I am a seeker. I admit it.
You could call me a spiritual journeyer. My spiritual exploration usually involves integrating my outer life with my inner life. I’ve always done this, and now I realize this has helped me lead a life full of hope, wonder, faith, and courage.
The beauty of walking a spiritual path is that it helps you go with the flow of life. Life itself constantly changes and modifies our plans whether we like it or not. We don’t have to have our life path planned out. Who knew? Nobody told me!
Restlessness and impatience are hardwired in us. We walk around this crazy world spending so much energy planning how high we can climb or how quickly we can get to the next milestone all the while missing out on the journey at hand. We think we just have to get over the next hill or get around the bend but what about the view from right here, this very precious moment?
Some paths allow us to leap and possibly skip down the road others allow us to only put one foot in front of the other. This kind of path might cause us to stumble, and fall to our knees. What do we do when we fall? We get back up!
When our journey or someone else's journey gets hard it is helpful to adapt, revise, or pause — perhaps we need to catch our breath. Learn to rest when you are weary. Maybe we need to assess the weather. Are storm clouds rolling in? Perhaps we feel a little bit lost or have not noticed something is blocking our path…
Trust the path, or paths that are unfolding around you.
Many spiritual paths straddle growth and suffering. Our spiritual typography can be strenuous terrain to manage at times. Sometimes reorienting our perspective can provide us smoother and less complicated path.
Every day we are on the edge of possibility.
You are called to engage and assess all that appears on your path. Decide to open your heart and mind to bigger experiences. I remind you to travel the path to your heart and soul. Your path and perspective will differ from mine. That’s part of your story and part of your journey.
I find myself getting grounded, peaceful and calm when I engage all my senses. This usually happens on the traveled and trodden paths near my home, on or near the water and on the high and low slopes of any mountain. The rhythm of footsteps is sacred, a form of music, a heartbeat if you settle into a cadence. A scent can throw us a curve ball — they can be off-putting or uplifting. For me, fresh-cut grass (Virginia), lilacs (Colorado), eucalyptus (LaJolla), and gardenias (Sausalito) bring a flood of experiences back to me. :-) Music can change our mood in an instant - notice what you feel physically and emotionally, it's telling you something if you are really listening. Taste has an adventure of its own but I live in the Mid-Atlantic and Old Bay is just something we take everywhere we go! Lastly, the glimmer and shimmer of sunlight can help us ignite what is within…your inner light is always there. Nurture it when it feels dim and share it when you feel it burning bright.
Step into unknown territory. Surrender to the journey. Transform adversity into challenges. There are incredible possibilities ahead of you (and me). It is never too late!! We all have a wilderness to explore (call it what you will). Within me…I am still learning to trust that I have the strength and endurance to handle the small and extraordinary circumstances that life presents us. I believe you can trust this about yourself.
None of us want to walk an unknown path…but being on the edge of a trail or a windy road helps us take risks. They help us lean into life. Don’t always try to control what happens next, we all possess fortitude and determination, and that commits us to continual growth.
I will paraphrase these last lines but “perhaps it is from a bird's eye view that we can give ourselves grace and perspective”. Our life stories evolve — keep seeking and searching for the paths you are meant to follow.
Peace.
JJH