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| Stages of Life Catherine Al-Meten |
If we don't have enough money for a loaf of bread, we can share a loaf with someone else who needs it. If we aren't sure what is right for us right now, we can be okay simply surrendering to our life as it is right in this moment. Simply being still, letting go of expectations and demands we make on ourselves and others, can go a long way to allowing the flow of life to appear in its perfect way. This week, after writing the column, I found myself a bit overwhelmed by the energy, and so I chose to live in surrender and presence. Of course that is not something you just decide to do, and then it happens; it's a way of living mindfully. With the intention to live in surrender, I became more aware of when I would slip out of that state, and then I would mindfully focus back, using my breath or my thoughts to release and let go. Now you might imagine I sat all week and did nothing; not the case. Living in this state, made me much more open to taking the next right and perfect step, making the best decisions given the circumstances, and moving along without having to have all the answers before I acted. I'll give you a couple of examples of how this played out in my life.
About mid-week I was feeling the need for unconditional love. It seems like I feel this for those I love, but was feeling a bit distant and left out of the lives of some of those I care the most for. Rather than dwelling on that and immersing myself in those kinds of thoughts, I practiced some simple meditation, allowing myself to identify the thoughts, and then to release them. Hiding from the thoughts, pretending I didn't have the feelings, or suppressing my emotions was not the answer. Instead, surrendering to the thoughts, emotions, feelings, allowed me to be present with myself, authentically. It was no more than a few minutes, if that, that my phone rang. It was a good friend who had called to tell me this story. She had been invited to join a support group that meets for a conference all weekly for an hour. My friend told me as she listened in on the call, she kept feeling more and more like she would rather be talking to one of her friends, so she left the call and called me. I was amazed, and though it may have happened before, this was the first time I remember anyone calling me and telling me they left doing something that wasn't authentic for them to be with me, someone who they really loved. One of the highlights of my week or life, for these are the moments we remember, the moments that feed our souls.
I have many of those moments with my Granddaughter, who leaves me long, loving messages, and tells me with regularity, exactly how she feels and what she wants me to know. She is a deeply spiritual and loving child, and reminds me regularly of the presence of the Golden Angels and God that protect and guard us all the time. When we are so focused in 'what ifs', 'what next', or 'why didn't Is', we fail to notice how precious our life is right in this moment.
Another example of how living in the present has filled my soul this week comes in some of the gifts that have come out of a lot of years of hard work, desire, and passion. When the time is right, what we set into motion comes to pass. When the time is right and when what needs to happen in our lives and in the lives of others is allowed to happen, then our prayers are answered, our desires are fulfilled, and life unfolds as it is meant to. Life does not always unfold the way we think it ought to and definitely doesn't unfold on our timeline. My Godmother, Dorothy, would remind me when I was impatient and couldn't seem to understand why certain areas of life were blocked, "It's God's time not our time." Whatever your beliefs about the Divine, the Sacred, the Creator, whether you believe in fate, destiny, divine will or existential choice, our lives are nevertheless connected to and affected by layers and layers of connections and interactions that seemingly have nothing to do with what we will or intend. Nevertheless, when things work out, they work out. When the time is right, life unfolds, doors open, and whatever we are doing falls into place, almost effortlessly. Remember though, there are few overnight successes. Behind a smashing success, is a great deal of hard work, effort, delays, and side trips. All this to say that whatever you have been working on, or whatever you would like to be
working on, this New Moon is setting the pace for a new leg of your journey. Assess how far you've come and lay out the plans for where you're headed, and surrender whatever needs to be released to make that happen. Make yourself a God jar (put your problems, needs, or conflicts written out on a piece of paper and put it in the jar), and turn your unresolved problems and issues over to Divine intervention. Make space in your life for grace.
A couple of years ago, two friends and I planted some seeds for an idea. We each came with our own set of values, ideas, experiences, and visions, and at the time, we did not choose to move forward with an idea that we created together. Since that time, each of us has diligently worked on our lives, our art, and our intentions. This week as I was getting ready to surrender the idea of seeing that vision become a reality, a new door opened out of something that I became involved with last summer. From something that I did with hesitation, I discovered a new way to see how our desires unfold in the way that works rather than the way we think they should. Our dream to have a creative arts studio/gallery space, is now a reality. We have the support and backing of the main art group in our town, and we were led back to our dream by a very circuitous journey. You never know what letting go will do for allowing your good to appear. This time of the New Moon, and the Solar eclipse in Scorpio is just such a time to surrender to Divine right and perfect action.
Another project that I have been working on for many years, has also reached a crucial turning point. I am sharing it with you here, as you might find it interesting, and I could use your support in helping me make my dream of getting my book and film, Ancient River Trails, completed. I launched my Kickstarter campaign this morning, and I would appreciate your help. Take a look at my video, and if you feel so inspired, help support my efforts to bring my project to a conclusion. Kickstarter Campaign for Ancient River Trails by Catherine Al-Meten. What started as a way to take a break from working on my doctoral work and for searching form my family's indigenous history, turned into a lifelong passion to create a way to chronicle the cultural history and narratives of life along the rivers in the Pacific Northwest.
What is your dream, your heart's desire? Name it, and take one step toward bringing that dream to life today. Release whatever fears, frustrations, doubts, or blocks seem to stand in the way, and let go of trying to fix everything. Stop waiting for the right time, and take some action now. What we set into motion with an act from the heart, takes wings and fly and becomes stronger and stronger, speaking more of our truth than our words can. Live from the heart today as the New Moon beckons action from deep within. Be true to yourself, set your sight on the true north of your life, and live it now.
To read my writer's blog, Coasting Along, visit this site.
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