It has been a few months since the beginning of my journey with "Belief," a new TV series to be aired by the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) on October 18-24. Spearheaded by an incredible group from Values Partnerships, the series has given us a forum for conversations around healing, love, forgiveness, God, and life!
What makes this opportunity so unique are the many voices of leadership, as well as those in the mainstream, engaging in a national conversation and being heard. I deeply believe that together we share common sentiments and a vision for humanity to stand tall and rise to a pure level on consciousness.
As someone dedicated to a simplified path of spirituality, I have been in the practice of letting go of my own subtle illusions for years. This journey with "Belief" has inspired me to do so even more, in sometimes surprising ways. I have been appreciating more of what is real, and checking how I listen to increase my power of self-respect and respect for others. Although I learned this lesson years ago from my spiritual mentor, Dadi Janki of the Brahma Kumaris, who stands strong at 100 years old, it is in the revisiting of this awareness while engrossed in life that I have come to deeply appreciate it. We tend to view our lives and the stories that revolve around them with an acute sense of interpretation, when we allow it to become our practice. "Life is about interpretation," shared my friend, Michelle Roper from Soul Luminous Radio. It struck me when she first said it, and I still turn to it today.
After viewing a few episodes of the upcoming "Belief" series, I have been observing that my interpretation of the shows vary. I wondered why that is. Is it because I am changing so much on a day-to-day basis? Is it because as I allow soul awareness with a connection to the Divine move my thoughts, words, and actions, that I am viewing it from a more simplistic interpretation? Is it because my subtle voice quietly echoes in my subconscious, "If I am not able to embrace all with compassion, healing, and without judgment, I still have more room for refinement?"
I have been refining, embracing, and observing many areas within my own consciousness whereby I can truly see not just a better humanity in the future, but a better humanity within myself. It is where love for the Divine, and love for His creation carries the light of compassion regardless of race, gender, religion, language, or nationality. "Belief" is deepening our awareness and asking all of us to honestly see if we are being true to ourselves or only living from the surface; if I am living compassionately towards my own story; if I truly believe my thoughts and energy contribute to a better world. Is my life a message of compassion, from a soul who has been healed?
September 11 is a day that the world remembers. We remember it as a day of grief, hate, pain, tragedy, and sorrow. It was a day of revealing how compassionate we can be to our neighbors when faced with tragedy. From September 11 - 21, the Belief Team, working collaboratively with OWN, Values Partnerships and many around the world, will be engaging in a conversation called the Belief Days of Compassion and Healing. It will be a rich opportunity to go deeper into our beliefs, compassion and courage to move forward. I call upon my inner most being and of yours to ask the below questions and observe the emergence of thoughts and experience that follows...
1. What is your vision for a healed, transformed world? What does it look like, how does it feel, what is happening within it?
2. "Belief" is a seven-night programming event illuminating the best of religions around the world -- the rituals, stories and relationships at the heart of different faiths, and the ties that bind human beings together. How might this series and the global discussions around it, contribute to a healed and transformed world?
3. How do we bring about a world of compassion and peace versus fear and division?
4. How will you share your vision within your community during the Belief Days of Compassion and Healing?
I believe if we do not ask the right questions and foster awareness around life circumstances we will perish. We will miss experiencing and realizing how great we are as a creation.
What do you say? Tweet your answers to #BeliefDays or @OWNTV or @americameditate
Music by, Lucinda Drayton