A Zen proverb advises: "Before enlightenment, chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment, chop wood, carry water." Jack Kornfield chimes in: "Before ecstasy, do laundry. After ecstasy, do laundry."
Perhaps you've had a wonderful experience of oneness with the spiritual world. Most of us have had a moment of enlightenment. But that's not enough. We need to maintain the flame alive moment after moment, day after day. It requires dedication, discipline, perseverance. It also demands resistance to the forces of darkness. Don't give in to the powers promising instant cash, over-night stardom, spells to manipulate others.
Keep your Soul's sparks sparkling, my dear ones. Keep your inner chambers clean and cozy and safe. How else will you remain free when the outer shadows obstruct the flow of Life, Love, Light? Only the spiritual strength, which you consciously cultivate within, can assure that you'll always be open and connected to your Highest Self, who is your direct line to the Source of All.
Whenever you feel that your crown chakra is closing under the burdens of earthly existence, call upon the Archangel Michael to shine pure Cosmic Light through you and purge away the clutter in your etheric bubble. Claim your true essence; practice the I-A-O (pronounced "ee-ah-oh") harmonious movement meditation daily (click here to receive it as my gift to you). It's simple and easy, and only takes a few minutes, but you'll notice the difference. Become one with your Highest Self out of your own free will. Yes, you have to make the choice. Not choosing means saying no to Life, Love, Light. Your indecisions may turn you into a servant to the curse of densifying matter and Greed, to the allure of false materialistic success and Pride. Would you like your heart to freeze and your Soul to die? Resolve to be a beacon of Light at this very moment. Begin creating a circle of Love one person at the time now.
Somewhere between the union and separation, between you and me, lives my Soul and yours. Somewhere there is the ever changing space for my I and your I to shine Light and Love into the heartless existence. And through that permeable flow, the Universal Love can nourish the Life on Earth.
The hardening world of matter continuously pushes us into separation, while our eternal spiritual nature urges us to stay in Union with All. But as humans, we are neither fully matter nor fully spirit. We are somewhere in between.
We are gregarious creatures; we need meaningful connection with each other. But we also need boundaries, a safe haven to grow and be and express our uniqueness, our individuality.
We must be able to live with others without lapsing into neediness, possessiveness, codependent attachment. We must be able to be on our own without falling into isolation, hatred, sociopathic behavior. Yes and no are both good; union and separation are both essential. Let's find the healthy balance between these two polarities against the backdrop of Universal Love. We can only become a true beacon of Universal Light and Love when we tune into the sustaining and nourishing breath of energy.
Only by merging with the ever changing flow we can stand strong and bright in our human I, within the luminous column of our Highest Self, to whom we belong, from whom we are never separated. And only then we can spread the healing Universal Love across the globe, reaching each other in pure, genuine connection we all crave.
Over to you, dear Soulful Reader:
How do you create the healthy space for your true essence to shine?
This article first appeared on the Soulful Sparks of Inspiration website.