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January-March, 2014

Living from the Heart

by Rev. Etienne Pait

Have you stopped long enough to reflect why you were born? If so, has this reflection revealed there may be a purpose for living? Have you asked yourself fundamental questions, such as:  “Who am I? Why am I here? What is my purpose here?” Many of us sincerely do not ask these questions until we are confronted with a personal crisis threatening our status quo, a relationship, finances, livelihood or anything we hold dear to our hearts.

In our society, if you think on it for a moment, children are generally taught two simple significant lessons. The first lesson children are taught is “good behavior.” Secondly, they are taught “getting good grades is important.” These two fundamental approaches of living takes on a wide variety of expressions directly squelching, confusing … and limiting a child’s innate ability to intuitively and creatively connect with their Source of Life… how?

Children are taught — from society, culture, parents, role models, religions, authority figures, etc., to:

•  Unconsciously inherit opinions

• Adopt unquestioned preconceived ideas

•  Be imposed upon with should’s, ought to’s, must’s, and have to’s

•  Be obedient to arbitrary and unquestioned standards and norms

•  Espouse unchecked values

•  Fear, what to be afraid of, what they want and don’t want

•  Distort meanings and interpretations given to experiences

•  (and many other perceptions that may be in opposition to what is true in their hearts)

So, between the ages of 12 to 16 many of us have ‘blocked’ much of our awareness to our creative Source — God.

In a nutshell, basically, the image of living takes on the following patterned scenario:  1) We are born. 2) We go to school. 3) We stress to get good grades in school. 4) We compete to get the best job so we can live among our peers. 5) We marry. 6) We have children. 7) We vacation from the job, with or without the children. 8) One day we retire from the job. 9) Then we die.

If one honestly looks at this pattern, recognition comes that much of this pattern evolves quite surreptitiously and unconsciously — simply because “it is what’s done” or “everyone does it,” as the pattern is not examined nor challenged. Have you ever questioned this “mechanical pattern of living?” If you look even deeper you may also recognize much of this pattern of living is painfully unfulfilling — requiring a much more honest look.

Rarely does this mechanical pattern of living lead to fulfilling our function here, reveal a conscious purpose for being or lead to more of a consistent experience of happiness many of us would love to know. This mechanical pattern of living does not reveal why we are here nor will it assist in describing the truth of “Who I am.” The pattern, more often than not, keeps us distracted, “asleep,” blocked and unaware from living the fulfilling life we really want. This pattern keeps us from our Aliveness — the Joy of God. This pattern keeps us hurriedly running into the future, from an unfulfilled past. Aliveness, on the other hand, is a complete experience of the now moment — (‘Stop and smell the roses.’)

Then, during an adult epiphany, many of us ‘hit a wall’ as a new awareness is given birth. The typical up and down emotional reactive patterns, the running to pleasure and the running from the pain cycles just seem ridiculous and just plain exhausting. “Is this what life is all about?”

Usually around mid-thirties to early forties, an ‘urge’ inside us prompts us to question our real goal, our real purpose for being here, our true function in a world that no longer feels like home. We, internally, ask the two fundamental questions:  “Who am I? Why am I here?” We are seeking a deeper meaning to life, not just the inherited ones we’ve adopted and squeezed into. Not only do we not want to just merely exist and look back with regret, but now we become aware of a strong desire to experience true Aliveness and meaning in each now moment. Looking at these questions, and answering them, will open up Pandora’s Box!

Change will occur. Change need not be fearful, for that which needs to change was not meant for our best interest. In order to grease the wheels of change I have found that two approaches are essential: trust in a natural Wisdom of Life, and an attitude of non-resistance.

This trust and non-resistance is based on only one assumption: that Life, Itself (call it God, Creator, Universal Intelligence, or whatever Source of All), loves us and cares for us and is always moving us in the direction to experience Life more fully. And as Life moves us in this direction one perceives an undoing process — undoing the beliefs, ideas, opinions, perceptions and other inherited influences that are in opposition to our Aliveness (our Heart).

As one goes through these changes and the undoing process it is very helpful to consult the wisdom, expertise and experiences of those who are familiar with the road map — to help cope with the spiritual, mental, emotional, physical and/or financial adjustments as a new Reality emerges, as our Heart returns to Aliveness …keeping in mind that Holy Spirit is steadily working ‘behind the scenes’ through those who have walked before us.

© 2013, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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