“God will not have his work made manifest by cowards.”
— Ralph Waldo Emerson, 19th century American philosopher and writer
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This is a tough opening quote, huh?
It certainly wakes you up.
Now – I’m not really sure where I want to go with this. I guess I’ll just put fingers to keyboard and see what comes.
I now know that’s a great strategy – I used to want to know the whole picture before I embarked on a project. But that is so rare isn’t it? With any decision.
The commonality is that so often we just don’t know; or the chance that we will mess up most royally.
And I used to be paralysed by not knowing, and the possible consequences. I’d sit and wait, sit and wait.
Patience is a virtue, but so is moving forward to test the water, so to speak. Often the inspiration, the path forward reveals itself as you walk it.
But, instead:
“Show me a sign”, I’d used to say, even out loud. “ Give me something to tell me what is right!”.
I think the fact is that we already know.
We do, don’t we? Yet we don’t trust it. We’d rather give the decision over to mother/father God:
“Someone tell me what to do!”.
I imagine an important part of being a parent is teaching your children how to make their own decisions that align with their own ultimate principles of what is right. Whatever higher power is out there doesn’t want to be eternally shepherding dependents (again, I imagine!).
And making your own decisions so often comes down to a gut feeling. A sense, or even a caution when you’re about to do or say something not right.
How many times have I had that feeling-caution and gone ahead anyway?
Well, I may be a slow learner, but hopefully I listen with a lot more respect these days.
We have so many rules and regulations – and in the spiritual world too. Ten commandments, Four noble truths, the four agreements, etc etc … and they’re necessary, they are wonderful guidelines and pointers for what is a Good life.
Ultimately however, I think you have to be prepared to go deeper than received wisdom. To be prepared to stand up and stand out, to take a risk for what you know is right.
This is where our power lays.
Like that quote of Marianne Williamson’s that Nelson Mandela used in one his speeches about our deepest fears.
It’s not that we’re inadequate:
“Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.”
I’m sure you know it.
An enlightened world needs enlightened people. This means you, and it means me. It means us creating something different in our own lives, and thus the lives of others.
However, you cannot know what is right and good and of Quality, unless you are able to align with the truth of your soul.
This is one of the reasons why a valid inner practice is SO important.
For finding peace from stress and struggle and painful events and your capricious (good word, huh?) mind, yes. But critically, I say, so you can live the life you were born to live.
Serenity and acceptance is necessary in life. But so is courage.
May you have both. Step forward and you will find your way. You will be SHOWN your way – but only when you move.
Always, “Go within to go beyond”.
Go well,
Arjuna