|
11 June 2007
Reclaiming Your Spiritual Essence
by Charmaine Saunders
To me, the essence of a person is the soul, the spirit. A person's essence is the core of her being. It's the bit we can't see - it's hidden, secretive, like the centre of a blossom, revealing its secrets only when it feels ready and safe.
It's the part of being alive not covered by physicality, separate from our human packages which we require to do what we need to do whilst on Earth. Our physical bodies are far from perfect and that's the point. What would there be to learn if we weren't fumbling and faltering, making mistakes and causing pain, loving and leaving? That's the stuff of humanness, the reason we came to the planet. But our essence is something else.
It is continuity, perfection, spirituality and eternity - the gift of existence.
When a baby is born, this basic essence is obvious. A newborn's spirit is very close to the surface. Unfortunately, over years of living, this awareness becomes more and more pushed down until, as adults, we are barely acquainted with our inner selves and have to be formally introduced at some stage to the stranger within.
How do we reclaim our spiritual essence, our true selves? By first discarding the layers of false and negative conditioning that made us lose ourselves in the first place. This journey is a long and arduous one, only because there are so many distractions, so much garbage in the way, and most of all, because it is the loneliest road imaginable, one we can only really walk alone. But the destination is sweet; a cool oasis of peace, love and joy which we never have to leave, a dream from which we will never awaken.
Once the traveling has begun, the layers peel away so the process is actually unlearning rather than learning. We reveal our inner selves bit by bit like exposing the skin of an onion, layer by layer until we get to the exquisite centre and wonder how we could possibly have lived so long without the knowledge of it. Don't worry that you might not know when you arrive, for you will always recognize yourself even if you stumble upon your true identity seemingly by accident.
What do we need to address when we wish to start living our essence? Here are some of the issues:
Spiritually
Practicing meditation or simply taking time out regularly is essential. There has to be communion - communion is the art of connection, of connectedness. Be your own best friend. What do you mainly do with a close friend? Spend time. Develop an inner sanctuary that you can go to in times of stress, busyness, chaos, conflict or simply too much 21st century living! It doesn't have to be a formalized ritual of meditation; just relax, be somewhere tranquil and quiet if at all possible, or take 5 minutes at your work desk. Make this a habit and gradually it will come naturally. Play, have fun every day, let your inner child come out, commune with nature, be around animals. Take up yoga, exercise in a way that is fun, have a variety of hobbies that stimulate you, go to church or hug a tree. Anything that takes you out of the physical and sets you on an inner journey is desirable.
Psychologically
Heal the past. Anything else is avoidance of pain, a cop-out. How can there be unadulterated pleasure in getting-up each day and enjoying whatever takes place if you're drowning in old emotional clutter? Just as we're constantly told we must rid ourselves of material excess, mess in our homes, hoarding habits and the like, how much more so do we need to release negative conditioning, outworn patterns and old pain? These burdens are heavy and make the daily business of living intolerable or at the very least, much more difficult than it needs to be. So, read a book, get counseling, take a course; whatever you need to revisit the past in as painless a way as possible - understand, learn, let go, forgive and heal.
Living In The Moment
Living in the moment is not living for the moment. It's about being present in life, not running back to the past which evokes remembered pain or running too far into the future which is uncertain and thus, scary. We hear a lot about "following your bliss," and like all adages, this one has probably lost some of its bite. For me, it still has a good deal of relevance. Adults are often far too controlled, too "sensible" and too responsible. Children naturally follow their bliss because they know it always leads to joy, to fun and to fulfillment. Why are we adults seemingly so afraid of these things? Letting-go of control and fear is a necessary process of reaching essence because the essence of life is joy. It is the raw material of everything we do, not a by-product or a goal to be reached. Your spiritual essence is truer than any tangible reality simply because it is forever and you can never lose it; unlike the house, lover, money or job you hold onto so tightly. All is illusion other than the soul.
Emotionally
Self-acceptance is essential for peace and happiness. As long as we let our inner critics reign supreme, there can be no true happiness. We need to allow our emotions free-flow without judgment or repression. In that way, we release them and clear ourselves of unnecessary psychic debris. How we do this is of course the crucial part. Anger must not, for instance, be dumped onto another person to relieve ourselves of tension or angst. Hatred should not be fostered; nor envy, jealousy or guilt. The irony though is that with positive letting go, no one else is hurt and we get to clear our emotional decks at the same time. Imagine the liberation! When you accept yourself more readily, you will become less judgmental of others. This, in turn, will improve all your personal relationships. You're then free to be your whole, complete self - warts and all. Become friends with your negative ego; walk the fine line each day between the dark side and the positive. Do not fear your failings, imperfections, weaknesses and insecurities, in fact, embrace them; they are your allies and your strength.
How will your life change when you start living your essence?
- Lightness - the first thing you'll notice is a new lightness, in your step, in your mind and in your dealings with others.
- Spontaneity - you might find yourself wanting to skip, laugh spontaneously, and yes, also cry without reserve. This is your inner child asserting itself - welcome her.
- Peace - you'll worry less, be far kinder to yourself, relax more.
- Health - your general health will improve. Stress breaks down the immune system, so with less pressure, you'll get sick less often, have more energy and generally be more enthusiastic for life.
- Positive reflections - you'll start manifesting more of the things you like in life and less of the difficulties; you'll learn your lessons painlessly and grow to believe in your deservedness for good things.
- Your external life will begin to reflect your inner tranquility more and more.
And what is it that keeps us from our essence?
- fear
- trying to control everything
- living in the past or future
- stress and too much busyness
- losing touch with inner self
- letting the dark side rule; negative thinking
- getting caught up with conflicts and other people's issues
- co-dependence
- lack of self-worth/undeservedness
- toxic relationships
- not being true to yourself
Remember that the essence of life is joy!
Related articles:
Finding Happiness
The Healing Process
The Power Of The Feminine
Talk About This Article In The Forum...
|
