Sunday, September 4, 2011

Countdown to Contentment ~ Day 13 and 12

Loving ourselves and life from where we are 

I’m counting down to contentment — to the starting date of my new sacred journey course,Creating a Life of Contentment,"  which begins Sept. 15. For one entire year we will travel together as intimate companions: to relax, let go and rest into Love; to discover the bliss of our own life. I hope you will join me! You can learn all about it here. 


Connection

“In everyone's life, at some time, our inner fire goes out. It is then burst into flame by an encounter with another human being. We should all be thankful for those people who rekindle the inner spirit.”

I am a collector of quotes and this is one of my favorites. Not because it came through the portal of an icon, Albert Schweitzer, but because it is true—at least from my life experience.

How many times have any of us been completely discouraged, feeling ...

... misunderstood
... isolated and alone
... unclear about how to live
... disconnected from Source or our purpose

And then, somehow, grace swoops in and we are rescued ...

... rescued from the illusion that we are alone. Someone smiles at us. We run into an old friend in the store. A neighbor offers a random kindness. We read the words of a wise teacher and remember.

We remember why we are here. We remember what the spiritual path is about and though we were momentarily lost, we step back on. We find our way in the world of humanity again.

The spiritual path can, indeed, be a lonely one and for good reason. We are here to walk our unique path. No one can walk it for us. Most of our “lessons” must be learned on our own. We come into this human life alone and we will leave alone.

But what happens in between the beginning and the end is all about connection. I believe none of us are meant to journey solo for the duration.

Granted, there are times on the spiritual path when we must be alone—to sort things out, to experience silence and solitude so we can hear the whisperings of our heart and of Spirit. But we are social creatures by nature and it is wonderful to be in supportive community.

It is a rare gift to find a community that fits like a glove. Many of the people I meet with for spiritual direction are seeking “their” community. They long for a group who will embrace them as they are—not as a perfect or pious human being, but as one who seeks, asks questions, and who may be full of doubt.

They long for a compassionate community of people just like them.

Don’t we all?

This is the only kind of community I care to participate in these days. I’ve had enough posturing, enough doing spiritual contortions to get people to like and accept me, enough to fill many lifetimes. Been there, done that.

And this is why I have been creating spiritual circles of women for many years now—in-person and on the internet. We need connection—authentic connection—where we are seen and heard for who we really are. We are not criticized or made to feel less than. We are embraced as we are, glorious works in progress, spiritual warts and all.

This is what my year-long spiritual journey course “Creating A Life of Contentment” is all about—Connection, with a capital “C.” It’s the real deal. You get to be you, and you get to create a sacred connection with women like yourself who have the same longings to be seen and heard from a soul perspective. Women who want to live free with ease and joy and true happiness.

Yes, it’s a rekindling of the spirit, a communal lighting of the flame. We’ll warm our hearts and hands by it and know we are home at the hearth of our being.

Welcome, lovely friend. 


"Give me the support of a few good women friends, and I can do almost anything."
B.J. Gallagher


 
 
 
 
Will you join be for the "Creating a Life of Contentment" course beginning soon? 13 days and counting to the sacred journey of a lifetime!



 

2 comments:

One Woman's Journey - a journal being written from Woodhaven - her cottage in the woods. said...

Jan,
love you
wish you
a perfect day
From the matriarch
who lives in the woods.
Cold woods this morning :)

Janice Lynne Lundy said...

One Woman, thank you for this rich and warm blessing. :-) It is very cold here too by the water. Very! Love your heart too, my friend...