The other day I was talking to a friend who was going through a really difficult time. She was in the midst of losing her home, job, relationship, and was financially bankrupt. She was getting ready to move and start a whole new life alone. She was afraid that without all the things that had defined her for so long, that she would lose her very identity.
I told her that no matter what we may lose in the material world, whether it was people or things, there was one thing we could never lose and that was our Self. There is a part of us that is always more than the sum of our parts. The part of us that is greater than careers, homes, relationships, money or possessions.
Years ago I went to a Transpersonal Psychologist. She explained that within each of us we have a Self and lots of little selves. The little selves are the things that we use to define ourselves but the greater Self is that which is who we really are. Some call this our inner Buddha, our inner Christ, or our inner Wisdom. To me it is the part of my self that, no matter what happens in life, gives me Courage, Integrity, Wisdom, Joy, and Love to move forward in spite of circumstances. This Self cannot be taken from me unless I allow it.
No matter we are going through, no matter what we may lose, when we face our difficulties rather than avoid them, we are acting from that inner Self. I told my friend that she was my hero because in spite of what has happen to her, she continues to move forward, to take the next step no matter how scared she is.
We live our lives defining ourselves by our stuff, our jobs, or our relationships. In doing so we shortchange ourselves. We allow the material things in the world to keep us from allowing our inner Self from soaring. So whatever life may be bringing us, remember we are more than the facts of our lives, we are more than our things, we are more than we think we are – we are Spirit – and our Spirit can never be taken away.
It can, however, be lost when we forget that we are never alone. Our Spirit is always within us, residing as our Self, and giving us everything we need at anytime in our life. It is for this Truth that we can be truly grateful.
Quote of the week
“You are one thing only. You are a Divine Being. An all-powerful Creator. You are a Deity in jeans and a t-shirt, and within you dwells the infinite wisdom of the ages and the sacred creative force of All that is, will be, and ever was.”
Anthon St. Maarten
