposed to an application I had in my life, but I claimed it as mine and shared it like I was the all knowing.  The idea was not mine to own.  It was always a shared piece of information, cycling somewhere through our collective consciousness- I just finally received it and managed to translate it in whatever unique form it asked to be shared.  The message was a gift to help me along my journey in ways I had all but forgotten.  But it was never mine!  How silly of me to perceive myself as so separate from the whole.

The difference in my life now, is that those messages/wisdom come streaming through loud and clear, and with great consistency, and they are always something that I find in my heart (not my head) while living, breathing, and sharing the most authentic and honest version of myself that I know how to offer in that moment.  I have come to think the messages and insights are always there and available to each of us, and when we can reconnect to our collective identity and detach from the ideas that have created barriers and distance between ourselves and our neighbors, they stream through loud and clear.  If you think of reconnecting to our oneness,  imagine the oneness being a great radio tower.  Reconnecting is figuring out how to build yourself a stronger, clearer, more reliable tower that allows you to receive a higher frequency of sound and information.  The main difference in me that I believe has supported the foundation of this new communication is that I have created a radio tower from a deeply grateful learner's heart and am open to receiving information in a way I was very disconnected from before.  I also practice actively seeing myself in every person I encounter, particularly those I find myself having any sort of reaction to or judgment about, or who I feel deeply disconnected from.  This practice has shifted my whole perspective and relationship with life.

I truly believe we owe it to each other to share our most authentic selves always, even when we may appear confused, weak, angry, joyful, embarrassed, hurt, happy, etc. in the process. We owe it to each other for so many reasons, but particularly because it gives ourselves and others permission to see each other in those reflections.  To learn from each other, to offer safety, compassion and forgiveness to one another, to see our oneness, our connection.  It says with no judgment- "we meet here in love and sacred honesty."  It allows us to acknowledge that we all exist on some point of the continuum at any given moment.  Not a single one of us has lived a life absent of self doubt, fear, bad choices, beauty, love, and courage, and not a single one of us exists at any one point on that spectrum together, but we can certainly honor each other as we travel along that continuum, as equals.  We can learn and grow by sharing with each other.  We can offer humility, strength, and love to ourselves and others with no expectations, rather we can provide those things to each other in a sacred, warm, and welcoming space.  You never know what you might heal inside yourself or others by offering your most authentic reflection to the world.  Try it, it is pretty darn liberating! ;)

In love and support on the journey,

Lindsay