October has been a month of facing reality...the reality that we may be hiding our inner being behind a mask of expectations. We’ve been focusing on removing the mask to reveal our true selves, and that can be scary. It almost seems absurd; that we would even consider masquerading as someone that we’re not. But, the truth is, many of us hide behind a mask that we don’t even realize is there until we begin to consciously examine our lives and our desires. If we’ve been raised in a family and/or community that has certain expectations and offers “rewards” for fitting in, it’s possible to truly not realize that we’ve been leading a life that is not personally authentic. As the eastern mystic G.I. Gurdjieff noted, we are in a self-imposed prison, and most don’t even realize they’re in jail!
As my previous October Chaos to Calm blog posts have mentioned, this Yin time of year is the perfect time for introspection...to spend this natural time of retreat contemplating and questioning our purpose and lives. Are we truly happy with our professions, or is there a void that’s never quite filled? Are our relationships honest and joyful, or are we resentful and unsettled? Are we happy with the way we spend our time, or do we long to do other things? Are we feeding our souls and letting our inner beings shine, or are we begrudgingly living up to the expectations of others? Once we begin to tug at the mask, and lift it even a little, the sense of freedom we feel may be enough to urge us back for more “unveiling.”
Our true essence is always with us, even if it’s hidden by all the “shoulds” of our lives. Like an old, faithful friend, our inner being waits as long as necessary for us to do the questioning and lift the mask. For some of us, the mask has been in place for many years, so how do we get the courage to question our lives, remove the mask, and let our true essence take the reins? It can certainly be scary, but the first step is pushing through the fear. What is more frightening: asking the questions and finding the true answers now or discovering near the end of life on this planet that you haven’t participated in your own life honestly and authentically?
Move through the fear and start asking questions of yourself to get in tune with your feelings. Do you really want to attend a certain event? Do you want to celebrate the holidays with extended family as has been the tradition? Is working towards that promotion going to bring you happiness? As I mentioned in early October, we often just “know” something is right or wrong for us. We may notice there’s a feeling deep inside that may contradict everything we thought we wanted. That’s our true essence providing direction to get us on the unique path that’s right for each of us. We may not always understand that inner voice or feeling, but we need to give ourselves time and opportunity to listen for it, acknowledge, and begin to trust it.
Quiet time and meditation are essential for “tuning in” to our inner voices. We spend so much time multi-tasking and rushing from activity to activity that we don’t allow ourselves time to really feel what we’re feeling. Give yourself the gift of just 10 or 15 truly quiet and still minutes each day. You’ll be amazed at the clarity and focus it offers.
Mindfulness will grow out of your quiet time. You’ll begin to think more about your choices and the outcomes. For instance, you’ll give more thought to what sort of food you eat (processed or fresh) and how it affects your body and mood. You’ll consider how your choices affect the circle of life whether it’s a matter of compassion for another living being or recycling and care for our planet. Just a momentary pause for consideration as you make decisions can make positive changes in your life.
Feng Shui will also help you remove the mask and reveal your true essence. Our homes are templates of deep understanding into our own personal psyche. We are attracted to our homes and furnishings for a reason and the flow of life energy through our homes can assist us as we question and seek guidance for living an authentic life. We simply have to stop, notice, and own that we have deep growth that is waiting to emerge.
Positive energy creates more positive energy. If you surround yourself with positive people you’ll feel the difference. Positive energy creates a positive environment for possibility. It supports you as you question and learn to listen to your inner voice.
Removing the mask and giving our true essence its voice is a journey along a path unique to each person. There’s no one “right way” to get to the destination where our inner being shines and we live a true, authentic life full of “I AM.” There’s no switch to flip to put things in motion and we can’t expect the change to happen over night. What we can do is invite the awareness and change into our lives. We can ask the questions and sit with the answers and our true, honest feelings. We can take care of ourselves and support our effort and intention with meditation, Feng Shui, mindfulness, etc. These small steps towards authenticity will serve you well. It’s not always an easy path because sometimes the truth is hard to feel and act upon. Sometimes others in your family or inner circle of friends will be dismayed by your efforts and change. Their fear may overcome the strength of your relationship and they may fall away. Sometimes the path is challenging, but you can do it one small step at a time. Listen to your inner voice, your “I AM” and let your true essence take the reins....only you can decide what is right for you.
