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july - September, 2007

The Spiritual Journey Is Here and Now

by Rev. Étienne Pait

On my personal journey, in my own way, I asked Spirit to guide me to the next level of my spiritual awakening — to the next level of my spiritual awareness of remembering Who I am. In my asking, I had envisioned my own particular fantasies of how this spiritual journey would be and appear in this physical world of form.

For some reason, I thought I would either be touched by the “hand of God” or “Spirit would whisper in my ear” clearly leading me directly to the next level and fulfilling what I perceived to be in my best interest. In the back of my mind, when I was being honest with myself, I knew I was indicating to Spirit how this spiritual journey ought to unfold.

From my request, I immediately recognized my internal inconsistencies resulting in conflict. Was I willing to surrender? Was I willing to surrender what I thought I knew and allow knowledge to be transformed into wisdom? Knowledge is the “collection of data.” Wisdom is the “movement of allowing.” Knowledge is of the mind. Wisdom is of the heart.

I was reminded of a Truth I discovered very early on in life: I no more have control of my next step any more than I did with the process of my own birth — my ego attempts to deceive me that I do and can!  At best, I can be aware! Life is way too simple, too complex and far too advanced for me to figure it out from an individualized egotistical perspective.

Even though I may not have the control, I can be aware of the next step when I arrive. Another Truth I discovered: Spirit always has my best interest “in heart” and is guiding my every footstep. Knowing Spirit always has my best interest “in heart,” I am aware that the predominant desire of my heart is Spirit’s dominant interest for me.

I was confronted with a challenge. I thought I fully trusted Spirit and the process. I do now trust the process knowing that all is well in spite of appearances that may be judged to the contrary. I say this because I never thought the next step of my spiritual journey would entail selling cars at Saturn of Green Bay.  Never in my wildest dreams or fantasies did I ever deduce in my thinking mind or embrace in my consciousness that selling cars would be an important and necessary step in my spiritual journey.

Spirituality, in my previous limited thinking, took on different images. Spirituality, to me, meant participating in an integral part or directing a healing center, ministering to the spiritual, mental, emotional and physical needs of my clients, publishing my spiritually oriented book, giving workshops, biking or walking across America as part of a vision quest or any expression that my ego’s point of reference considered “spiritual” based upon my definition. These activities do not define my spirituality nor do they necessarily lead to greater Self-Awareness as I asked of Spirit — on the same token, they can!  Oh, what a paradox!

As I now clarify, the spiritual journey is “here and now,” not “there and then.”  My spiritual journey is the moment-to-moment application of the Divine attributes (calmness, kindness, sincerity, patience, compassion, steadfastness, integrity, etc.) as best I know how, wherever I am and with whomever I am engaged.

One of many arenas in which I currently apply the Divine attributes is with Saturn team members and guests (customers).  The focus of attention of applying these Divine attributes absolutely, undeniably, leads me to greater Self-Awareness. How?  I lovingly and non-judgmentally observe myself applying the attributes with the aim of not engaging or reacting to “my stuff” that may come up while in the process.

My application of the Divine attributes is the truth of me. My reactivity to any stuff coming up in me is the false part of me.  By not engaging the false, the truth of me is easily revealed — voila, Self-Awareness!  This process of Self-Awareness helps me to remember Who I am.

With that said, the first few weeks of employment with Saturn wreaked havoc in my mind, not only because of the process of learning a totally new and absolutely alien job to my previous professions, but also because of the resistance I felt in trusting Spirit’s Wisdom. I was, in my own fearful way, interrogating Spirit’s Guidance.

Every morning for these few weeks I felt scared that I had derailed from my journey, anxious about grasping a new and unfamiliar profession, overwhelmed by the intricacies of the business, confused about Spirit’s intention for me and plagued by a hyper-thinking mind trying to “figure it out.” The emasculating experience literally resulted in intense inner body heat as I dripped with uncontrollable sweat at the breakfast table.
My constant mantra throughout the days as I was trying to learn the product, the profession and allowing non-resistance were: “Thy will be done; Only good can come from this; Thank you, God, for receiving your guidance.”

I asked Spirit to move me to the next level (whatever I thought that was) and I was given the gift of “willingness,” more accurately, “conscious willingness.” The question resonating in my mind was, “Am I willing?” Am I willing to let go of the image of what I think the spiritual journey is and simply be present and apply the appropriate Divine attribute now?

My spiritual journey is not defined by the place or image, for they will change. My spiritual journey is defined by my conscious willingness and non-resistance in allowing the expression of the Divine attributes in all places and images. Spirit has moved me to the next level as a sales consultant with Saturn.

My real job at Saturn is not selling cars; for that will happen because of my intention of being present to Spirit within the profession. My real job is to express the Divine attributes in each moment, as best I know how. And as I express these beautiful Divine attributes, the guests’ needs and wants will be automatically fulfilled with the tangible (the vehicle) and the intangible (someone cares about them).

The common need and want we all have is to feel loved. The product is the vehicle (no pun intended) that facilitates that experience to happen. Saturn of Green Bay is the forum where divinity is in movement.  Wow! I never would have thought it!

Spiritual awareness is a ‘non-experience experience’ of observation without reactivity. It is a result of the fulfillment of my mission — Self-Awareness, Self-Discovery. Spiritual awareness can happen to anyone at any time in any place. Spiritual awareness, like any spiritual intention, is not reserved for only those individuals praying at a consecrated wall, walking on a specific plot of land or kneeling inside of an elaborately constructed stained-glass ornamented building. The wall, the land and the building are all crystallized temporal structures. Spiritual awareness is not contingent on any structure, but is both invited and recognized by a pure heart,  which is inherent in all of us.

Spiritual awareness can and does happen anywhere. We don’t have to reserve a spot in the semi-annual ‘hurry-up, last chance, only a few seats left’ workshop.  It’s not necessary to retire from our job and retreat to a monastery to experience spiritual awareness.

Spiritual awareness can happen in a workshop, but it is not necessary to go there to receive. Spiritual awareness can happen to anyone at any time in any place. We don’t have to go to a faraway exotic place or island to experience spiritual awareness. Wherever we are — God is!

It’s a motionless journey — a journey of stillness and non-judgmental observation recognizing what is false, consequently, revealing what is true. We’re all equal recipients of the spiritual awareness, if we simply — BE!

Spiritual awareness happens in a moment of allowing — allowing now! The spiritual awareness can happen Monday through Friday. It can happen on the weekend. It can happen on the Sabbath. It can happen on any secular day. It can happen on any Holy day or holiday — day or night.  It doesn’t even have to be quiet to experience the ‘non-experience experience’ of spiritual awareness. Spiritual awareness is not governed by our man-made creation or perception of time, event or place — never happening in the past, future or “there.”
 
Spiritual awareness is available only in the now — and in every now — by simply committing — committing to be fully Present in the Moment — here and now!

© 2007, Pathways of Light. https://www.pathwaysoflight.org
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