Building Our Spiritual Foundation

Strengthening our connection to Spirit is an ongoing practice for most of us. It's about reminding ourselves that we are more than what has happened or is happening to us.

Knowing ourselves is about standing firm in the realization that our true self, our Self, is more than the worries, anxieties, and fears of our ego. The external circumstances of our lives are transitory states.

Our Self is the ground, the core of our being. This Self cannot be harmed or destroyed. It is our direct connection to Source and it is the solid foundation upon which we can live with greater peace and presence.

When we center ourselves, get quiet, and calm the ego, we can feel the presence of our Spirit and of Source. By cultivating a regular daily practice of going within to connect to Spirit, we fortify our spiritual Self.

It comes more readily to us to connect to our greater Self when we find ourselves out of balance or in tumultuous times. Developing a spiritual connection is like exercise.

The more we practice living from our higher nature, the stronger we become. We have the choice to transform our energy in an instant. Our goal is to gather our energy and focus it like a laser beam toward our highest good.

When we live in doubt and fear, we are living in a gray fog, we can't see through to our solutions and it seems like there is no way out. We lose our sense of direction and our belief in ourselves.

However, we are in charge of the forecast. We decide if our day and week will be sunny, partly cloudy, or shrouded and overcast.

Having on hand tools and techniques to shift our energy brightens our inner light. Sometimes it can be challenging to do in the midst of difficult circumstances, when we are engaged in an intense emotional situation.

Once we step aside from the event, though, and go within, we can begin to clear ourselves of unwanted emotions that may be lingering and is harmful rather than helpful or even insightful.

We can ask ourselves, “What are my true desires? What is the essence of what I am seeking or hoping for? How can I begin to feel this way now?”

Sometimes we may discover that we have taken on the emotions of the people around us. It's also possible that we are interpreting a present situation through the lens of a past event and need to stay present to what is going on now, rather than color the present with past prejudices. I

n either case, it's important to release the energies of other people or of the past and clear ourselves so that we can view the situation from a more grounded and objective perspective.

With myself, I've noticed that much of the time more patience is needed. I need to give time for things to settle, for my emotions to calm down, for the mental chatter to cease, and for simply, more time to pass.

I often need to let go of what I think “should” happen or how things “should” be. I may need to act in the way that seems best, and trust that in time, I'll see the greater reason or lesson behind what has transpired.

For much of my life I wanted my childhood family to be different. I wished for more intimacy, understanding, maturity, compassion, and so forth from certain family members. I

t was only when I changed how I thought or wished things could be, that my feelings began to shift more positively. I realized that what was, was. It wasn't about longing for what could have been or what I wished would be, but accepting what is.

My greater Self knew this, but my personality fought it for many, many years. It seemed so unacceptable to me, so not what I felt could be.

I knew that the shift needed to happen from within me. I needed to strengthen my core, my spiritual foundation, and draw upon this as my source of love, compassion, and acceptance I had been searching for my whole life. It was never up to my family to give it to me, it was up to me to give it to myself.

As I began to be even more committed to living this truth, my attitude toward my family changed. I knew that who they were or how they behaved toward me, would not define who I am or how loved I felt. They had their own demons they were struggling with.

My job was simply to love them and let go of expectations. I knew this intellectually for many years, but I hadn't been living it. Once I started living it more fully, I no longer felt as triggered by painful feelings of loss or lack of what I didn't have.

Instead, I became more focused on what I could give myself. I felt much more at peace and able to accept what was true in my life without needing to escape what before had felt painful or lacking.

I realized that my outward search for fulfillment needed to stop with me, because that is where true fulfillment lies, within ourselves.