Namaste,
Carol
As my previous October Chaos to Calm blog posts have mentioned, this Yin time of year is the perfect time for introspection...to spend this natural time of retreat contemplating and questioning our purpose and lives. Are we truly happy with our professions, or is there a void that’s never quite filled? Are our relationships honest and joyful, or are we resentful and unsettled? Are we happy with the way we spend our time, or do we long to do other things? Are we feeding our souls and letting our inner beings shine, or are we begrudgingly living up to the expectations of others? Once we begin to tug at the mask, and lift it even a little, the sense of freedom we feel may be enough to urge us back for more “unveiling.”
Our true essence is always with us, even if it’s hidden by all the “shoulds” of our lives. Like an old, faithful friend, our inner being waits as long as necessary for us to do the questioning and lift the mask. For some of us, the mask has been in place for many years, so how do we get the courage to question our lives, remove the mask, and let our true essence take the reins? It can certainly be scary, but the first step is pushing through the fear. What is more frightening: asking the questions and finding the true answers now or discovering near the end of life on this planet that you haven’t participated in your own life honestly and authentically?
Move through the fear and start asking questions of yourself to get in tune with your feelings. Do you really want to attend a certain event? Do you want to celebrate the holidays with extended family as has been the tradition? Is working towards that promotion going to bring you happiness? As I mentioned in early October, we often just “know” something is right or wrong for us. We may notice there’s a feeling deep inside that may contradict everything we thought we wanted. That’s our true essence providing direction to get us on the unique path that’s right for each of us. We may not always understand that inner voice or feeling, but we need to give ourselves time and opportunity to listen for it, acknowledge, and begin to trust it.
Quiet time and meditation are essential for “tuning in” to our inner voices. We spend so much time multi-tasking and rushing from activity to activity that we don’t allow ourselves time to really feel what we’re feeling. Give yourself the gift of just 10 or 15 truly quiet and still minutes each day. You’ll be amazed at the clarity and focus it offers.
Mindfulness will grow out of your quiet time. You’ll begin to think more about your choices and the outcomes. For instance, you’ll give more thought to what sort of food you eat (processed or fresh) and how it affects your body and mood. You’ll consider how your choices affect the circle of life whether it’s a matter of compassion for another living being or recycling and care for our planet. Just a momentary pause for consideration as you make decisions can make positive changes in your life.
Feng Shui will also help you remove the mask and reveal your true essence. Our homes are templates of deep understanding into our own personal psyche. We are attracted to our homes and furnishings for a reason and the flow of life energy through our homes can assist us as we question and seek guidance for living an authentic life. We simply have to stop, notice, and own that we have deep growth that is waiting to emerge.
Positive energy creates more positive energy. If you surround yourself with positive people you’ll feel the difference. Positive energy creates a positive environment for possibility. It supports you as you question and learn to listen to your inner voice.
Removing the mask and giving our true essence its voice is a journey along a path unique to each person. There’s no one “right way” to get to the destination where our inner being shines and we live a true, authentic life full of “I AM.” There’s no switch to flip to put things in motion and we can’t expect the change to happen over night. What we can do is invite the awareness and change into our lives. We can ask the questions and sit with the answers and our true, honest feelings. We can take care of ourselves and support our effort and intention with meditation, Feng Shui, mindfulness, etc. These small steps towards authenticity will serve you well. It’s not always an easy path because sometimes the truth is hard to feel and act upon. Sometimes others in your family or inner circle of friends will be dismayed by your efforts and change. Their fear may overcome the strength of your relationship and they may fall away. Sometimes the path is challenging, but you can do it one small step at a time. Listen to your inner voice, your “I AM” and let your true essence take the reins....only you can decide what is right for you.
Namaste,
Carol
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